Instant Pot Shredded Chicken – Fresh Off The Grid

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is one of our favorite meal prep recipes! Cooking chicken in an Instant Pot produces perfectly juicy chicken ready to be shredded and added to all kinds of meals.

We started making Instant Pot shredded chicken when we needed a versatile protein that could be used in multiple meals throughout the week, and now it has become a weekly ritual in our kitchen. This method produces consistently tender, juicy chicken with minimal effort.

Simply add your chicken breasts to the pot, season with a few basic spices, set the timer, and let the Instant Pot work its magic. In less than 30 minutes, you’ll have perfectly cooked chicken that shreds effortlessly with two forks. The best part? You can season it to complement virtually any recipe you have planned. The chicken stays moist for days, and it’s incredibly versatile.

This Instant Pot pulled chicken recipe is a game-changer, whether you’re meal prepping for busy weeknights or planning for an upcoming camping trip.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts: We’re using boneless, skinless chicken breasts here. Try to use equal-sized pieces so that they cook evenly.
• Chicken broth: I use a low-sodium chicken broth for chicken broth. If you don’t have a low-sodium broth on hand, reduce the amount of salt you add.
• Salt and spices: Adding garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to the broth helps season the chicken a bit so it’s perfect on its own, but the flavor remains versatile so it can be used in any recipe!

How to Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken—Step by Step

1. Add the broth, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder to the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Then nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid in an even layer.
2. Secure the lid and set it to “Sealing.” Then, hit “Pressure Cook” and set the timer:

• 4 minutes: Breasts up to 9 oz
• 5 minutes: Breasts 9-12 oz
• 6 minutes: Breasts 12-14 oz

3. Once the cook time is up, let the Instant Pot naturally release for 10 minutes before setting the valve to “Venting” to release any remaining pressure. Then, remove the lid.
4. Check the internal temperature for all the breasts to make sure they have reached 165°F. I swear by this instant-read thermometer! If they haven’t hit 165°F yet, set the lid back on and keep it on “Warm” until they do. If you need to speed things up, you can hit “Sauté” instead.
5. Shred the chicken with two forks either in the pot or on a cutting board.
6. Now your shredded chicken is ready! You can drain it and use it right away or store it in the liquid in the fridge to use later.

Storage Tips

• Store the shredded chicken in a sealable container in a refrigerator or freezer. It’s best to store it with at least some of the leftover liquid, which will help it stay moist.
• If stored in a refrigerator, it will last for 4 days. If frozen, shredded chicken can last for up to 6 months.
• To pack pulled pork in a cooler for camping, make sure it’s in a watertight container or zip-top bag. When storing chicken, it’s important to keep your cooler at 40º or below. Here are our best tips for packing a cooler properly.

How to Use Shredded Chicken

Now that you have a big batch of pre-cooked shredded chicken sitting in your refrigerator ready to go, what are some ways you can use it?

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 ½ cup broth
• 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

• Add the broth, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Then nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid in an even layer.

  1 ½ cup broth, 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 chicken breasts

• Secure the lid and set it to “Sealing”. Hit “Pressure Cook” and set the timer:– 4 minutes: Breasts up to 9 oz– 5 minutes: Breasts 9-12 oz– 6 minutes: Breasts 12-14 oz

• Once the cook time is up, let the Instant Pot naturally release for 10 minutes before setting the valve to “Venting” to release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid.

• Check the internal temperature for all the breasts to make sure they have reached 165°F. If they haven’t hit 165°F yet, set the lid back on and keep it on “Warm” until they do. If you need to speed things up, you can hit “Saute” instead.

• Shred the chicken with two forks either in the pot or on a cutting board.

• Use the shredded chicken right away, or store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Total time includes the time it takes to bring the Instant Pot to pressure and the natural release time.
Storage:
Store the shredded chicken in a sealable container in a refrigerator or freezer. It’s best to store it with at least some of the leftover liquid, which will help it stay moist.
If stored in a refrigerator, it will last for 4 days. If frozen, shredded chicken can last for up to 6 months.

Serving: 0.5breast | Calories: 162kcal | Protein: 31g | Fat: 4g

*Nutrition is an estimate based on information provided by a third-party nutrition calculator