It might look simple, but this Shredded Chicken made in the Instant Pot is actually bursting with fantastic flavors. And the chicken meat? Irresistibly juicy and tender! So quick and easy to make, plus, enjoy a mess-free shredding experience with a few simple tricks.
Most of you have been requesting a shredded chicken recipe. But because I love all of you, I made my skillet version HERE much easier this time with the help of an Instant Pot.
Yes, you read it right. But just to share with you, the use of instant pot for this recipe is trickier than you think it is.
I had several trials before I landed on a perfect recipe which resulted in this flavorful chicken breast dish that is tender to shred, but definitely not overcooked!
Why Should You Make This?
Once you’ve tried making this recipe, I’m sure you’ll definitely gonna try to do it over and over again! Why?
- It’s so versatile. Make a bunch and add them to your favorite sandwiches, salads, pasta, casserole, tacos, soup – almost everything!
- So much easier to make. Clean, put in a pressure cooker, leave it in there, and let it release naturally. You can even do other things or chores while waiting for the chicken to cook. It’s hands-free cooking!
- Healthy. If you’re the person that looks first at the nutritional benefit of a meal, I bet that this one’s for you. Chicken, specifically the breast part is low in fat and calories, but high in protein!
How Long to Cook Chicken Breast in an Instant Pot?
The exact cooking time depends on three main factors: the size and shape of the chicken and your Instant Pot model. But based on my experience, cooking between 8 to 10 minutes makes it perfectly juicy.
Make sure not to overcook it or else the texture won’t be that good. Most of all, don’t undercook! It’s too dangerous. Keep a food thermometer handy and check if the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
Recipe Ingredients and Variations
You’ll surely be amazed by the flavor combination of these easy and simple ingredients:
- Chicken Breasts – Our basic ingredient here! Low in fat and lots of protein.
- Salt – A basic ingredient that intensifies all other flavors. it’s also used for preserving, brining or simply as a light garnish.
- Creole Seasoning (Homemade HERE) –
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper – pepper’s distinct flavor somehow pairs well with just about any savory food.
- Olive Oil – an aromatic oil perfect for all types of meats and veggies.
- Onion – This veggie is great served fresh with its tangy flavor. I personally love it slightly caramelized for a bit of sweetness. Here’s an easy guide to cut your onions.
- Roma Tomatoes – Also known as plum tomatoes, this ingredient gives a distinct tangy freshness (they are less watery and more flavorful especially the ripe ones)
- Garlic – A go-to for just about every chicken dish to bring out the flavor
- Chicken Broth – Basically the water where the chicken was boiled and simmered. It has a lot of flavors and it’s also filled with oils and collagen.
Want to tweak the recipe a bit? Well, of course, you can!
You can also use different seasonings like these ones below:
Or make it simple by just only adding salt and pepper instead.
How to Shred Chicken
There are two ways to shred these Instant Pot chicken breast:
- Use Forks. A very traditional way to do it. All you need to do is to pull the cooked chicken apart with two forks until it turns into medium-sized chunks and pieces. If you want it to be smaller, you can use your bare hands to tear them apart.
- Use a Stand Mixer. Mess-free and almost hands-free way to turn them into smaller, shredded pieces. Just place the cooked chicken in your stand mixer bowl. Change to a paddle attachment and turn the mixer on medium and let it do the job for you until the chicken is shredded. Easy peasy! (Tip: Allow it to run for 20 to 30 seconds if you like to have larger pieces or longer times for smaller ones.
Freezing and Thawing Instructions
Another good thing about this easy chicken recipe is that you can make a bunch of it and store it for later use. This is how you do it:
- Allow the shredded chicken to cool completely.
- Divide the chicken into portions (about a cup or two, depending on how much you’ll use at a time) and place them separately in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container.
- Properly store it in your freezer for up to four (4) months.
- When ready to use, take a bag out of the freezer and place it on the fridge to thaw overnight, or put the frozen chicken directly if you’ll use it on soups or casseroles.
