Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Name: Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken breasts (raw, boneless and skinless); 1 cup chicken broth (low-sodium); 2 tsp 24 herb sprinkle seasoning; ½ tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp smoked paprika; ¼ tsp sea salt (optional to taste); ¼ tsp black pepper (optional)

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This instant pot shredded chicken recipe is perfect for busy weeknight dinners and meal prep. It’s easy to make using 7 simple ingredients, and the flavorful chicken will be tender & ready in less than 30 minutes. Use this shredded chicken for various recipes like chicken salad, chicken bone broth soup, buffalo chicken sliders, and much more.

Tender and flavorful shredded chicken cooked in a pressure cooker on a plate with fresh parsley

Why Make Pressure Cooker Shredded Chicken

Here are a few reasons why you should make this instant pot chicken breast recipe:

Easy recipe with simple ingredients: Making shredded chicken breast in the instant pot is as easy as it can get. You’ll follow 4 simple steps and use a handful of basic ingredients to get it done. That said, add this simple recipe to your list of instant pot recipes!
Versatile: This dish works with any recipe requiring cooked chicken, like chicken soup, chicken pot pie, chicken salads, chicken sandwiches (like buffalo chicken sliders), chicken burrito bowls, and more. That’s what makes this the best shredded chicken recipe.
Saves time: Pressure cooker shredded chicken will be ready in a cooking time of less than 15 minutes. It’s a quicker way to make tender chicken and avoid the long cooking hours required to make crockpot or slow cooker shredded chicken.
Great for meal prep: If you’re meal prepping, you can make lots of shredded chicken meat and use it for various dishes—easy and convenient.

Ingredients Needed

Chicken breasts: Raw, boneless skinless chicken breasts, or you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
Chicken broth: Low sodium
24 herb blend (which includes onion powder) or Italian seasoning
Garlic powder
Smoked paprika
Sea salt: Optional to taste
Black pepper: Optional

How To Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Here are the steps needed for pressure cooking chicken in your instant pot pressure cooker:

Mix the spices in a small bowl. Pat the raw chicken dry and add the boneless chicken breasts to a bowl with the spices. Mix to combine (be sure to use up all the spices).
For best results, pour the broth into the bottom of the instant pot. Place the chicken breasts in the liquid. Add the pressure cooker lid, set the venting knob to seal, and cook the
meat on high for 8-10 minutes. Manually remove the remaining pressure for about 3 minutes.
Shred the juicy chicken breasts with the meat claws or two forks (Add the meat to a cutting board or shred the meat right in the cooking pot).
Return the meat to the pot with the liquid.

step-by-step photo tutorial for how to make delicious Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Recipes Tips & FAQs

Manually remove the pressure: Removing the pressure manually (rather than allowing the natural pressure release) keeps the chicken from overcooking.
Optional: If you prefer, use a meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature of the chicken.
Adjust the time for frozen meat: Frozen chicken needs extra 1-2 minutes to cook.
Use just a little salt or none: Adding a little salt (or no salt) to the shredded chicken allows you to use this delicious shredded chicken in any recipe and salt to taste.

Storage and Leftovers

Store leftover shredded chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

FAQs

How to cook shredded chicken in Instant Pot?

Put all the ingredients in the pot and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Shred the chicken and return to the pot with the liquid.

Why is my instant pot shredded chicken rubbery?

Overcooking your chicken can give it a rubbery texture.

Is there a difference between pulled and shredded chicken?

Pulled meat is sometimes from the bones, while shredded can be from the bones or boneless meat. Sometimes, the terms are used interchangeably since the results are the same.

What is the best way to shred chicken?

This instant pot shredded chicken recipe uses meat claws or two forks. You can also use a hand mixer.

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken: Tender and flavorful shredded chicken cooked to perfection in the Instant Pot

Using Pressure Cooker Shredded Chicken

Chicken bone broth soup: Substitute cast iron shredded chicken breast with instant pot shredded chicken to make this delectable chunky soup.
Buffalo chicken pasta (instant pot): This creamy and cheesy pasta dish uses shredded buffalo chicken plus a few other ingredients.
Bbq chicken nachos: This recipe uses instant pot shredded bbq chicken but regular instant pot chicken delivers equally amazing results.
BBQ Chicken Sliders: combine your shredded chicken with bbq sauce and bbq chicken rub for an easy slider.

More Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Shredded buffalo chicken: Tender, juicy, and buffalo-flavored chicken meat used as the main ingredient for chicken dishes like salads and chicken pasta.

Instant pot shredded bbq chicken It’s a perfect fit for busy weeknight dinners. Everything comes together in under 20 minutes. You can use the meat for soup, sandwich, or salad.