Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe is so simple yet so delicious combining fresh chicken breasts, chicken broth, garlic powder, and some salt and pepper. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

You’ll be amazed at how this chicken recipe makes up tender, juicy chicken in less than 30 minutes. What could be better than having pre-cooked ready-to-go chicken in the fridge? You can use this shredded chicken in soups, salads, sandwiches, and stews…. name any dish and I’m pretty sure this shredded chicken will work well in it.

Try mixing the chicken with some taco seasoning and add it to tacos or burritos. Toss the chicken in some barbeque sauce and make a Sloppy Joe or Pulled Chicken. Sprinkle with basil and oregano and add to your favorite pasta dish. Having the chicken ready to go makes meal prep super speedy.

It’s great to make a batch of this chicken during your weekly meal prep session so that you can use it in whatever meals you have planned for the week. All you’ll need to do is season it accordingly before adding it.

You can easily double the recipe and throw some cooked chicken in the freezer so it’s ready to use at a later date.

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Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

• Simple to prepare.
• Very few ingredients are required.
• Easily customizable.

Equipment Needed To Make Instant Pot Chicken

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Instant Pot
• KitchenAid Mixer (optional)

Ingredients To Make Shredded Chicken

• Yield: ~4 cups of shredded chicken
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Natural Release Time: 5 minutes

• 3 Chicken Breasts
• 1 cup Chicken Broth or Water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

How To Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

• Put chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. If you want to make more than this recipe calls for then simply stack the chicken breasts on top of one another.

• Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the raw chicken.

• Pour in chicken broth.

• Seal Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
• Once the time is up, let the instant pot naturally release pressure for 5 minutes.
• Do a quick release. Steam comes out the top of the instant pot so I usually point it away from my upper cabinets. Open up the instant pot to freshly cooked and hot chicken. It’s like magic!
• Note: Time does not include how long it takes Instant Pot to come to pressure.

• You can either shred the cooked chicken breasts directly inside the Instant Pot or you can remove them to a plate and use a fork to shred or to a bowl and use a hand mixer to shred.

• I like the ease and speed of using an electric mixer.

• Sometimes I use my favorite KitchenAid stand mixer if I’m making a larger batch of instant pot shredded chicken.

Note: You can easily swap out the seasonings for what you prefer, such as Italian or taco seasoning.

Transfer to a serving bowl and easily serve the shredded chicken with a pair of tongs.

Variations of Shredded Chicken

• Substitute chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
• Change up the spices and season it any way you like; add paprika, basil, oregano or, rosemary.
• Use turkey breasts instead of chicken.
• Try using a vegetable broth or an onion soup mix instead of the chicken broth for a different flavor profile.

Tips and Tricks

• Try to get chicken breasts that are all the same size so they cook up at the same pace.
• Use frozen chicken breasts and adjust the cooking time to add a few minutes.
• Choose a low-sodium broth option so the chicken isn’t too salty.
• If you choose to use bone-in meat extend the cooking time slightly.
• If you are having a hard time shredding the chicken you can also use your hands to shred it.

FAQs

How long does it take to cook shredded chicken in the Instant Pot?

It only takes 10 minutes to cook the chicken in the Instant Pot.

What should I do with shredded chicken?

You can use shredded chicken any way you like; add it to soups, and stews or mix it with some barbeque sauce or vegetables for a stir fry. You can also use it in a sandwich.

How long will the cooked chicken breasts last?

The cooked chicken will last 3-4 days in the fridge or up to 4 months in the freezer.

How should I store the shredded chicken?

Make sure to store the cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge.

Should this shredded chicken be eaten cold or warm?

You can eat this chicken either way. Cold on top of a salad or hot in a soup. You really can’t go wrong either way. You may like to add it to my favorite Grape Salad for an easy chicken salad recipe.

Should I heat the chicken before adding it to a recipe?

There is no need to preheat the chicken before adding it to a recipe. I suggest you mix it in at the end of the preparation process and allow the chicken to heat up naturally. Too much heating may dry the chicken out.

Can I make this chicken in a crock pot?

You can also cook up this shredded chicken in a crock pot though the cooking time will be much longer.