Cook: 16 The juiciest, best Instant Pot Shredded Chicken in 20 minutes or less! Make this effortless recipe and keep flavorful shredded chicken on hand for quick and easy recipes throughout the week. Great for tacos, casseroles, meal prep, and just about anything you want!
I am ALL about making a big batch of chicken ahead of time to use in recipes throughout the week. It makes life so much easier, especially when you have little ones running around that make cooking weeknight dinners near impossible! And I especially love that it can be COMPLETELY made in my Instant Pot, (opens in a new tab) so only one dish to wash. Winning all around!
This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe is incredibly quick, easy, and results in the juiciest, best chicken ever. It’s so good and perfect on it’s own, but also great for adding to other recipes! Both my preschooler and toddler love this chicken, making it also wonderful for school lunches, sandwiches, tacos, and so much more. You guys are going to love this chicken recipe!
RELATED: 30+ Leftover Chicken Recipes
Shredded Chicken Instant Pot Meal Prep
Meal prepping shredded chicken in your Instant Pot is SO easy and saves tons of time during the week! It’s one of my favorite “hacks” for saving time on healthy meals for the week ahead. To meal prep:
Cook a large batch, shred it, and divide it into portions. Store it airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 3 months. It’s perfect for tossing into salads, sandwiches, tacos, or even soups!
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Ingredients
You only need a few, simple ingredients for this easy recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:
Organic Chicken – Chicken breast is the main ingredient in this recipe. While you can definitely make this recipe with other types of chicken, the pressure cooking times are specifically for chicken breast!
TIP: Get the BEST organic meats delivered right to your doorstep with Butcher Box! (opens in a new tab) Want more info? Here’s my full and honest Butcher Box Review.
Chicken Broth – Chicken or vegetable broth work great in this recipe. Another option is to just use water!
Garlic Powder – Freshly minced garlic or garlic powder are both great options for this Instant Pot recipe.
Onion Powder – Similarly, freshly chopped onion works wonderfully as well as onion powder.
Smoked Paprika – If you do anything in this recipe, be sure to use smoked paprika (opens in a new tab). It really takes things to another level and adds that rotisserie chicken flavor. Trust me on this one!
Thyme – Dried or fresh thyme adds the right touch of flavor!
Salt/Pepper – A dash of salt and pepper bring the flavors of this shredded chicken recipe together.
How to Make Shredded Chicken in Instant Pot
Making shredded chicken in the Instant Pot is probably one of the EASIEST ways to batch cook chicken! Here’s how to make it:
- Place the chicken in the inner pot. (opens in a new tab)
- Add broth and seasoning.
- Pressure cook on high.
- Natural release, then vent.
- Shred with forks.
- Done!
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Pressure Cooker Shredded Chicken Variations
Want to make this recipe your own? Add your own variations with these delicious ideas:
- Top with fresh rosemary
- Add chopped basil and tomatoes
- Use chili powder, cumin, and tomato sauce
- Add freshly sliced oranges and lime, along with a tiny bit of honey
- Marinate the chicken beforehand
- Add a tiny bit of cayenne
Doubling the Recipe
Cooking for a crowd? It’s easy to double this recipe! Along with doubling the ingredient amounts, the coking time will also need to change. For 3 pounds of chicken (instead of 1 1/2), pressure cook on high for 12 minutes instead. The natural release time will remain the same (8 minutes)!
How to Store Pressure Cooker Shredded Chicken
Now that you’ve made all of this shredded chicken, what do you do with it? Here’s how to store shredded chicken that’s been made in the Instant Pot:
Refrigerator – Place in an airtight container (opens in a new tab) and add the lid. Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days!
Freezer – To freeze, place the chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate for an hour. Move to the freezer and store for up to 3 months!
Reheating/Using in Recipes – Reheat the chicken in the microwave for best results (checking often), adding about 1 Tbsp of broth or water to keep moisture in. You can also reheat the chicken in recipes, such as casseroles, skillet meals, and enchiladas!
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How to Use Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Here are a few recipe ideas for how to use Instant Pot Shredded Chicken:
- Chicken Pesto Pasta Bake
- Paleo Chicken Mushroom Casserole
- Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
- Healthy Chicken Broccoli Pasta Casserole
- Creamy Healthy Chicken Enchilada Skillet
- Meal Prep Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Chicken Tomato Pesto Burrata Pasta
- Healthy Sriracha Shredded Chicken Tacos
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to give it a rating below and tag your photos @jar.of.lemons! (opens in a new tab)
Pressure Cooker Shredded Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast (opens in a new tab) (about 3)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (opens in a new tab)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in the Instant Pot inner pot.
- Add the chicken broth.
- Add the seasoning.
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to "sealing".
- Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off and it's done cooking, let the Instant Pot natural release for another 8 minutes.
- Quick release by setting the valve to "venting".
- Remove the lid and shred the chicken with two forks.
- Serve and enjoy or store for later!
Nutrition
Did you make this? I’d love to see!
Tag me on socials at @JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab) or #JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab)
This is an easy, delicious recipe that’s our go-to when we need shredded chicken. It’s seasoned beautifully and tastes wonderful. I used it in a High Protein Chicken Enchiladas recipe that I reviewed on my YouTube channel, The Real Deal Recipe Reviews.
This was absolutely so easy to make in the instant pot. Thanks for the idea and the tips.