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Shredded chicken that has been cooked in the instant pot
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5 from 9 votes

The Best Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is a fabulous way to make chicken breasts to use in many different recipes. Freeze some to have ready for delicious meal prep. They make perfect quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, pulled chicken sandwiches, salads, and casseroles.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword how to cook chicken, Instant pot shredded chicken, shredded chicken recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
natural release 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 108kcal
Author Eileen Kelly

Ingredients

  • 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts about 5 ounces each
  • 1 large onion, peeled no need to chop
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled

Chicken Breast Seasoning

Instructions

  • Trim chicken breasts of any excess fat. Season chicken with the thyme, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Place the insert into the Instant Pot. Add chicken stock or water. Place seasoned chicken breasts into Instant Pot. Add in the onion, bay leaf, carrot, celery, and whole garlic. (Note 2)
  • Place lid on Instant Pot, seal. Ensure the sure vent is closed. Set pressure to high and cook, 5 minutes. Once the cycle is complete, natural release for 10-minutes. Then, turn the valve to auto-release to release the remaining steam. 
  • Remove lid, chicken should be at 165 degrees. Shred chicken. Strain broth and use as chicken broth. 
  • Chicken can be used as slices or shredded. Store chicken in storage or freezer bags. Place in freezer or use in other recipes.

Notes

Note 1: I prefer to use fat-free sodium-free to cut out extra calories. The chicken is already well seasoned.  Using chicken stock adds a bit more flavor and the broth can be used in other recipes.
Note 2: Chicken should be covered with the liquid. If not, add a little bit more water so the chicken is covered.
Note 3: You can use frozen chicken. They should not be frozen together but individually frozen chicken breasts. Add 7-minutes to the cooking time.
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 297mg | Potassium: 383mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2073IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg