Shop
My
Custom
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
GET IT NOWMy Instant Pot Chicken Breast Is The Best Way To Make Shredded Chicken
Probably the #1 staple I make ahead all the time is big batches of this Instant Pot chicken breast to use for other recipes. (I meal prep barbacoa beef and pulled pork too, but let’s be real, cooking chicken breast is by far the most essential.) I used to pull out my slow cooker for this, but back in 2017 I discovered that it’s so much faster to make shredded chicken breast in my Instant Pot. Let me show you why you need this recipe:
- Fastest way to make shredded chicken – The prep is as easy and care-free as my slow cooker, but it only takes me around 10 minutes (okay, plus some time for the Instant Pot to pressurize). It’s convenient not to have to plan so far ahead!
- Perfect flavor and texture – It’s juicy, it’s flavorful, it’s amazing whole but also shreds effortlessly. There’s so much I love about this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe. You can even use a similar method to make Instant Pot turkey breast (though I don’t shred that one).
- Time chart for any quantity, fresh or frozen – I went through pounds and pounds of chicken to test my handy time chart for you. And now I actually reference it myself when I make chicken breast in my Instant Pot!
I don’t think I’ll ever make shredded chicken another way again. Try these Instant Pot chicken breasts with me, and you might say the same!
How To Cook Chicken Breast In The Instant Pot
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Season the chicken breast in the Instant Pot. Place the pieces on the bottom (I don’t use the trivet here), and season with Italian seasoning (or any other spices you like), salt, and pepper. Pour chicken broth around the sides of the chicken. Don’t stir.
- Pressure cook the chicken. Close the lid and select the either the “Poultry” or “Manual” setting (for high pressure). Set the time based on the amount of chicken you have — use my time chart below.
- Release the pressure. Let the pressure naturally release for at least 5 minutes. Then you can vent to quick release remaining pressure, or continue natural release. See my tips on this below.
- Shred the cooked chicken. I have a few different ways to shred chicken here.
My Recipe Tips
- Pour the broth around the chicken, not over it. This way, there’s enough liquid for the Instant Pot, but you won’t wash off the seasonings. You can use store-bought chicken broth, my homemade chicken broth, or even bone broth. Water works in a pinch, but is less flavorful.
- Feel free to customize the spices. I usually use Italian seasoning for my Instant Pot shredded chicken, because it goes with almost everything. But for Mexican recipes, I love it with my taco seasoning. You can also just add garlic powder, paprika, or individual dried herbs. At a minimum, I recommend salt and pepper, otherwise the shredded chicken tastes like nothing.
- For the most juicy, tender chicken, wait for natural release. Don’t worry, this is not required, and I do use quick release (after waiting 5 minutes) all the time. But I definitely notice a difference in tenderness and can shred the chicken more easily when I wait for the natural release to finish.
- Check that the chicken reaches 165 degrees F. I use this meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It almost always does using my time chart (below), but if not, put the lid back on for 5 minutes and wait to see if it does from the residual heat. If the temperature is still too low, seal again and pressure cook for another 2 minutes.
- You can also enjoy Instant Pot chicken breasts whole. I mostly make this recipe when I need shredded chicken, but you don’t have to shred it. You can totally serve it as a meal with your favorite side dish — or make my Instant Pot chicken and rice for a one-pot meal.
- Can you use this method with other cuts? Yes, it works with boneless chicken thighs, too. For bone-in, skin-on cuts, I recommend following my recipe for Instant Pot chicken legs instead.
How Long To Pressure Cook Chicken?
Instant Pot chicken breast time depends on how much you’re cooking at once, and whether it’s fresh or frozen. My rule of thumb is to start at 4 minutes for 1 pound, and add an extra 1-2 minutes for each additional pound. Add about 5 minutes to that time if your chicken is frozen.
