Making Instant Pot shredded chicken is the easiest way to prepare juicy, tender chicken for meal prep, tacos, casseroles, and more. This shredded chicken instant pot method creates a dinner ready in just 30 minutes with minimal effort using thawed or frozen chicken breasts. This recipe will be your new go-to for quick and easy meals!
Having a batch of Instant Pot chicken breasts shredded on hand makes weekly meal prep a breeze. It’s a great way to prepare a big batch of meat that you can use for multiple meals throughout the week. Plus, cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the Instant Pot locks in moisture, making the meat juicy and flavorful.
You can also switch up the flavors depending on how you plan to use it. For Instant Pot shredded chicken tacos, swap out the seasoning for a taco spice blend, add salsa, and you’ll have perfectly seasoned meat for taco night. This is one of the most versatile Instant Pot chicken recipes you’ll ever make.
Looking for more recipes to try with this? You’ll love our Meal Prep Recipes (with shredded chicken!)
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Shredded Chicken in Instant Pot Video Tutorial
Why We Love this Instant Pot Chicken Breasts Recipe
- Time-saving and hands-free
Let the Instant Pot do the work while you prep other ingredients or just relax and let dinner cook for you. No need to stand over the stove! - Moist and flavorful
Unlike stovetop cooking, Instant Pot shredded chicken breasts stays tender and juicy every time. - Endless meal options
Use shredded chicken for everything from salads to casseroles—the possibilities are endless! You may want to add it to your next party and make buffalo chicken bombs or street tacos!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: a lean protein option that shreds easily and absorbs flavors well. You can also substitute with boneless skinless thighs for extra juiciness.
- Chicken broth or stock: water can be used as a substitute but won’t provide as much richness to your poultry.
- Poultry seasoning: We love our homemade chicken seasoning recipe or a poultry seasoning like Kinder’s Chicken Seasoning for convenience.
Recipe Variations
- Instant Pot shredded tacos: Use chicken taco seasoning instead of poultry seasoning and replace broth with 1 cup of water. Shred and serve in tortillas with shredded lettuce, salsa, and cheese.
- BBQ shredded chicken: After shredding, mix in your favorite BBQ sauce and serve on BBQ sliders or sandwiches.
- Garlic herb: Add extra onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper for a simple but delicious meal.
- Big batch meal prep: Make a double batch and store leftovers in storage bags in the fridge or freezer for quick meals all week! Add it to your rice to make chicken fried rice or toss them in your Mexican stew!
Equipment Used in This Recipe
- Instant Pot or any electric pressure cooker
- Mixer (for easy shredding), forks work too!
How to Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos
- Add the meat to the Instant Pot.
Place breasts in a large bowl and season. - Pour in the broth.
Add broth or stock to keep the meat moist and flavorful.
- Pressure Cook.
Seal the Instant Pot lid, ensure pressure valve is on “sealing” and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes for thawed chicken or 12 minutes for frozen. - Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
- Shred the chicken.
Use two forks, a hand mixer, or a standing mixer to shred the meat directly in the pot. Stir everything together so it soaks up the flavorful broth.
- Serve and enjoy!
Use the Instant Pot chicken breasts shredded to make an easy dinner or store for later.
To make tacos, check the full recipe card at the bottom notes.
Serving Suggestions
This is perfect for meal prep! Serve it in street tacos, enchiladas, stuffing casseroles, sandwiches, and chicken salad. You can also mix it into soups, rice, pasta, or Mexican chicken bowls for an easy meal. Add avocados and salsa for extra flavor, or pair it with a fresh side salad.
We love using this for making buffalo chicken cups on game nights or for parties! For dinner, chicken pot pie is a family favorite. This recipe is so easy and can be used for more meals on busy days.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
For extra flavor, sear the meat using the Instant Pot’s sauté function before pressure cooking. This enhances the taste and gives it a richer texture!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Increase the cooking time to 12 minutes on high pressure and do a 10-minute natural release. Ensure meat is cooked to correct temperature.
Absolutely! Use a hand mixer or standing mixer to shred the meat in just seconds.
Place shredded meat in storage bags or an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes to Love…
- Quick and Easy Breakfast Potatoes
- Instant Pot Hash Browns
- Lazy Lasagna
- Instant Pot Tortellini Soup with Sausage
If you tried this shredded chicken Instant Pot recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram for more. Thanks for visiting!
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer - or fork for shredding
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2-3) see notes below on doubling or tripling the recipe, or using frozen breasts
- 1 cup chicken broth or stock
- 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning For homemade versions, try our chicken seasoning blend, or see notes for a substitution.
Instructions
- Add the breasts to the bottom of the insert of the pressure cooker. Pour in the stock or broth, and top with the seasoning.
- Seal the lid by twisting it on and locking in place. Set the sealing lever or button to seal, if needed for your model. Set instant pot to "High Pressure" for 10 minutes (thawed breasts) or 12 minutes for frozen breasts.
- Once pressure cooking is done (most models emit a beep) do a natural pressure release by leaving the Instant Pot alone for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, carefully turn the lever or press the button to release the pressure from the cooker. Check the pressure pin on your model to ensure that the pressure has fully released.
- Use two forks or a mixer to shred the meat. See notes below for tips on using a mixer for this. Stir the shredded breasts in the broth mixture to allow it to soak up the juices and seasoning.
- Serve the chicken in tortillas for enchiladas, tacos or burritos, or on top of mashed potatoes, or with beans for a tasty dinner. See recipe notes for storage information.
Video
Notes
- For extra flavor, sear the thawed meat using the Instant Pot’s sauté function before pressure cooking. This enhances the taste and gives it a richer texture!
- Shred chicken with a mixer: Add your chicken breasts to a mixing bowl. Use the wire or flat beaters set at low speed for 15-30 seconds or until the meat is shredded.
- Serving suggestions: use in chicken enchiladas, buffalo chicken dip, or serve over mashed potatoes,
- See our meal prep recipes for all of our shredded chicken recipes.
- BBQ shredded chicken: Use in our BBQ sliders or sandwiches.
- Garlic herb: Add extra onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper to seasoning for a simple but delicious meal.
- Big batch meal prep: Make a double batch and store leftovers in storage bags in the fridge or freezer for quick meals all week! Use for enchiladas or tacos.
- In an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To freeze, use a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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Nikka says
I love how quickly it cooks, and it’s so versatile. Definitely a staple in my kitchen now!