Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
This shredded chicken cooks quickly in the Instant Pot and is so incredibly versatile! Enjoy with veggies, over rice, in tacos, or for meal prep. You really can serve it up limitless ways!
If you watch my instagram stories then you’re well aware that our kitchen remodel is taking a lot longer than originally expected. Just thinking about it makes me feel a little snippy. We picked out the counters, cabinets, backsplash, and appliances in early August. Work was supposed to begin in the beginning of November but that date kept getting delayed. The demo finally started in mid-March. We were told it would be 3 to 4 weeks until completion. Here we are at 5 weeks and the kitchen isn’t even halfway done. I am so ready to put this process behind us! Hopefully in a week or two I can come back and say it’s done!
As you can imagine I’m relying heavily on my Instant Pot, air fryer, and slow cooker these days. I have several chicken recipes for the Instant Pot already here on the blog but the recipe I’m sharing today is the one you can really use a million different ways. It’s simply flavored and easy to customize!
The best part? It’s not dry. Not even a little bit. When it finishes cooking you’ll notice plenty of liquid in the bottom. That’s what we want! Shred the chicken and add it back to the Instant Pot. The shredded chicken will continue to absorb the liquid to give you the best, moistest, easiest shredded chicken!
For this recipe you’ll need (full list of ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below):
- Chicken breasts
- Chicken stock
- Seasonings
Can you use water instead of chicken stock?
Yes, you can sub water or vegetable broth if you like. Keep in mind that if you’re using water you may want to adjust your seasonings to account for the lack of flavor in the liquid.
Ways to customize this chicken
You can experiment with different seasonings and herbs based on what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas:
- For bigger flavor, try chili powder or paprika.
- For spice, use a smidge of crushed red pepper flakes (a little goes a long way) or a splash of hot sauce.
- If you don’t have Italian seasoning, add dried basil, parsley, and oregano.
Natural release or quick release?
A quick release is best for foods that cook fast like vegetables. You don’t want them to continue cooking any longer than absolutely necessary or they’ll be mush.
A natural release allows the cooking to stop gradually. This is ideal for large cuts of meat (think of it like letting your meat rest) because it will give you more tender meat. This is also a good idea for large pots of soup so you don’t end up with foam shooting out of the valve.
For this shredded chicken I recommend doing 10 minutes of natural release before moving to a quick release. This will ensure your chicken is fully cooked and make it easier to shred.
Does this chicken freeze well?
Yes! Just place the finished Instant Pot Shredded Chicken in a freezer bag or other freezer safe container. If using a bag be sure to squeeze out any excess air before sealing. This chicken will be good in the freezer for up to 6 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy it just thaw it out and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
What to do with the remaining liquid in the Instant Pot?
The chicken will continue to absorb the liquid once shredded. You can drain the remaining liquid before serving if you’re planning to eat the chicken immediately. If using this chicken for meal prep I recommend keeping the liquid with the chicken so that it’s perfectly juicy when you’re ready to eat.
More recipes like this:
Instant Pot Shredded Salsa Chicken
Slow Cooker Shredded Pineapple Chicken
Instant Pot Sweet Sesame Chicken
Slow Cooker Italian Shredded Chicken
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 2 tsp italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Seal the Instant Pot. Set it to Pressure Cook (or Manual, depending on the model Instant Pot you have) on high pressure for 10 minutes. (It will take a few minutes for it to come to pressure and then the count down will start.)
- Once the cooking time has passed do a natural release for 10 minutes. (That means you should not vent the instant pot immediately after cooking time is done.) After the 10 minutes is over do a quick release by flipping the valve to "venting" to release any remaining steam.
- Remove chicken from Instant Pot and use a fork to shred it. Place shredded chicken back in the Instant Pot. You'll see quite a bit of liquid but the chicken will absorb a lot of it once shredded. Taste and add more salt or seasonings if desired. (You can drain the remaining liquid before serving if you're eating immediately. If using this chicken for meal prep I recommend keeping the liquid with the chicken so that it's perfectly juicy when you're ready to eat.)
