This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is perfectly moist, perfectly seasoned, and it freezes perfectly for your weekly meal prep! The easy way to cook Instant Pot chicken breast for shredding, from fresh or frozen! It’s a healthy addition to soups, salads, pastas or sandwiches throughout the week.
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I know. Instant Pot Shredded Chicken? We hardly need a recipe for that!
It’s not even really a recipe.
But since this here is not just a food blog full of delicious things for you — it’s also a collection of some of my favorite things — I get to say what goes here.
And today? I’m all about non-recipe recipes.
I mean, it’s kind of a recipe. The seasoning on this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is mild but so, so flavorful. It’s not too spicy or too salty or too peppery or too herby. It’s just right.
And we all know that Instant Pot chicken breasts are one of my favorite things this year (check out these Creamy Italian Instant Pot Chicken Breasts, Instant Pot Pineapple Chicken Breasts, How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot if you were unsure!), so I’m keeping it.
I came up with this recipe when I was testing a few grilled chicken recipes, and I ended up taking out 4 extra chicken breasts that I no longer needed to grill. We are preparing to leave on holidays, and so I didn’t really want any extra food hanging around in the fridge that might spoil while we’re away.
I decided to dream up the ultimate Instant Pot Shredded Chicken and stash it in the freezer for our return — best idea ever!
We now don’t have to worry about what we are going to eat the day after we get home when we’re still feeling like two zombies who “vacationed” with 3 kids 6 and under.
I can guarantee you we will not regret it!
How to Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken:
I know that this is such an easy recipe that most of you probably don’t need tips on how to make shredded chicken, but there are a few things that I think are key so I’m going to drop some hints anyway!
Do with them what you will 😉
- Make sure you add enough liquid. The liquid is what makes for a tender, flavorful shredded or “pulled” chicken. Broth adds so much more flavor than water, and more liquid = more moisture in your chicken!
- Season well. You don’t want to go overboard, but keep in mind that meat is best seasoned during the cooking process and not after (as is pasta, grains, vegetables, the list goes on). You will drain most of the liquid afterward, so you will not be consuming the full amount of salt, etc. as is listed in the recipe.
- Breasts or thighs? You can use either boneless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, or throw some of each in all together! Thighs have a richer flavor, and breasts are leaner. You choose.
How to shred chicken:
There are a couple ways to shred the chicken once it is cooked. Chicken breasts coming out of your pressure cooker are pretty much falling apart without you having to do anything, so you don’t need to get fancy.
I prefer to use two forks, because I’m lazy and I’m not into extra dishes. They do a fine job!
A lot of people will use a hand mixer or stand mixer to shred chicken, but I think it’s overkill. Who wants a huge stand mixer bowl to wash just for a few chicken breasts? Maybe if you’re doing a few pounds at once, it would be worth it.
Be sure to shred the chicken breast in the liquid (or at least some of it!) as it the chicken will reabsorb some of the broth and seasoning as you are pulling it, and it will give you the best results by far!
Staring with frozen chicken breasts?
I recommend adding 3-4 minutes to the cook time.
See my post here on cooking frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot.
Looking for more Instant Pot recipes?
- Instant Pot Pork Chops with Bacon Apple Glaze
- Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Herb Rub
- Creamy Italian Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Don’t have an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker? Check out my Crockpot Shredded Chicken!
JUICY Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
- Place broth, seasoning salt, Italian seasoning and pepper into the Instant Pot inner pot. Stir.
- Add the chicken breasts (no trivet necessary!) and put the lid on.
- Turn valve to sealing, and select Manual (or Pressure Cook), high pressure for 10 minutes (they will be cooked at 7-8 minutes, but a couple extra minutes makes them fall apart tender). It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and start counting down.
- Once the cook time is over, turn the Instant Pot off and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (i.e., don’t touch it!).
- Open the lid and drain about half of the liquid. Shred the chicken breasts with the remaining liquid in the pot, and serve as desired. To freeze, let cool to room temperature before placing in freezer bags.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Ron U. says
I have used this recipe before except browned chicken breast in instant pot (on sautee) before pressure cooking. Today I did something different…heated outdoor grill to 450, slathered breasts with BBQ sauce and grilled for 2 1/2 minutes each side, then pressure cooked…WOW! Carmelization of sauce and “smoke” gave shredded chicken whole new taste…family said ONLY make pulled chicken this way in future. Might try same procedure with pork. Thanks.
Ashley Fehr says
That’s a neat idea! Thanks Ron!
