These juicy and flavorful Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breasts are an easy way to prep a variety of meals to enjoy throughout the week. Toss this shredded chicken into a soup, on top of a salad, dress it in BBQ sauce and add it to a sandwich, or spice it up for easy chicken tacos.
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Why Make Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot
One of my favorite ways to use my Instant Pot is for prepping ingredients to use in recipes, from dried beans and grains, to “hard-boiled” eggs and chicken breasts. Here’s what I love about making shredded chicken using the Instant Pot’s Pressure Cooking function:
- It’s quick and easy. This recipe is a great way to prep protein for lunches or weeknight meals in under an hour. (Most of which is the time it takes the Instant Pot to come up to pressure and cook the chicken–you’ll only need 15 minutes of hands-on time!)
- Tender and Juicy Results. The sealed, high-pressure cooking environment in the Instant Pot retains moisture, ensuring that the chicken breasts are tender, juicy, and easy to shred.
- It’s versatile. Simple seasonings are used in this recipe so that the chicken can pair with a variety of cuisines.
- It’s customizable for dietary needs. Many pre-cooked chicken options at the grocery store are higher in sodium, and some contain preservatives. By making your own shredded chicken in the Instant Pot, you can control the amount of salt and other ingredients to suit your family’s needs.
What You’ll Need
- Chicken. You’ll need 2 to 2-1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless, chicken breasts for this recipe. The size of the chicken breasts will determine the final cooking time. For the best results, use chicken breasts that are roughly the same size. For the photos in this post, I used 3 boneless breasts, weighing 10-12 ounces each.
- Water. For cooking the chicken and pressurizing the Instant Pot. I like to use filtered or spring water.
- Better Than Bouillon. This concentrated soup base helps make the chicken breasts extra flavorful. I use either the Premium Roasted Chicken Base or the Reduced Sodium Roasted Chicken Base {affiliate links}.
- Kosher Salt. I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt {affiliate link} in my kitchen. If substituting table salt, halve the quantity. If you plan to dress the chicken with a salty sauce (such as BBQ sauce), or add additional seasonings, you can reduce the added salt in the cooking liquid, as needed. (The soup base will still add some salt.)
- Garlic Powder and Freshly-Ground Black Pepper. For seasoning the cooking liquid.
Note: This recipe is written for a 6-Quart Instant Pot. I own the 6-Quart Duo Plus {affiliate link}. I have not tested making shredded chicken breasts in any of the 8-quart models.
How to Cook Chicken Breasts in the Instant Pot
Cooking chicken breasts for shredding in the Instant Pot doesn’t take a lot of effort, and is largely hands-off.
Start by stirring together the water, soup base (Better Than Bouillon), salt, pepper, and garlic powder in your Instant Pot insert. I like to turn the Instant Pot onto the sauté setting at this point to warm the liquid a little bit and help the chicken base dissolve. It doesn’t need to boil, just warm it up.
Add the chicken breasts to the liquid in a single layer. They can touch and slightly overlap at the edges, but for even cooking, they shouldn’t be stacked on top of each other.
Seal the lid and turn the pot to the “manual” or “pressure cooking” setting on HIGH. For 10-12 ounce chicken breasts that are less than 2 inches thick, set the Instant Pot cooking time to 8 minutes. For larger chicken breasts that are more than 2 inches thick and weigh a pound or more each, set the time to 10 minutes.
When the cooking time has finished, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, and then quick release any remaining pressure.
The internal temperature of the chicken breasts should be at least 165 degrees F when probed with an instant-read thermometer. If they haven’t reached temp, reseal the pot and continue pressure cooking for another 1-2 minutes, depending on how close you are to the target temp.
Remove the chicken breasts from the Instant Pot and let them stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before shredding to help them retain their juices. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid for storing the chicken.
How to Shred Chicken Breasts
Shredding chicken is very easy, especially when it’s cooked using moist heat. The shredding method you choose largely depends on the tools you have on hand and your personal preferences. Here are a few ways to do it:
- Use two forks. Place the chicken breasts in a bowl or on a cutting board. Use one fork to steady the chicken breasts and another to pull the meat apart.
- Use meat claws. {affiliate link} These pronged tools work similarly to forks, allowing you to grasp and pull the chicken apart with ease.
