Instant Pot Shredded Chicken 15 Minutes

Love cooking chicken in the Instant Pot? Try my Instant Pot chicken breast, Instant Pot chicken thighs, and Instant Pot whole chicken next. Everyone needs a go-to chicken recipe that can be used in everyday meals and comes together quickly. This is where my Instant Pot shredded chicken comes into play. It’s one of my meal prep favorites because it’s fast and simple, the chicken always turns out moist and tender, and you can use the shredded chicken for just about anything.

Why I love this recipe

Super easy. Thanks to the simple seasonings and straightforward pressure cooking process, this is a chicken recipe any level of home cook can master! FAST. Okay, sorry for the caps, but this is the selling point. From prep to plate, my recipe takes just 15 minutes. Endless serving options. I love meal-prepping a big batch of shredded chicken in the Instant Pot and using it throughout the week in tacos, salads, sandwiches, quesadillas, casseroles, and more. Customizable. There are no rules when it comes to adding flavor to the pulled chicken. Drench it in BBQ sauce or buffalo sauce, or add seasonings like garlic powder or red pepper flakes for some exciting flavors and heat.

Ingredients needed

Chicken breasts. I prefer to use boneless chicken breasts, but you could also use chicken thighs if you prefer dark meat. Chicken broth. This is a great way to infuse the chicken with more flavor while ensuring it stays tender and moist. Salt and pepper. This is all I use to season the chicken at first. It gives the meat just enough flavor without being overwhelming, so I can add other seasonings or sauces later on. Apple cider vinegar. Provides a bit more flavor and helps tenderize the meat, which makes it easier to shred.

How to make shredded chicken in the Instant Pot

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Arman’s recipe tips

Use evenly sized chicken breasts. I find that when I make this recipe with chicken breasts that are the same shape, size, and thickness, they cook more evenly and in the same amount of time. Use chicken thighs instead. Just be sure to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time, as thighs will take longer to cook. Change up the liquid ingredients. While I like to use chicken broth for additional savory flavor, you could also use vegetable broth or even just water. But make sure you use some kind of liquid, as this will prevent the chicken from drying out while it cooks. You’ll know the chicken is cooked through when a meat thermometer measures their internal temperature at 165ºF. How to shred chicken. Shredding the meat with two forks is a surefire method, but if you want to shred it even faster and finer, use an electric hand mixer instead!

Storage instructions

To store: Allow the shredded chicken to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. The chicken will last 3 to 4 days in the fridge. The simple, all-purpose flavors in this Instant Pot pulled chicken make it perfect to use in a variety of dishes. As-is, the chicken is fantastic in soups, casseroles, pasta dishes, lettuce wraps, grain bowls, and salads. Here are a few other ideas where you can seamlessly add this chicken into:

Air fryer quesadilla Chicken avocado salad Chicken tinga Rotisserie chicken salad

Customize the flavors. Depending on how you’ll be using the shredded chicken, you can play with its flavors by using simple herbs and seasonings. Try seasoning the chicken breasts with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, oregano, Italian seasoning, or taco seasoning before cooking. Add tomatoes. Pour a can of diced tomatoes or a jar of salsa into the Instant Pot to give the chicken subtle layers of umami and sweet flavors. Re-use the broth. Once you’ve cooked your chicken, you can save the broth from the pressure cooker to use for future recipes, like my keto chicken soup, homemade gravy, and rice.

To freeze: You can also freeze the chicken for 3 months or so. Store the shredded chicken in small containers so you can easily thaw individual portions or freeze it all in one big batch. To reheat: Reheat the chicken in either the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop until warmed through. Add a splash of broth or water to prevent it from drying out.