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    Home » 30-Minute Meals

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken (54 cents/cup)

    Published: Sep 9, 2021 · Modified: May 11, 2022 by Jessica Fisher

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Cooking tender chicken for shredding in the pressure cooker is super quick and easy. This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is excellent for tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and more!

    Use it in Spicy Chicken Fajita Burritos or Easy Chicken and Cheese Flautas. It’s also great in any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.

    close up view of the cut side of a fajita burrito bursting with shredded chicken, fajita veggies, and cheese. this …
    Jump to:
    • Why Make This
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Recipe Costs
    • Ways to Use Cooked Chicken
    • Tell us what you think!
    • Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

    Chicken is a kitchen staple at my house. Not only do I find it incredibly affordable at my local ALDI ($1.79/pound!) but I also use it in so many recipes week in and week out.

    Learning to make instant pot shredded chicken was one of the best things I could have done to speed up and streamline my weekly meal prep. I buy a flat of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and then work some magic with both my pressure cooker and stand mixer.

    Yep, I said stand mixer!

    Why Make This

    It’s quick! The Instant Pot makes quick work of cooking the chicken breast to be super tender while you’ll be amazed when you see how the stand mixer shreds the chicken in just a minute or two.

    It’s super versatile. This recipe for Instant Pot Shredded Chicken can be used in so many different ways. You can make a bulk batch and freeze it in 2-cup portions for adding it to recipes anytime.

    Ingredients

    ingredients to make seasoned shredded chicken to make in pressure cooker.

    chicken – You can use any type of chicken pieces, but using boneless, skinless chicken breast is the easiest for making shredded chicken.

    seasoning blend – Using a spice blend makes seasoning this chicken super quick and easy. There are so many great spice mixes to choose from that you can make yourself.

    water – You always need a little bit of liquid in the pressure cooker to help build pressure. It’s just a cup for this recipe.

    Variations

    Feel free to change the seasoning mix or to replace the water with broth, juice, or a thin salsa or sauce.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Making shredded chicken is a two-step process using two favorite small kitchen appliances, the pressure cooker and the stand mixer.

    Cook the chicken in the pressure cooker.

    Be sure to read your manual and/or these cooking tips from Instant Pot.

    • placing chicken breast in insert of pressure cooker.
    • adding seasoning to the chicken.
    • seasoned chicken and water in pot of pressure cooker.
    • cooked chicken in broth in pressure cooker.
    • Place the chicken pieces in the pot of the electric pressure cooker.
    • Season it generously with the seasoning mix. Add 1 cup water.
    • Secure the lid with the pressure valve on. Turn the machine on and set it to manual for 12 minutes. 
    • When the machine beeps, press cancel and allow the pressure to naturally release. This may take up to 30 minutes.

    Shred the chicken in the stand mixer.

    While you don’t have to use a stand mixer, it makes shredding the chicken super quick and easy.

    • cooked chicken in stand mixer bowl fitted with paddle.
    • shredded chicken in mixer bowl.
    • Remove the chicken from the pot. Strain the broth and reserve for other recipes.
    • Transfer the chicken pieces to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Turn the machine on low and shred the chicken until your desired texture. This should take 1 to 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can shred the chicken by hand with a fork.

    FAQs

    Can you freeze instant pot shredded chicken?

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is a great thing to add to your freezer meal repertoire. Chill the chicken completely after shredding, then package it in meal-size containers to store in the freezer. To use, simply thaw and add to your recipes that call for cooked chicken.

    How long should I cook chicken in the instant pot?

    Boneless, skinless chicken breast takes 6 to 8 minutes per pound to cook in the pressure cooker. The more you load in the pot, the longer it will take to cook. Bone-in chicken pieces take 10 to 15 minutes per pound.

    Recipe Costs

    Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.

    • boneless, skinless chicken breast – $1.89/lb
    • seasonings – $0.25

    While your prices may vary depending on where you shop, you can expect to pay somewhere around $2.14 per pound or 54 cents/cup!

    Note: A pound of cooked chicken usually results in 4 cups shredded.

    shredded chicken in glass storage containers on table next to blue lids.

