Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breast Recipe
Get perfectly moist and tender shredded chicken every time with this simple Instant Pot shredded chicken recipe.
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With the magic of an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, you can make perfectly cooked shredded chicken in no time at all.
🤍Why you will love this recipe
- Shredded chicken is a versatile meal base that is convenient to have on hand for busy nights and meal prep.
- It’s an easy recipe that is quick to make in an Instant Pot.
Here is what you will need
This is an overview of the ingredients and steps to make this recipe; scroll down for a printable recipe card with exact measurements and detailed instructions.
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🛒Ingredients
- Boneless chicken breasts
- Water
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder or onion powder – optional
🥄Equipment
How to make Instant Pot shredded chicken
STEP 1: Place 1 pound of chicken breasts into an electric pressure cooker, and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the instant pot.
STEP 2: Secure the lid and set the Instant pot to high pressure for 10 minutes. Once the cooking time is over, and natural release the pressure.
STEP 3: Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred the chicken.
Note: Cook time can vary depending on the model of your pressure cooker. The chicken is fully cooked once it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees f. Check the user manual for details.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Chicken – I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts to make shredded chicken. They are easy and cook quickly.
If you prefer chicken thighs you can use boneless ones, but keep in mind that cooking time will vary.
Water – A little bit of water with cracked black pepper and salt is really all that you need to make shredded chicken. However, you can replace the water with chicken stock if you prefer more flavor.
How to store Instant Pot shredded chicken
Once the chicken has been shredded and is at room temperature, you can store it in your refrigerator in an airtight container for up to four days.
You can also freeze shredded chicken for up to four months and defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
Recipe variations
Shredded chicken is a blank slate and ready to be added to casseroles, tacos, salads and more. Try these variations for more flavorful chicken.
Garlic and Onion – Toss in one or two garlic cloves and onion slices before cooking the chicken.
This version is perfect for adding to casseroles, pasta, and rice dishes.
Classic Herb – Add a few sprigs of fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme and sage with the chicken for an earthy flavor that will go with many dishes such as delicious chicken salads.
Lemon Pepper – Squeeze the juice of a lemon into the pressure cooker with pepper, salt and a little bit of lemon zest for refreshing shredded chicken.
Italian Seasoned – Add garlic powder, dried basil and oregano or a dash of Italian seasoning. This goes well with pasta sauce, or pizza.
Tex-Mex – Sprinkle the chicken breasts with a mixture of chili powder and cumin or your favorite taco seasoning.
If you have more time, try making shredded chicken in a slow cooker!
Serving suggestions
Shredded chicken is so versatile! You can use it in salads, chicken salad, baked potatoes, burrito bowls, buffalo chicken dip, pizza, egg rolls, casseroles, rice bowls, Asian-inspired dishes and more!
💡Top Tips
- Make a big batch of chicken; once it’s been shredded and at room temperature, store it in freezer safe container for a quick and easy meal.
- For best results, let the chicken rest for a few minutes before shredding which will allow the juices to redistribute.
- Remove the trivet and put the chicken directly into the water to ensure they stay moist and flavorful.
- Don’t toss out the cooking liquid, save it for soups and gravies.
Since an instant pot cooks with steam, the end result will be juicy chicken breasts that are cooked to perfection in less time than other cooking methods.
Yes, pressure cookers are great for cooking frozen chicken breast, but you will need to adjust the amount of time for cooking to 4 or 5 minutes be sure they are cooked through.
Unless you have a lot of chicken to shred, two forks is the easiest way to shred chicken. You can also use a hand mixer or stand mixer, but two forks is much less complicated and easy to clean up.
Are you too tired to cook dinner?
If you’re feeling uninspired when it’s time to cook dinner, this free guide will help you make a quick and healthy dinner with ingredients you have in your kitchen.
You might like these Instant Pot recipes
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Boneless chicken breasts
- Water
- 1/8 teaspoon Sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- Place 1 Pound Boneless chicken breasts into an instant pot, sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon Sea salt and 1/8 teaspoon Black pepper
- Secure the lid on the pressure cooker and set to high pressure for 10 minutes. Once the cooking time is over let the pressure release naturally.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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