Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Recipe + VIDEO

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken – A quick, easy, and practically no-fail recipe to make tender shredded chicken breasts (fresh or frozen!) in a pressure cooker.

Close view of bowl with shredded chicken.

Why We Love This Easy Instant Pot Recipe

This is very simple Shredded Chicken recipe to use in all your favorite dishes that call for cooked chicken!

Sure, it’s great if you have leftover chicken on hand. But when you don’t, throw some chicken in your electric pressure cooker with just a few simple ingredients. Roughly 20 minutes later you have fork-tender and juicy batch of chopped chicken or shredded chicken! It’s just that easy.

This is a great recipe to make at the beginning of the week for meal prep, then use in all sorts of healthy lunch or dinner recipes. Below we share LOTS of fantastic ideas for how to use shredded chicken!

Metal spoon with chopped chicken above instant pot filled with more cooked meat.

4 Ingredients You Need

Chicken breasts – boneless and skinless (chicken thighs work too!)
Chicken broth – or bouillon
Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning blend – or your favorite blend of spices
Salt – just a pinch

Two packages of chicken breast with bottle of Mrs Dash seasoning and box of chicken broth.

How to Make Shredded Chicken in the Instant Pot

Place the chicken breast in the Instant Pot. No rack needed.

Sprinkle the Mrs. Dash Seasoning and salt over the top of the chicken breasts.

Hand adding 1 teaspoon measure with seasoning to the pressure cooker.

Lock the Instant Pot lid into place. Then set on Pressure Cook High for 10 minutes.

Once the timer goes off, perform a “Natural Release” and allow the steam to wait for 5 minutes, or until the valve button drops. At this point, it is safe to open the lid.

Get the Complete (Printable) Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Recipe + VIDEO Below. Enjoy!

Top down view four cooked chicken breasts pressure cooked in an instant pot.

Used two forks to shred the chicken in the juices.

Hands using two metal forks to shred chicken in the IP.

Or remove the chicken pieces with tongs, and either shred or chop them on a cutting board.

Top down view pressure cooker chicken having been chopped.

Then place the meat back into the broth until ready to use. This will keep the shredded chicken moist and tender.

Hand with metal spoon scooping out serving of chicken from an instant pot.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you cook frozen chicken breasts in the Instant Pot?

Cook chicken breast from frozen for 12 minutes on Pressure Cook High.

Can you use this recipe to make pressure-cooked chicken thighs?

This recipe specifically uses boneless chicken breasts, but you can substitute boneless and skinless chicken thighs as well. Cook for the same amount of time.

What is the best herb to season chicken?

We love Mrs. Dash original seasoning blend because it has so many good herbs, spices, and dehydrated vegetables in it. But feel free to use any salt-free seasoning blend you prefer! Try this recipe with Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, or general all-purpose poultry seasoning.

You can also use seasoning salt in this recipe, in place of the salt and Mrs. Dash. However, you’ll have to experiment with the right amount, as all seasoning salts have different amounts of sodium in them.

How do you store leftovers?

Chopped chicken keeps well for up to two 3 days in the refrigerator. Cool completely before transferring to a sealed container and placing in the fridge.

I love to make a quick batch or two on Monday for an easy weeknight dinner, then meal prep the rest for several days of lunches!

The chicken is also terrific to freeze. Transfer the cooled chicken to a plastic ziploc bag, and press out all of the air while sealing shut. Keep in the freezer for up to two 3 monthsand thaw in the fridge overnight to use.

White bowl with pulled poultry, seen in front of pressure cooker.

Suggestions for Recipes to Make with Shredded Chicken

For easy lunch and dinner dishes, cut back on prep time and have pulled chicken ready to use…

Pulled chicken is also great to include in yours weekly meal prep plans! Use it to make Chicken Chipotle Burrito Bowls, a satisfying Greek Salad, or lunch bento boxes with cheeses, crackers, fruits and veggies.

Even use it in snacks and appetizers…

Top down view plate with four chicken tacos loaded with guacamole, cotija, and tomatoes. Bowl of salsa to the side.

Looking for more Easy Pressure Cooker Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken (All-Purpose) Recipe + VIDEO

A quick, easy, and practically no-fail Instant Pot recipe to make tender shredded chicken breasts (fresh or frozen!) in a pressure cooker.

Servings: 8 – 12 servings

Place the chicken breast in the Instant Pot. (No rack needed.) Sprinkle Mrs. Dash Seasoning and salt over the top of the chicken breasts. Then pour the broth over the chicken.
Lock the Instant Pot lid into place. Then set on Pressure Cook High for 10 minutes.
Once the timer goes off, perform a “Natural Release” and allow the steam to wait for 5 minutes, or until the valve button drops. At this point, it is safe to open the lid.
Used two forks to shred the chicken in the juices. Or remove the chicken pieces with tongs, and either shred or chop them on a cutting board. Then place the meat back into the broth until ready to use.

This recipe works with boneless chicken thighs as well. Cook the chicken thighs on Pressure Cook High for 10 minutes, as listed in the recipe. You can also use frozen chicken breasts. Cook chicken breast from frozen for 12 minutes on Pressure Cook High. We love Mrs. Dash original seasoning blend because it has so many good herbs, spices, and dehydrated vegetables in it. But feel free to use any salt-free seasoning blend you prefer. You can also use seasoning salt in this recipe, in place of the salt and Mrs. Dash. However, you’ll have to experiment with the right amount, as all seasoning salts have different amounts of sodium in them. Chopped chicken keeps well for up to two 3 days in the refrigerator. Cool completely before transferring it to a sealed container and placing in the fridge. I love to make a quick batch or two on Monday for an easy weeknight dinner, then meal prep the rest for several days of lunches! The chicken is also terrific to freeze. Transfer the cooled chicken to a plastic ziploc bag, and press out all of the air while sealing shut. Keep in the freezer for up to two 3 monthsand thaw in the fridge overnight to use.

Serving: 4oz, Calories: 197kcal, Carbohydrates: 0.5g, Protein: 36g, Dish: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 742mg, Potassium: 638mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 65IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 15mg, Iron: 1mg

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