Charissa says
This looks perfect! I have made a handful of recipes in my new 6 quart Instant Pot, but not chicken yet, and I want this to be the first recipe I try! It looks super simple, which is what I need when it comes to chicken for sure! So I just want to make sure I got this right, the chicken pressure cooks for 10 minutes and then you let it go to natural release where the timer counts up, not turn it off right? And one last thing, you said no trivet? Last time I didn’t use the trivet I got the bring signal and I hate that! If I do add the trivet, will that mess the recipe up? TIA!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Charissa! You can let it release the pressure while it counts up or just turn it off. I do either. If I’m in the kitchen, I will just turn it off. And no, no trivet. If your sealing ring is in place, and the valve is sealed, there is literally no way for the liquid to evaporate so there is no way to get a burn message.
Misty Newsome says
I had six chicken breast and I doubled the liquid and spices. Why then when I opened it was it not shredable and almost looked undercooked? These are fresh not frozen
Ashley Fehr says
You cannot go by “look” with chicken — only a meat thermometer will tell you if the chicken is cooked through. If you could check the temperature, you’d have a better idea if they need a few more minutes or a few less. Exact cook times will vary depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
Ellen says
This is one of the first Instant Pot recipes that I tried, and it has always been great. I do try to remove the salt entirely, so that I can share it with my Shiat Tzu, Lola. I can always add salt later. I’m cooking at an altitude of 5000 feet, so I add 2 minutes to the cook time and let it natural release while I do other things…usually about 30 minutes. Lately, I’ve been using salt free bone broth, thyme, oregano, a little sage, a pinch of turmeric, a pinch of paprika, and a little pepper. (I avoid adding garlic and onion since dogs can be sensitive to it, so I add it later, with the salt. I have a mini Instant Pot, and usually cook two large boneless skinless chicken breasts, equaling about a pound. It always turns out very well, but just slightly dry. I do shred the chicken in the broth, but I’ve wondered if the pieces of chicken are two big. I have tried adding a minute or two to the cook time and it seems a little juicier. I’m going up to 15 minutes today to see if it’s even better! Thank you for your explanations and responses to readers – it’s been very helpful to me!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Ellen! I would definitely say if they are on the very large side then a couple extra minutes is a good idea 🙂
Tom Pound says
Try filet the breasts then cut in half before cooking. Smaller pieces cook better and juicier.
Ashley Fehr says
Smaller pieces will require a shorter cook time or they may be overcooked
Marjorie Smith says
We had just gotten home and were hungry. Within 45 minutes a complete meal was on the table that my grandson could eat (just got braces). I started with frozen, added an extra 1/2 cup of broth, and at the end, some sauteed mushrooms. Thickened it and served it over noodles. Cooked some veggies and had a tasty, easy to chew, healthy meal. Thank you for the recipe.
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you Marjorie!
Casandra says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I know how to cook shredded chicken on the stovetop or crockpot, but the Instant Pot is a whole new thing to me!! I’ve tried different recipes I found online but the chicken was never fall apart good, like it is when I use the stovetop (45 minutes) or crockpot (several hours).
P.S. I love the stand mixer version of shredding. I don’t have to shred by hand or with two forks, which never really worked for me anyway (shrug). And the dishwasher does all the cleaning for me!!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad you liked it!
Sarah says
Thank you! This was so good and so easy to make!!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Sarah!
Katie says
My chicken breasts are frozen together in one big brick- should I add more than 4mins to the Cook time?
Ashley Fehr says
I would probably double the cook time just to be safe
Dallas says
If I am doubling the amount of chicken, do I also double seasonings and time cooked?
Dallas says
What I meant is 6 breasts instead of 4, not double
Ashley Fehr says
You will double the seasonings but not the cook time
Hilary says
Hi Ashley,
Thanks for the great recipe! I was just wondering if you completely turn off the instant pot after the ten minutes of cooking and not touch it for ten more minutes or if you let it default to warming for the 10 minutes of natural releasing?
Thanks so much!
Ashley Fehr says
I turn it off completely!
Jessica says
I tried this recipe to a t and the chicken turned out tough and not very moist (the texture was strange to pull, almost stringy and stiff). It also had next to no flavour.
I used frozen chicken. Pressure cooked for 10 and it wasn’t completely cooked when I pulled a section so I added an additional 2 minutes.
Where did I go wrong?
Ashley Fehr says
Unless you checked the internal temperature with a meat thermometer, I wouldn’t say that it wasn’t cooked. Coloring is not necessarily an indicator of doneness. I would make sure that your Instant Pot is sealed and cooking on high pressure, and that you allow for a natural release.
Jenny says
If we have a lb of thawed chicken breasts.. how long does it usually take in the IP? For some reason my chicken ends up being hard to shred.
Ashley Fehr says
The cook time will be the same as listed
Ashley H says
Can you select poultry on the instant pot or pressure cook? Is 3-3.5 lbs still 10 mins with natural release?