- Use an electric hand mixer. Fit the mixer with the regular beaters and place the chicken breasts in a deep mixing bowl. Press the beaters down onto the center of each chicken breast and turn the mixer to low speed. Move the beaters as needed until the meat is shredded.
- Use a stand mixer. Fit your stand mixer with the flat paddle attachment and add the chicken breasts to the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer to low speed and let the paddle shred the meat. It will only take 30 seconds to 1 minute for the chicken to fully shred.
- Use your hands. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, use your fingers to pull apart and shred the meat.
Using a manual shredding technique (shredding by hand, or using forks or meat claws), makes it easier to control the size of the shred. If you prefer larger pieces of chicken, consider using one of these methods.
While the stand mixer and hand mixer are the quickest way to shred a batch of chicken breasts, they do tend to create finer shreds. Think about the recipes you’ll be making with the chicken and your desired texture when choosing a shredding technique.
Shopping for a new mixer? I own and love the KitchenAid Artisan Series 5 Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer as well as a model similar to the KitchenAid 7 Quart Bowl Lift Stand Mixer (which has been in my family for more than 30 years). I also often use the KitchenAid 7-Speed Hand Mixer when making this recipe. {affiliate links}
How to Store Shredded Chicken Breasts
After you’ve shredded the chicken, transfer it to an airtight container for storage. Pour 1/2 to 1 cup of the strained cooking liquid over the chicken, and toss it to combine.
Storing the chicken in the broth will prevent it from drying out in the fridge, keeping it juicy and flavorful. (I think this chicken is often better on the second day, after it’s had a chance to soak up more of those delicious juices!)
Depending on how you plan to use the chicken, you may choose to reserve more or less of the cooking liquid. For recipes that will work better with less moisture (i.e., if you’re using the chicken as a pizza topping), stick closer to the 1/2 cup quantity. For recipes that would benefit from moister chicken, use the full cup.
Shredded chicken breasts will keep well for 3-4 days stored in the refrigerator, making them great for easy meal prep throughout the week.
Recipe FAQ’s
Absolutely! Freezing shredded chicken is a great meal prep hack for the perfect prepared protein to add to soups or casseroles. I like to freeze this chicken in a resealable freezer bag in single-use portions. The chicken will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Simply thaw overnight in the fridge, drain any excess liquid, and use as you would normally!
Yes! Frozen chicken breasts will work but you will need to increase the cooking time to about 18-20 minutes on HIGH, depending on the size of the breasts and how frozen they are when placed in the Instant Pot. After cooking, allow the steam to release naturally for 5 minutes before venting. Check that the internal temperature of the chicken breasts has reached 165 degrees F.
You can reheat shredded chicken in the microwave, in a skillet on the stove, or in the oven using a sheet pan, parchment paper and a little bit of oil for a crispier version.
Check out our article, Ways to Use Shredded Chicken for some of our favorite ideas for using these chicken breasts. For most dishes, you’ll want to drain the shredded chicken of any excess liquid before using it, unless you’re adding it to a brothy soup.
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Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breasts
Ingredients
- 2 to 2-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 breasts, 10-12 ounces each)
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken base (regular, organic, or reduced-sodium versions)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the water, soup base, garlic powder, kosher salt, and pepper to the Instant Pot insert and set it to “sauté” so that the water can warm. Stir until the soup base is dissolved and the seasonings are incorporated.
- Place the chicken breasts into the cooking liquid, staggering them so that they fit in a single layer. It’s ok if the edges overlap, but the chicken breasts should not be stacked for even cooking.
- Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and lock it into place. Set the valve to “sealing” and select the “Manual” or “Pressure Cooking” setting on HIGH pressure. Set the cooking time to 8 minutes for chicken breasts less than 2 inches thick, or 10 minutes for chicken breasts more than 2 inches thick
- When the cooking time has finished, allow the steam to release naturally for 5 minutes. Switch the valve to “venting” to quick release the remaining pressure, keeping your hands and face clear of the vent.
- Remove the lid and carefully transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board or mixing bowl (do not discard the cooking liquid). Let the chicken breasts stand for 5-10 minutes before shredding the meat using two forks, meat claws, or an electric mixer.
- Transfer the shredded chicken to an airtight container for storage. Strain the reserved cooking liquid and pour ½ to 1 cup over the chicken and toss it. (The amount of liquid you reserve will depend on what you are going to use the meat for and how long you plan on storing it). Stir the meat and allow it to absorb the liquid.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About our recipes
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
