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This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is perfectly moist and seasoned, it freezes wonderfully and is a great way to meal prep your keto or low carb meals for the week. This is the easy way to cook chicken for shredding from fresh or frozen!
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Let me make your life so much easier with this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken!
Meal planning and prepping is something I love to do, but also struggle to do. And now, with my health issues, it becomes even more important to do, yet my body and my brain just don't seem to want to cooperate and get with the program.
It is maddening, but I have enlisted the Mr. to help so things are going a little bit better.
Enter this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe.
I know many of you have kiddos either back in school or going soon, and meal planning and prep can really help smooth out the chaos of that whole situation too!
When it comes to the prepping part of the whole dealio I like to prep at least 1 to 2 weeks of meals when it is possible, and this Instant Pot shredded chicken is always on the list.
The thing about this shredded chicken is, aside from it being ridiculously easy to make, you can customize it to whatever your family is craving. You can, of course, make simple shredded chicken with some salt and pepper, and some homemade poultry seasoning. Or, you can add Taco seasoning, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, Curry/Tandoori seasoning, and Greek seasoning, the options are endless really.
Then you place the Instant Pot shredded chicken into these airtight freezer-safe containers and you have the makings for a quick and easy meal down the road. Now, when it is time for salads, tacos, enchiladas, casseroles, etc. you just pull some out of the freezer, place it into the refrigerator overnight, and you are ready to rock and roll!
In This Post
🥘Ingredients
These are the ingredients necessary to make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken.
- Chicken bone broth (homemade or store-bought)
- Pink sea salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- Italian (or other flavors) seasoning
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or a mix of both
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
🔪Instructions
This is a basic breakdown of the steps involved in making Instant Pot Shredded Chicken. You will find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Place the bone broth, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning into the Instant Pot inner pot.
Add the chicken breasts and lock the lid into place making sure the vent is set to seal.
Cook for 15 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
Shred the chicken with meat claws or two forks.
Hint: For the easiest-to-shred chicken, allow a natural pressure release for at least 5 minutes.
Substitutions
- Chicken Breasts - this recipe uses boneless skinless chicken breasts because they are the most requested but you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs as well — either fresh or frozen (see notes for how to cook from frozen). You are welcome to use bone-in chicken, but the cooking time may vary slightly.
- Bone Broth - this recipe uses chicken bone broth to help add moisture and flavor. You can use water if you prefer just be aware that the finished product will not be as flavorful.
- Seasoning - this recipe calls for a simple seasoning of salt and pepper and a seasoning blend, in this case, Italian seasoning. However, you can use whatever seasoning blend you prefer or just stick to salt and pepper.
📖Variations
- Spicy - add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of crushed pepper flakes.
- Cajun - add this Cajun seasoning blend in place of the Italian seasoning.
- Mexican - add this Mexican seasoning blend in place of the Italian seasoning.
- Greek - add this Greek seasoning blend in place of the Italian seasoning.
🍽 Equipment
The equipment needed to make this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is; measuring cups and spoons, a 6-quart Instant Pot, and meat claws.
Storage
Store this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This shredded chicken will last in the freezer for 4 months. I use 1-cup, or these 2-cup freezer-friendly containers and these dissolvable labels.
💭Top tip
Season generously! You don’t want to go overboard but keep in mind that meat is best seasoned during the cooking process and not after. You will drain most of the liquid afterward, so you will not be consuming the full amount of salt, etc. as is listed in the recipe.
Salting guidelines - For raw meats, poultry, fish, and seafood: 3/4 to 1 teaspoon Kosher/sea salt per pound. If using table salt, cut back to 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons per pound.
Seasoning blends - Add 1 tablespoon of seasoning per pound of meat.
FAQ about Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Absolutely! Boneless chicken thighs will cook in about the same amount of time as breasts. I usually use a mix of both!
Some people recommend doing this, but I do not. I feel that the chicken retains more moisture and flavor cooking in those delicious juices.
Overcooking chicken can dry it out quickly, especially when you are cooking with white meat. That’s why I usually use a blend of white and dark meat and a shorter cook time than some — with the time to build and release pressure, 10 minutes of cook time should be plenty for defrosted chicken.
Store the shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. To ensure moist chicken, store it with the cooking liquid. I this recipe to meal prep a big batch and keep one-pound portions in the fridge or freezer to use in different recipes.
Yes, I do this every month. I freeze the shredded chicken in 1-pound portions in these reusable bags or in these containers with these labels.
Keto & Low Carb Recipes that use Shredded Chicken
- Keto Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
- Loaded Chicken Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Dip AKA Chicken Crack
- Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole
- Keto Chicken Taquitos
- Chicken Cauliflower Casserole
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- 2 1/2 teaspoons pink salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts can use chicken thighs
- 3 tablespoons seasoning of choice (Poultry, Italian, Mexican, Greek, etc) optional
Instructions
- Place the bone broth, salt, pepper, and seasoning of choice into the Instant Pot inner pot. Stir.
- Add the chicken breasts and lock the lid into place making sure the vent is set to seal.
- Select Manual (or Pressure Cook), high pressure for 10 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 5 to 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure.
- Open the lid and remove the chicken with tongs to a cutting board.
- Shred the chicken with meat claws or two forks.
- Discard half of the liquid in the Instant Pot, then return the chicken to the pot with the remaining liquid and serve as desired.
- To freeze, let cool to room temperature before placing in freezer safe containers or reusable freezer bags.
Disclaimer
Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs will not be included as it has a glycemic index of 0 (meaning it does not spike blood sugar) and it’s not metabolized. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Nutrition
Food safety
We sometimes take for a granted that we have years (or decades) of cooking experience, that the average visitor may not. Add to, or remove from, the list below with health and safety tips.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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