    Ways to Use Cooked Chicken

    • close up of bite of chicken enchilada on fork on plate of enchiladas.
      Green Chicken Enchiladas with Cream Cheese
    • spoon in dish of pot pie
      Single Crust Pot Pie (77 cents/serving)
    • gratin dish with shell pasta stuffed with chicken and cream cheese topped with sauce and cheese.
      Easy Chicken Casserole Recipes
    • single serve green rectangle dish with chicken divan topped with breadcrumbs.
      Easy Chicken Divan with Curry (79 cents/serving)

    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    glass storage containers filled with shredded chicken next to storage lids.
    Print Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
    5 from 6 votes

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

    Cooking tender chicken for shredding in the pressure cooker is super quick and easy. This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is excellent for tacos, burritos, sandwiches, and more!
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time12 mins
    Total Time22 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 67kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Cost: $4
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Electric pressure cooker
    • stand mixer
    • fork
    • large airtight container

    Ingredients

    • 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
    • 1 tablespoon Cajun Spice Mix or other favorite seasoning mix
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions

    • Place the chicken pieces in the pot of the electric pressure cooker.
      2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
    • Season it generously with the seasoning mix. Add 1 cup water.
      1 tablespoon Cajun Spice Mix, 1 cup water
    • Secure the lid with the pressure valve on. Turn the machine on and set it to manual for 12 minutes. 
    • When the machine beeps, press cancel and allow the pressure to naturally release. This may take up to 30 minutes.
    • Remove the chicken from the pot. Strain the broth and reserve for other recipes.
    • Transfer the chicken pieces to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Turn the machine on low and shred the chicken until your desired texture. This should take 1 to 2 minutes. Alternatively, you can shred the chicken by hand with a fork.
    • Refrigerate the cooked chicken for up to 4 days or freeze it in an airtight package for longer storage.

    Notes

    This recipe is a great thing to add to your freezer meal repertoire. Chill the chicken completely after shredding, then package it in meal-size containers to store in the freezer. To use, simply thaw and add to your recipes that call for cooked chicken.
    Nutritional values are approximate and based on ¼ pound shredded chicken.
    Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
    Uses for shredded chicken: use the cooked meat in tacos, burritos, sandwiches, wraps, soups, enchiladas, casseroles, and any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.
    Variations: feel free to change the seasoning mix or to replace the water with broth, juice, or a thin salsa or sauce.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 448IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @goodcheapeatsblog or tag #goodcheapeats!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Julia

      February 25, 2023 at 3:40 pm

      5 stars
      Love making this chicken in the IP! Great time saver. ??

      Reply
    2. Aubrey Hierholzer

      September 29, 2021 at 12:02 pm

      What would the time conversion be for frozen chicken vs. thawed chicken?

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        September 29, 2021 at 12:51 pm

        5 stars
        I don’t use frozen chicken in the instant pot, and the official Instant Pot site doesn’t give specifics. It will all depend on how much chicken you’re using, if it’s frozen solid and if it’s frozen in one solid blob or individual pieces. I’d start the cook time at 11 minutes/pound and then check it. If it’s not fully cooked, you’ll need to add another 5 minutes or so. It’s fine to restart the machine if something isn’t fully cooked the first go round.

        Reply
    3. Tiffany

      September 17, 2021 at 4:10 am

      5 stars
      So easy and so good! I used taco seasoning and they turned out delicious .

      Reply
    4. Ava

      September 16, 2021 at 10:20 am

      I do this all the time now and it’s a time and life saver! Just two days ago, my sister-in-law was saying she cooks/shreds chicken several times a month and what a chore it is – an all-day project – and I said, “Oh GIRL! You have got to get an Instant Pot, it will change your life!”

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        September 16, 2021 at 10:32 am

        Send her this post. 😉

        Reply
        • Ava

          September 16, 2021 at 10:55 am

          LoL…done! 🙂

    5. Kay

      September 09, 2021 at 7:02 pm

      5 stars
      I’m going to try this! It’s so nice to have cooked, shredded chicken in the freezer. I often do that with a 10 pound bag of chicken quarters. That gives me several containers of chicken broth, and usually 7 or 8 bags (scant 2 cups per bag) to freeze. Then it is so quick to make chicken and rice in the IP, chicken and dumplings, or soups. I do dread the process of taking the chicken off the bone after cooking, but it’s worth it. I’m going to try your method with boneless breasts, because it looks like they’re moist, which isn’t always the case with chicken breasts. I don’t know if it’s a regional product (we are in SE Georgia) but we have McLib’s Dumplings that come in a box off the shelf (not frozen or refrigerated). They are so similar to rolled out dumplings, not at all like a pasta. I’ve seen them on Amazon, but they’re more expensive than in grocery stores. I enjoy your blog and recipes!

      Reply

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    jessica from good cheap eats

    Hi, I'm Jessica! I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter their budget.

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