Description
This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe delivers tender, flavorful chicken breasts cooked quickly under high pressure. Infused with aromatic herbs, lemon, and garlic, the shredded chicken is perfect for tacos, salads, sandwiches, or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Zest of 1 lemon
Aromatics and Flavorings
- 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 pour in 1 cup of water or chicken broth to generate the steam needed for pressure cooking.
- Season the Chicken: Arrange the chicken breasts on the trivet. Sprinkle them evenly with kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and lemon zest to infuse layers of bright and smoky flavor.
- Add Aromatics: Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the chicken. Add the smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprig, and rosemary sprig into the pot, layering in fragrant seasoning that will permeate the chicken as it cooks.
- Seal and Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid by twisting it lock into place and set the steam release valve to “sealing.” Select the High Pressure cooking setting and set the timer to 14 minutes if using frozen chicken breasts or 12 minutes for fresh chicken breasts to ensure perfectly cooked meat.
- Pressure Release: When cooking completes, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes to maximize tenderness. Then carefully turn the steam release valve to “venting” to release any remaining pressure safely.
- Shred the Chicken: Carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot and place in a bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, perfect for a variety of dishes.
- Optional Flavor Boost: For extra flavor, drizzle the remaining half of the lemon juice over the shredded chicken. Toss with about ¼ cup of the reserved cooking liquid from the pot to keep the chicken moist and flavorful before serving.
Notes
- Use chicken broth instead of water for deeper flavor.
- If your chicken breasts are very large, increase cooking time by 1-2 minutes.
- Leftover shredded chicken stores well refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months.
- Enjoy shredded chicken in tacos, salads, sandwiches, or casseroles.
- Ensure the steam valve is sealed properly before cooking to avoid errors.
