Description
This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe is a quick, versatile, and flavorful way to prepare tender chicken breasts using pressure cooking. Perfect for meal prep or quick dinners, it combines simple seasonings and fresh aromatics to deliver juicy, shredded chicken that can be used in a variety of dishes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- 4 fresh or frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
Flavor Enhancers
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
Instructions
- Prepare Instant Pot: Place the trivet inside the Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water or chicken broth to the pot to create steam for pressure cooking.
- Season the Chicken: Arrange the chicken breasts on the trivet and evenly sprinkle with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and lemon zest for balanced seasoning.
- Add Aromatics: Squeeze half of the lemon juice over the chicken to enhance flavor, then add the smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprig, and rosemary sprig into the pot to infuse aroma while cooking.
- Seal and Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid and twist to lock. Set the steam release valve to the ‘sealing’ position. Program the Instant Pot to cook at high pressure for 14 minutes if using frozen chicken breasts, or 12 minutes for fresh chicken breasts.
- Pressure Release: After the cooking cycle completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes to keep the chicken moist. Then carefully turn the steam release valve to ‘venting’ to release any remaining pressure.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot and place them in a bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat into desired consistency.
- Optional Step: For extra flavor, squeeze the remaining half of the lemon over the shredded chicken and toss it with ¼ cup of the cooking liquid collected in the pot.
Notes
- This recipe adapts to your schedule: add extra cooking time for frozen chicken breasts without thawing.
- You can use water, chicken broth, or even dry white wine as the cooking liquid to customize flavor.
- For different cuisines, try a Mexican twist by adding cumin, swapping lemon with lime, and replacing thyme and rosemary with cilantro.
- Store leftover shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
