Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Recipe

Instant Pot shredded chicken in a bowl on a marble countertop.

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Recipe

Moist, succulent Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is one of my favorite meal prep recipes. It’s ready in a flash and so easy to incorporate into a variety of different dishes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Pressurize Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 166kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs trimmed (1125g)
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup chicken broth (240mL)

Instructions

Place the chicken in the insert of an Instant Pot. Season with salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, and ground black pepper. Cover with the chicken broth and stir gently to distribute the spices.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and twist and seal to lock. Turn the steam release valve to “sealing”. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the steam release naturally for 5 minutes, then release manually.
Remove the lid from the Instant Pot. Remove about half of the cooking liquid. Shred the chicken in the remaining liquid using two forks. Add the reserved liquid to reach the consistency that you like.
Store the chicken in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, divide into smaller containers, covering the chicken with the reserved cooking liquid to freeze.

Notes

Keep the shredded chicken warm in the Instant Pot after cooking. This is a great hack if you are serving it at a party as a topping or taco filling. Once shredded, add it back to the Pot with the cooking liquid or other sauce, and turn the Instant Pot onto Warm.
If your chicken isn’t cooked after 10 minutes, turn it back on to cook under high pressure for 2 minutes. Quick release the steam and check again.

Nutrition