After testing each weight amount (and over 20 pounds of shredded chicken later!), I’ve created this time chart, so you never have to guess. These times are for an Instant Pot this size, which I used to test.
| Amount of Chicken Breast by Weight | # Servings On Recipe Card | Cook Time (Fresh Chicken) | Cook Time (Frozen Chicken) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | 5 | 4 minutes | 9 minutes |
| 2 lb | 10 | 5 minutes | 10 minutes |
| 3 lb | 15 | 6 minutes | 11 minutes |
| 4 lb | 20 | 8 minutes | 13 minutes |
| 5 lb | 25 | 10 minutes | 15 minutes |
- What these times mean: These are the times you enter on your Instant Pot, and do not include time it takes to build pressure.
- How to scale the recipe: My chart above includes a column for “# Servings On Recipe Card” — this is what you’d set on the recipe card (at the bottom of this post) in the Servings section, to scale the ingredients to the amount of chicken you have.
- Don’t scale the amount of broth: You always need 1 cup of chicken broth for Instant Pot chicken breasts, whether you’re making 1 pound, 5 pounds, or anything in between.
- A note on chicken breast size: My cook times are based on typical 8-ounce chicken breasts that I usually buy. If yours are larger, you may need to increase the time by a couple of minutes.
FYI: One pound of raw chicken will make 2 to 2 1/2 cups of shredded chicken.
You can make up to 5 pounds of chicken breast in the Instant Pot at once, if yours is 6 quarts like mine. I usually stick to no more than 4 pounds, as 5 pounds doesn’t always cook evenly.
Shredding Methods
One of the things I love about Instant Pot chicken breast is how easy it is to shred it! You have a few options here:
- Two Forks – Use them to shred chicken breast directly in the Instant Pot. Hold a piece of chicken steady with one fork, then pull and tear away the shredded pieces with the other… and repeat. Sometimes I use meat shredding claws like this, which work the same way, but faster.
- Hand Mixer – This is my favorite method, because it’s so quick but the cleanup is still minimal. Drain some of the liquid temporarily (so it doesn’t splash all over you), then place the beaters into the pot and turn on the mixer to shred. If your hand mixer has a slow start feature, like this mixer I have, that helps to reduce splattering.
- Stand Mixer – A stand mixer works the same way as a hand mixer, except you’ll need to transfer the chicken into the mixer bowl.
Instant Pot Chicken Breast (Fresh Or Frozen)
Instant Pot chicken breast is easy, juicy, and fast! Use my time chart to make it from fresh or frozen chicken, then enjoy whole or shred.
Remove Ads
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Place the chicken into the Instant Pot. Season with Italian seasoning (if you like), sea salt, and black pepper. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the chicken.
-
Close the lid and select the either the "Poultry" or "Manual" setting. Set the time to 8 minutes for fresh chicken breast, or 13 minutes for frozen chicken breast — or use the time chart in the post above to cook other weights. (These times are for typical 8 ounce chicken breasts. If yours are larger, add a couple of minutes.)
-
When the time is up, let the pressure naturally release for at least 5 minutes. After that, you can turn the valve to "Vent" for quick release if you're in a hurry, or continue natural release for the most tender texture.
-
Unplug the pressure cooker and use two forks to shred the chicken. (I prefer to do this right in the pressure cooker, mixing with the juices.) Drain if serving right away, or store with the broth to retain moisture.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/2 cup
- Tips: See my recipe tips to help you get juicy, tender shredded chicken, ways to customize the spices, and how to cook if you prefer your chicken breasts whole instead of shredded.
- Scaling the recipe: Check out my handy time chart for cooking different weights of chicken, plus some tips on scaling up or down.
- Storage: If you’ll use the chicken this week, you can keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days. I store it with the juices to retain moisture.
- How to freeze: While I do keep a bit in the fridge when I need it, I always make a big batch of this Instant Pot chicken breast so that I can freeze it! After letting it cool, portion it out into zip lock bags (I recommend 1-pound portions for recipes) and freeze flat. Once solid, you can store the bags upright in the freezer for 3-6 months. Sometimes I use my vacuum sealer to make it last even longer without freezer burn, or freeze in these cubes for perfect portions — each section is about a pound.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Freezer Meal System!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipe
Ways To Use It
There are probably a hundred ways that I use my Instant Pot shredded chicken breast. Here are some of my faves you can try:
- Casseroles – The #1 way I use shredded chicken is for my family’s favorite casserole, chicken bacon ranch casserole. It’s perfect for my chicken Cordon Bleu casserole or chicken zucchini casserole as well.
