Meal prep at my house starts with this juicy Instant Pot shredded chicken. I use some for dinner that night and freeze the rest for salads, tacos, and soups.
I started making this in 2018 when I realized I was spending way too much time cooking protein from scratch every night. A batch makes four servings, so I can use some for dinner and portion the rest for the fridge or freezer. With thawed chicken, the whole thing takes about 35 minutes, including the time to reach pressure and the natural release.
The ingredients are simple: chicken, broth, and salt. I use the full cup of broth because I want flavorful cooking juices to shred the chicken in. I keep those juices with the meat when I portion it, too.
I've tested this with both chicken breast and chicken thighs. Thighs are my pick for meal prep because I prefer their texture after freezing and reheating. Breasts work here too.
I learned to give the natural release its full 10 minutes after I skipped it once and the chicken was noticeably tougher. After that wait, I use a hand mixer right in the pot to shred everything in about 30 seconds. Two forks work too, but the mixer is faster.
I'll use a portion that night for white chicken chili or toss it over cauliflower rice with sesame sauce. The next day it goes into lettuce wraps. I've even mixed it with buffalo sauce and cream cheese for a dip when people come over. Keeping the base plain lets me choose the flavor later.
When I want the chicken cooked in a sauce, my butter chicken and teriyaki chicken are other dinners I make in the Instant Pot.
I usually reach for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but breasts or a mix of the two shred just as easily in the Instant Pot.
Cooking from frozen
Start with separate frozen pieces so they can cook evenly. If the chicken is frozen into a block, thaw it in the refrigerator first and use the timing for thawed chicken.
Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes from frozen or 10 minutes from thawed, followed by 10 minutes of natural release. Release any remaining pressure before opening the lid. Check the thickest part for 165°F with a food thermometer before shredding. If it is below 165°F, continue cooking until it reaches that temperature.
Seasoning and serving ideas
I keep the base batch plain so I can season each portion for a different meal. For flavor in the broth, add garlic powder, onion powder, or a bay leaf. Cumin and chili powder work for tacos, as does taco seasoning. You can also mix taco seasoning with dry ranch mix for a ranch flavor.
Two forks or meat claws: Pull the warm, cooked chicken into shreds in the liner, keeping the cooking juices with it.
Hand mixer: Leave the cooked chicken and juices in the liner and mix on low until shredded.
Stand mixer: Transfer the warm, cooked chicken to the mixer bowl and use the flat beater on low. Stop at the texture you want, then stir in some cooking juices.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate: Divide the cooked chicken and juices into shallow containers. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Small portions can go into the fridge while still warm. Store at 40°F or below and use within 3-4 days.
Freeze: Pack portions in sealed freezer containers or bags and use within 3 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator. Chicken thawed in the refrigerator and kept at 40°F or below can be refrozen within the safe storage period, though the texture may suffer.
Reheat: Add a splash of broth and heat the chicken to 165°F, checking with a food thermometer. The FAQ below has skillet and microwave tips.
Place chicken into the liner of the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
2
Pour in broth
Pour in chicken broth and sprinkle with salt. Cover, make sure the steam vent is closed.
3
Pressure cook
Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes for thawed chicken or 15 minutes for frozen chicken. It will take around 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach pressure.
4
Vent
Once chicken is done pressure cooking, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes, then manually release the valve to let out any remaining pressure.
5
Shred chicken
To shred the chicken, leave the chicken and juices inside the Instant Pot liner and use an electric mixer to easily shred the chicken. You can also use two forks to shred the chicken if you do not own an electric mixer.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1/4 of recipe
Calories
205
Fat
10.5g
Protein
29.5g
Total carbs
0g
Net carbs
0g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skip the broth if I use chicken thighs?
Use the full 1 cup of broth listed in the recipe with either thighs or breasts. It provides liquid for pressure cooking and gives you juices to mix back into the shredded chicken. Keep those juices with the meat when you portion it for later.
Why is natural release important? Can I skip it?
I give it the full 10 minutes of natural release, as written in the recipe. This lets the pressure drop gradually before I release any remaining steam. Wait until the pressure is fully released before opening the lid, then check the thickest part of the chicken with a food thermometer for 165°F before shredding.
How do I freeze and reheat this without drying it out?
I refrigerate the chicken promptly in shallow containers, then freeze half the batch in bags with some cooking juices. I press the air out and lay the bags flat so they stack neatly. Use within 3 months for best quality.
I thaw it in the fridge and reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth. For the microwave, cover loosely with a lid that is safe for microwave use and stir for even heating. With either method, check for 165°F with a food thermometer; check several spots when microwaving.
Can I make this in a slow cooker instead?
I've made it in my Crockpot on low for 4-5 hours. Start with fully thawed chicken. The time varies with the cooker and the size of the pieces, so check the thickest part for 165°F with a food thermometer before shredding. I still reach for the Instant Pot most often because it's faster.
I only have a stovetop pressure cooker, not an actual Instant Pot. Would the 10 minutes on high still work, or do I need to adjust since mine doesn’t hold pressure quite as steady? Planning a big batch Sunday for the week.
