Description
Quick and tender Instant Pot shredded chicken, full of flavor and perfect for a variety of meals. Includes adaptable cooking times for fresh or frozen chicken and simple seasoning adjustments to match your desired cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
-
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- 4 fresh or frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (see note below)
- 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 in the Instant Pot and add 1 cup of water or chicken broth.
- Season the Chicken: Place the chicken breasts into the Instant Pot and sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, paprika, and lemon zest.
- Add Aromatics: Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the chicken, then add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary to the pot.
- Seal and Cook: Secure the lid of the Instant Pot, twist to seal, and lock it. Turn the Steam Release Valve to “sealing.” Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure: 14 minutes for frozen chicken breasts and 12 minutes for fresh chicken breasts.
- Pressure Release: Once the cooking cycle completes, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Afterward, manually release any remaining pressure by turning the Steam Release Valve to “venting.”
- Shred the Chicken: Transfer the chicken breasts to a bowl and shred them using two forks.
- Optional Step: If desired, squeeze the remaining half of the lemon over the chicken and toss with ¼ cup of the cooking liquid for extra flavor.
Notes
- The beauty of this recipe is that it adapts to your busy schedule. No time to thaw chicken? No problem; simply increase the cook time as specified above.
- For this recipe, you can use whatever liquid you like. Water is perfectly fine, while chicken broth or dry white wine will enhance the flavor.
- Change up the flavors to suit your meal plan. For a Mexican twist, add 1 teaspoon of cumin, replace the lemon with lime, and substitute cilantro for the thyme and rosemary.
- Store cooked shredded chicken in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