- Salads – I always use this for classic chicken salad, but also for my other creamy ones, like Mediterranean chicken salad and avocado chicken salad. You can top your leafy salads, such as green goddess salad or Cobb salad, too.
- Soups – While you can totally cook chicken breast while your soup cooks, sometimes I toss in pre-made Instant Pot chicken breast for a time-saving shortcut. Try it in my spaghetti squash chicken soup or healthy detox soup.
- Sandwiches – Make them with one of my chicken salads (above), or mix the chicken with my sugar free BBQ sauce and melt cheese on top.
- Dips – Stir it into my crack dip or queso dip for added protein, or use your pressure cooker again to make Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip.
- Mexican Dishes – If you make it with taco seasoning like I suggested above, my Instant Pot chicken breast recipe is perfect for tacos with fresh salsa, a quick burrito bowl, chicken stuffed peppers, stuffed poblano peppers, or taco salad with my homemade salsa.
- Side Dishes – If you want to serve your Instant Pot chicken breasts whole, make my roasted broccoli, sauteed green beans, or air fryer potatoes at the same time for easy sides.
130 Comments
Jenny
1This is the easiest thing. The pound (lbs) conversion table really does work! Thank you for making meal prep painless.
Robbie G
1This recipe is excellent . The other recipes for
Chicken breast make them dried out.
Susan Bogdanoff
0How long do I cook frozen chicken breasts 5 lb in instapot?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Susan, I have a time chart for different weights in the post above. If they are frozen, set the time on the Instant Pot to 15 minutes.
Roxie
1Thank you! Worked like a charm. Weight chart is awesome. Shredded in my stand mixer. Quick, moist, yummy shredded chicken!!
Shanna
1This was the first time I used my Instant Pot, and I will be making all of my shredded chicken this way from now on. I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect!
jj
0So happy to hear that, Shanna. I haven’t tried it yet but I had heard it came out rubbery in the IP. Glad to hear this recipe makes it perfectly. Thanks for posting this and Happy New Year.
Natasha Cox
1I use this recipe every week in my meal prep to get chicken ready for wonderful things such as the chicken bacon ranch casserole, chicken crust pizza, and stuffed poblano peppers! I love the chart with the adjusted times for lbs of chicken. Thanks so much Maya! Please make more pressure cooker recipes!
No name
0Cooking for 2 lbs of chicken was perfect – I did natural release for 11 min since I was making the chicken broccoli casserole.
Laurie
0I have been making shredded chicken in the instant pot for a few years, but always hated shredding it with forks. Thank you so much for the hand mixer trick, I wish I’d thought of that myself! It worked fantastically and saved me from hand cramps. I made 6lbs in my larger instant pot. Using your chart, I added 2 extra minutes to the largest amount posted and they turned out perfect. Thank you for another great recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You’re very welcome, Laurie! I’m so glad that tip was helpful and my time chart worked well for you.
Tammy
0I don’t have a pressure cooker anymore, this can be done in a regular pot, just longer cooking time, correct?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tammy, Yes, you can do this on the stovetop. Make sure to cover tightly with a lid to let your chicken steam and stay juicy. You can shred it once it’s cooked through.
Martha
0Thank you!
cmcilwrath
0What a great and easy to follow recipe. Thank you so much! I used taco seasoning and will use some of the meat to try your stuffed poblano pepper recipe. I will freeze some with broth to use later. Great meal prep!
Jirou
0I always make this with my leftover chicken roast and it went so good with salads. Very easy and economical.
Luke
0I made this chicken recipe last night, and it turned out so tender and flavorful. The Italian seasoning was a nice touch.
Ofelia
0I don’t have insta pot, what alternative I can use, please help..
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ofelia, You can cook the chicken in a slow cooker instead, 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
Diana
0I’m going to try this recipe. I’m new to instant pot. If I make it with track seasoning and salsa do I still add the whole cup of water or does the salsa count as some liquid.