Lori, use the cup of broth listed in the recipe with thighs too. Pressure cooking needs liquid, and the cooking juices help keep the shredded chicken moist.
Been doing stovetop chicken forever, just got my Instant Pot. Ten minutes for thawed thighs seems fast, honestly. Do bigger pieces need halving, or is that really enough time? Really don’t want to undercook these for my family.
I made the plain version three times before I tried adding a smashed garlic clove and a teaspoon of cumin to the broth, and the difference was bigger than I expected. The chicken doesn’t just taste like nothing anymore. It’s flavorful enough to eat cold out of the container without anything on it. Same 10 minutes for thawed thighs, same shred, but now it can carry tacos without leaning entirely on whatever spice mix I add after. I’ve also started saving the broth left in the liner separately. It turns into this light little chicken stock that’s too good to pour out. This is why I finally started using my Instant Pot, Annie.
The cumin move was already in my notes, you just confirmed it. I keep the liner liquid every time now, Jen. Use the chicken and cooking juices within 3-4 days refrigerated, or freeze portions for later in the week. Reheat to 165°F.
Why season the broth if pressure cooking kills the flavor anyway was basically my logic before I tried adding garlic powder and smoked paprika, but the chicken comes out noticeably better and now the plain version tastes like something’s missing. Half a teaspoon of each. The thing I didn’t figure out until the third batch: let it sit in the juices for a few minutes after you shred it, before you do anything with it, that’s when it actually absorbs and you don’t have to add seasoning later.
Honest mistake I kept making early on: venting right after the cook instead of waiting for the natural release. The chicken shreds rough when you rush it. Texture suffers. Now I use those 10 minutes to line up the containers I’m packing for the week.
Emily, that container trick is smart. I skipped the natural release once early on and could feel the difference the second I put the fork in. Rushed chicken just doesn’t pull the same way.
Five batches to settle it. The aminos add a mild sweetness the plain broth skips, which works well if you’re pulling this for lettuce wraps or a grain bowl.
29.5 grams of protein with zero net carbs stopped me mid-bite. I’d been avoiding the Instant Pot because it always seemed like more machine than I could handle, but ten minutes on high and it was done. The chicken basically fell apart. Still laughing at how worried I was.
Drew, my IP sat on the counter for two weeks before I made anything in it. This was the first recipe I actually tried. For a Sunday batch, refrigerate promptly and use those portions within 3-4 days; freeze what you plan to eat later in the week.
My dad had this Sunday shredded chicken on the stovetop, always an hour minimum. The Instant Pot version is almost there, same shred, same texture. Still hunting down whatever he put in the broth but this is the closest I’ve gotten.
It was 95 degrees out and I refused to turn on the oven, so I threw in a pound and a half of thighs with some broth and honestly forgot about it until the Instant Pot beeped. My husband, who normally picks at chicken, had made himself a plate before I even called everyone for dinner. This one’s on the summer rotation.
This has become my hot weather go-to. The Instant Pot means zero oven heat, and after 10 minutes on high the chicken practically falls apart on its own. Batch four this summer and I’m already planning number five.
Six batches in and the shred is always perfect when you do it right in the liner with all the juices. No dry chicken, zero effort. This is my Sunday meal prep now.
Yeah, shredding right in the liner keeps those cooking juices with the chicken. For meal prep, refrigerate promptly and use it within 3-4 days. Freeze portions for later in the week.
Tried using a hand mixer to shred the chicken right in the pot with the juices and it took maybe 30 seconds. I had been doing the two-fork method forever and it felt like a chore. Texture was perfect, not mushy, just pulled apart really evenly. I cannot believe this is how easy meal prep is supposed to be.
Tried this with frozen thighs because I forgot to thaw them and just bumped it to the 15 minutes like the recipe says. The chicken came out so tender it basically fell apart on its own before I even grabbed the mixer. I’ve been buying extra packs now specifically to keep in the freezer so I always have this ready to go on a weeknight.
The recipe uses 15 minutes on high for individually frozen pieces, followed by the 10-minute natural release. Check the thickest part for 165°F with a food thermometer before shredding; larger pieces may need more cooking time.
Exactly this. I use it on all my chicken now. Smaller thighs can go stringy around 10 minutes though, so I’ve started pulling at 8 on those. Still the only way I do weekly prep.
I’ve tried at least four or five different methods for shredded chicken in the Instant Pot and most of them either come out dry or you end up adding liquid just to compensate. The broth plus the natural release here keeps it falling apart without being watery, which is the thing I could never nail with the other versions. Been using this as my Sunday batch cook base for a few weeks now and I’m not going back.
Chicken thighs at 10 minutes on high came out so tender they fell apart before I even touched them. Made it three times this week. One thing: 1 tsp of salt wasn’t enough for me. I do 1.5 now and it’s way better.
Three times in a week, you’ve got it dialed in. And yeah, 1.5 tsp is closer to what I use when I’m eating it plain with no sauce to carry the flavor. The extra half teaspoon matters more than you’d think on a simple broth-based chicken.