Ways to Use Shredded Chicken Breast
The main reason why I love making a bunch of these is that it can be used in so many ways! Try adding it to these recipes:
- Chicken Tostadas
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Chicken Taquitos
- Creamy Chicken Pasta Salad
- Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Fiesta Chicken Casserole
More Instant Pot Recipes
How to Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Prep
- Dry – Pat dry chicken breast with a paper towel (Photo 1)
- Season – generously on both sides with salt, Creole seasoning, and pepper. (Photo 2)
Saute and Sear
- Settings – Put your Instant Pot on “Saute” mode.
- Add Chicken – Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and carefully add your chicken to the skillet using tongs.
- Sear – chicken on both sides for about 3 to 4 minutes each. Take it out and set it aside.
- Flavor – Next, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the Instant Pot and add onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir for about 2 minutes.
Cook
- Add Broth – Then add the chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot thoroughly to prevent a “Burn” notice.
- Add Chicken and Let Cook – Add in the chicken breast along with its juices and close the Instant Pot and turn the valve to “Sealing”. Set the mode to “Manual” and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. (It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure then start counting down.)
- Let “Cool” – Once the cooking time is up, allow the pot to naturally pressure release for 10 minutes. Then, carefully open the valve to remove any excess steam.
Shred the Chicken
- Shred – Turn the Instant Pot off and shred the chicken in the pot, or move it to a bowl and shred using two forks or a hand/stand mixer.
- Add juice (optional) – If you want a little moisture in the mixture, add the sauce from the Instant Pot into the mixing bowl.
- Enjoy! Use the shredded chicken for your favorite recipes or put it in a storage container and freeze for future use.
Watch How To Make It
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Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds (679 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) Creole seasoning
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons (28 g) olive oil, divided
- ½ onion, sliced
- 3 plump Roma tomatoes, diced
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) minced garlic
- 1 cup (250 ml) chicken broth
Instructions
- Pat dry chicken breast with a paper towel and season generously on both sides with salt, Creole seasoning, and pepper.
- Put your Instant Pot on "Saute" mode.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and carefully add your chicken to the skillet using tongs. Sear chicken on both sides for about 3 to 4 minutes each. Take it out and set it aside.
- Next, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the Instant Pot and add onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir for about 2 minutes.
- Then add the chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot thoroughly to prevent a “Burn” notice.
- Add in the chicken breast along with its juices and close the Instant Pot and turn the valve to “Sealing”.
- Set the mode to “Manual” and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. ( It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure then start counting down.)
- Once the cooking time is up, allow the pot to naturally pressure release for 10 minutes. Then, carefully open the valve to remove any excess steam.
- Turn the Instant Pot off and shred the chicken in the pot, or move it to a bowl and shred using two forks or a hand/stand mixer.
- If you want a little moisture in the mixture, add the sauce from the Instant Pot into the mixing bowl. Use the shredded chicken for your favorite recipes or put it in a storage container and freeze for future use.
Tips & Notes:
- Make sure not to overcook or undercook the chicken. Keep a food thermometer handy and check if the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.
- You may swap Creole seasoning with other seasonings like this Taco Seasoning, Italian Seasoning, or this Blackened Seasoning.
- You can keep this in your freezer for up to four (4) months. When ready for use, take a bag out of the freezer and place it on the fridge to thaw overnight, or put the frozen chicken directly if you’ll use it on soups or casseroles.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Kimberly Karwacki says
This chicken is amazing! I used it for soup and my husband and I were drooling over it. I wish I had the option to save this recipe on Pinterest so I could organize my recipes better.
Immaculate Bites says
Hi Kimberly! Thank you so much for giving this a try and so lovely to know that you and your husband loved it.
As for saving this on Pinterest, I have a Pinterest button on the photos that you can use to save this recipe as a pin and add it to your board 🙂 Hope this helps!
Mary says
Can this be done in a Crockpot?
Immaculate Bites says
I haven’t done this in a crockpot, Mary. But you may try, with longer cooking time, if you don’t have instant pot or you can also make this using a skillet.
Julia A Knaake says
Another winner from dear Imma. I’m 79 and you keep teaching me new and better recipes. Love you. Julia
Immaculate Bites says
This is sweet, Julia! I appreciate you 🙂