Dawn
0Please tell me what I did wrong?
I used 2 chicken breasts (9.7oz total weight) in a 8 litre instant pot. I did 1 cup broth and cooked for 3 minutes then switched off at wall and waited between 5-10 mins. The result was chewy inedible chicken I had to bin.
Help! It’s such a waste!
Should I only use 4 chicken breasts next time? Or buy a smaller instant pot? Or maybe I should have given a lot longer natural release? Or not switched off at the wall? So many things I could have done wrong but I can’t afford to keep wasting food – can anyone help?
Thank you!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Dawn, It sounds like you over cooked the chicken. I tested my recipe with 8-ounce chicken breasts, and the lowest weight I tested was 1 pound. Since yours were only ~4.5 ounces each and very small, they probably needed even less time.
sonny
0hi maya! i don’t have an instapot or crockpot….any other way of doing this? i want to make the chicken pizza crust using the shredded chicken. ty!
*btw, i’m new to your site and absolutely love it! you’re so informative and detailed in your walk though explanations, ty so much 🙂
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sonny, You can use my recipe for baked chicken breast.
Gary
0I have always made shredded chicken in a crockpot. Last month my wife bought me a pressure/canner cooker. This was my first meal i made in it, and I was very pleased. The cook time savings is incredible and its was better than 4 hrs in a crockpot. Thank you for the recipe!!
DeeBee
0Thanks for the recipe! This was easy to do and the chicken was delicious!
Sharee
0Nice and easy! I changed the Italian season to just garlic and onion so I could use in multipurpose recipes 🙂
Tanya Christensen
0I tried the recipe as written. I used a cup of chicken broth with two mostly frozen chicken breasts. I weighed them and used the chart to choose the correct timing. They burned on the bottom and the instant pot had to turn itself off.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Tanya, I’m not sure why this would have happened. It sounds like you would need more broth if it all evaporated while cooking.
rezwan
0It is really helpful to have your contents, I am also trying.
Sharina
0Used this Instant Pot shredded chicken for our taco night, it was one of the best! Perfectly cooked and seasoned!
Erin
0The best way to make shredded chicken, IMO. Easy-to-follow recipe that turns out perfectly every time.
Maryam
0Great idea for meal prepping- I use this shredded chicken for tacos and burritos and for quick paninis and it is perfect every time!
Michele
0Great recipe. Love that you listed the times depending on the size and amount of chicken we will be using. Thanks.
Donna Ball
0I did one hefty chicken breast for 8 minutes and natural release. It was still red in a spot. Pressure cooked it for 4 more minutes with natural release and the meat was cooked and delicious. Just cooked it in water on trivet with salt.
dave
0My jobar pressure cooker does not have a quick release it has a knob air vent how do I set it up?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Dave, Unfortunately, I don’t use that kind of pressure cooker, so I can’t say for sure how to set it up.
Carolyn
0A couple of questions, I went to make this recipe but reread my instant pot directions and (I have the Duo) it says a minimum of 2 cups of liquid is needed and the chart also says 8 minute cook time for 1 lb of chicken breast. Your recipe has 1 cup of liquid and 8 minutes for 4 lbs of chicken breast. Can you reassure me that I can follow your recipe without issues? (right now, I decided to put in 2cups of liquid and 2 lbs of chicken rather than 4 lbs and cook for 8 minutes but I’d like your guidance). Thank you.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Carolyn, This recipe has always worked for me, but I have a different Instant Pot. I would follow your particular appliance instructions. There shouldn’t be any issue with having more liquid and you can always drain the excess after cooking if you need to.
Melinda
0Thank you for the cooking chart! So very helpful!
Jeannie
0Great flavor, moist, tender. This is a perfect recipe for summertime in the desert.
Dianna
0Can you use bone-in chicken breasts? Will the pressure time be different with bone-in?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Dianna, Yes, you can use bone-in but you will have to add more time. I also find it more convenient to shred boneless ones.
Amy L Huntley
0This chicken is so tender and packed full of delicious flavor!