Ashley Fehr says
As long as the chicken isn’t stuck together, 10 minutes should be sufficient. If it is very full it will take a little longer to come to pressure and you may want to add a few minutes to the cook time just to be safe. I always use pressure cook on high, so I can’t say how the poultry setting would differ.
Jackienicks says
How would I cook 1 piece of thin chicken? Would it be with 1/4 broth? Cooking for my 8 month old!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes that would work!
casscree@gmail.com says
Hello I’m new to your recipes and trying the white chicken chili for the first time. I’m starting by making a batch of your Instant Pot shredded chicken. My question is if I use that chicken for the chili recipe do I still need to add 2 cups of broth or is the broth used just for making the chicken? Thanks
Ashley Fehr says
The broth is the base of the chili, so I would still add it 🙂
Corinne says
Have used this recipe numerous times, and it is phenomenal! Thank you!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Corinne! I’m so glad!
Dan Rice says
This stuff was awesome, could not ask for better. Thanks for sharing
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Dan! I’m so glad!
kmt says
I was making chicken for pot pie. I used chicken flavor bouillion, and added some celery, onion and carrot like I would have if I had stewed it. Just used salt and pepper. 2 boneless breasts were perfect at 10 min. and 10 min. natural release. Went ahead and tasted the carrots, my husband asked if we can have them that way from now on.
Ashley Fehr says
That’s a great idea, thanks for sharing!
Kathy says
Loved this recipe, used frozen chicken breast, added an extra 4 minutes and wala, perfectly moist, seasoned chicken. I shredded mine and made chicken enchiladas. Thank you for sharing
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Kathy!
Deonne Couturier says
So juicy and deeeelicious! Used 2 cups broth in my 8 qrt and doubled the seasoning with 6 medium breasts. Yum!! Thank you for this recipe
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Deonne! I’m so glad!
Lisette says
Awesome!!!👌
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks!
Carla McBride says
What do you do to freeze? Keep it in the liquid? Or just shredded the way it is in tubberware?
Ashley Fehr says
You can really do either! It’s not a bad idea to store it in some liquid and reheat it in the liquid, as it will be nice and moist.
Skyler says
Chicken came out really tough. I followed the recipe exactly like it said
Ashley Fehr says
I’m sorry to hear that! There are a lot of different factors that could result in tough chicken, but without more details it’s hard for me to say what might have gone wrong
Cj says
Thanks for sharing your recipe. I had 4 chicken breasts and put them in for 10 and let the ip natural release for 10 minutes..I felt like I was ripping the chicken apart instead of it coming apart easily. Does this mean it was undercooked? I can’t seem to get it right and it’s so frustrating!
Thank you for your help.
Ashley Fehr says
hi CJ! I’m sorry to hear that. It could mean a couple of things, and probably depends on the size of the chicken breasts you were using. Tough could mean overcooked or undercooked, so we’re trying to hit the sweet spot in the middle. If your chicken breasts are very large, adding 2-4 minutes to the cook time probably isn’t a bad idea.
Jenny says
This always happens to me too!! Its not tender. I have to rip it apart.
Ashley Fehr says
I think that might have more to do with the quality of the chicken, as different stores and different products can give very different results. I would try purchasing your chicken somewhere else and see if you have better results.
Terri Larkin says
What is time for “thin cut” cutlets?
Ashley Fehr says
You could likely reduce by a minute or two depending on how small they are
Bonnie says
Hi, do I change the amount of time for 2.5 lbs of chicken?
Ashley Fehr says
You shouldn’t need to change the time to add extra chicken!
Bonnie says
Hi does it matter how much chicken you have? I have 2.5 lbs chicken. Do I add more time for this amount of chicken?
Loren says
This is such a fantastic and simple recipe. Chicken was moist and flavorful and very easy to shred! Thanks for sharing:) I now put it on soups and salads 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you Loren! I’m glad you liked it!
Brandi says
How is total time 13 minutes when prep is 5 and cook is 10? Also, does that include the natural release time?
Ashley Fehr says
Sorry, there was a hiccup with my recipe card. It does not include time to release pressure, that will add another 10-15 minutes.
Ariel S. says
I’m currently waiting the outcome of this dish but a thought popped in my head after I started the instant pot. Should the liquid come over the top of the chicken? Or does that not matter? I put in 2 cups of broth but it didn’t cover the chicken. I used more liquid because I have an 8 quart instant pot.
Ashley Fehr says
No, it doesn’t have to cover! It should be great
Stacey says
This recipe has become my go to for just about anything with chicken. I usually buy a large amount of chicken breasts whenever they’re on sale, then I cook them in several different batches with different seasonings in each. That way I have a variety of flavors to choose from on nights when I want to be a little lazy.
Ashley Fehr says
That is such a great idea, I love it!