Bernice
0Now that my husband and I are empty nesters, I am looking for meal prep recipes to do some batch cooking. It’s always a good idea to have pre cooked chicken ready for a simple meal or even just a sandwich!
wilhelmina
0This is my favorite way to prep chicken breasts for the week. So easy and so versatile. I won’t ever go back!
Taylor
0This chicken is SO easy and turns out perfectly tender and delicious each time. I love to make a big batch on Monday and use it for different lunches and dinners throughout the weeks. It works great for salads, wraps, soups, tacos and much more!
Taryn
0Very helpful. It turned out great.
Donna Batrone
0The best! So easy to make and so useful for so many recipes!
Shelby
0This came out so juicy! I’ve been using as a meal prep recipe because it’s so simple too!
Erin
0Looks good.
Aly
0How well does this freeze for re-use later? And if yes, Can you please give me suggestions on reheating or defrosting?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Aly, This recipe freezes really well. I vacuum seal and I usually thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Tami
0Looks delicious and easy to make. Can’t wait to try it.
Taytum Rucker
0You are so fricking amazing!!! I haven’t been able to find chicken pressure cooker times and liquid levels for the life of me!!! I will be trying the recipe today!!
Debbie
0Can you use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts and how long to cook them?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Debbie, Yes! You can follow the same cook chart for cooking thighs.
Kearby Rives
0Great and simple technique! It’s our go-to for shredded chicken for recipes. Thank you!
Leyden
0This will work in a conventional pot with a lid, over low heat, for about 50 minutes, yah? Any tips? Should fat be added? More liquid, etc? Thanks!
Love to see the growth of your website over the years!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Leyden, A pressure cooker utilizes steam pressure to cook foods quickly and forces liquid into the food to make proteins tender enough to fall apart. The chicken breast will definitely cook through in a covered dish for that time, but it may not be as easy to shred as it would be from the pressure cooker.
Lauren
0Thank you so much for this recipe! I tried it this morning and it worked perfectly!
Carolyn
0I was confused when you said to add time if the chicken is frozen. Everything else I’ve read says to NOT add time and I’ve never done so. The reading I’ve done said it simply takes longer for the pt to come up to the pressure & then the time starts counting down. I’ve always done it this way and never had a problem with my chicken being underdone.
Alan
0I hope to make this tonight, so I hope you see this today! I am brand new to pressure cooking and this will be the maiden voyage of my instapot (outside of a test run) so I’m excited! but have a few questions… I don’t think I see a reference (though I might have missed it) to the setting. I assume this is on Medium or High? Which setting do you use for these timings? How bad would it be if I wanted to throw in some veggies to try make a soup? I see you say to not add more Broth so is soup just a no go? I got the 3 quart because I live alone – do you think that will matter for timing?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Alan, High pressure is perfect for this, with no change to the timing for a 3 quart. If you wanted to make a soup, I would cook the chicken first and shred it. Add your broth and veggies, and then turn the pressure cooker back on to cook your soup. 8-10 minutes should be fine as long as your chicken was cooked through.
Casey
0My wife got me an instant pot for Father’s day. I see you have a few instant pot/slow cooker recipes on the site, but it’s there a low-carb/keto instant pot cookbook you might recommend. Thanks in advance!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Casey, I don’t know of an Instant Pot book that is specifically low carb, but I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before one is released. I have several Instant Pot and slow cooker recipes on my website, you can find them by using the search function at the top of the page. I hope you love your new kitchen gadget!
Eva
0Thanks for this – this is going to be such a time saver!! Especially since it works for frozen too! I see that for four pounds of frozen chicken the cooking times goes up from 8 to 13, but do you happen have a suggested cook times for each of the pounds for the frozen! I’m thinking I would probably usually do 2lbs as I don’t think we’d go through more than that in a week – would that increase the 2lb fresh cooking time from 5 to 7 or 8 or is there some formula for figuring it out? Thanks again!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Eva, Thank you! It’s on my list to test this to list all the individual times for frozen chicken as well. I’ve used up over 25 pounds of chicken testing this so far. 🙂