Its So Simple You Almost Dont Need A Tutorial
except thats how I make money, so you do need one. To make pulled chicken I use an Instant Pot. A crock pot is great too though so dont panic.The advantage of the Instant Pot is that it takes minutes versus hours, but either way you end up with tender, juicy chicken you can use in a variety of ways throughout the week, as mentioned in my corny poem above.
What To Do If Chicken Doesn’t Reach 165f On The Instant Read Thermometer
This is not common with this recipe, but it’s also why we always use a quick read thermometer. If, for some reason, your pressure cooked breasts don’t register 165°F on a meat thermometer inserted in the center, repeat the pressure cook cycle with only 1 minute cook time. Test it again using a clean thermometer. Repeat as needed.
How Long Will Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs Last In The Fridge
Shredded chicken thighs can be stored in the fridge in a sealed glass container or Tupperware for up to 3 days once cooked.
If you are trying to prep for the entire week, simply portion out half of the chicken in freezer bags and freeze immediately. On day 3, pull 1-2 freezer bags out of the freezer to defrost. Continue this for the rest of the week.
Read Also: Instant Pot Frozen Vegetables
Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Recipe
I hesitate to even call this a recipe because it is so incredibly simple and only requires 6 ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen right now. Cooking chicken in the Instant Pot ensures that it stays juicy and doesnt dry out. This method yields tender, flavorful, perfect shredded chicken every time!
I love making this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe at the beginning of the week to use in meals throughout the week to cut down on cooking time and get dinner on the family table as quickly as possible. It also freezes beautifully, and with only 12 minutes of cooking time in the Instant Pot, you can make big batches of this back to back to stock your freezer with ready-to-use chicken for the next 3 months!
Why Not Just Buy Shredded Chicken
I also use this method for making shredded chicken any time a recipe calls for storebought sthredded rotisserie chicken.
While buying shredded chicken is quick, the benefits of making it yourself are notable.
- Health Considerations. Shredded chicken that you make at home is almost guaranteed to be lower in sodium and fat than store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- Cook the Meat You Want. I like to make shredded chicken breasts, because most of the time I prefer white meat. If your household is more into dark meat, you can cook all chicken thighs. Want a mix? You can choose a blend too!
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Instant Pot Bbq Chicken Recipe Tips
- The cook time is the same for boneless, skinless chicken breasts and boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- If you prefer a sweeter BBQ chicken, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of brown sugar before cooking.
- Cooking BBQ sauce in the Instant Pot can sometimes give you a burn warning if you arent careful. To prevent this, the recipe calls for adding only part of the BBQ sauce before cooking and the rest after cooking. Were also thinning the BBQ sauce out with chicken broth before cooking. Since the 8 quart pot is often more prone to the burn message, I tested the recipe in both my 8 quart and 6 quart pots and it worked well in both.
- This recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd. You can 1.5x or double the recipe in a 6 quart or 8 quart Instant Pot, keeping the cook time the same. Just dont exceed the max fill line on your Instant Pot. The pulled chicken and sauce can be kept warm using the Instant Pots warm function. Be sure to refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours of cooking for food safety.
Should I Use Fresh Or Frozen Chicken
Either way!! We typically toss it in fresh and then we can freeze it after and pull it out for meals throughout the month. This is a huge benefit. We love doing a giant batch, cooking it once and then we have shredded chicken to toss into last minute meals all month long.
The neat thing about the Instant Pot is that you can cook frozen chicken in a short amount of time, with almost zero effort. If you forgot to pull out frozen chicken and need it for dinner, you can easily toss it into the Instant Pot and still get dinner on the table within the hour.
Also Check: How To Make Beef Stew In An Instant Pot
How To Serve Bbq Pulled Chicken And What To Do With Leftovers
This Instant Pot recipe makes ~6 servings. Maybe more. Maybe less – it really depends on how big your chicken breasts are. I often double the recipe because pulled chicken freezes well and because you can do SO MUCH WITH THE LEFTOVERS.
Here’s our game plan for enjoying this pulled chicken and what to do with pulled chicken leftovers:
- Day 1: BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches. Either with melted cheese or coleslaw. Always toast the bun.
- Day 2: BBQ Pulled Chicken Tacos. Add any other toppings you like: sliced radishes, leftover coleslaw, diced onion, diced cilantro, squeeze of lime, shredded cheese, salsa, hot sauce, etc.
- Day 3: Serve over rice. Add a vegetable on the side
- Day 5: Sweet Potato Hash
It is also fantastic in a chicken quesadilla or over a baked potato.
What About Using Frozen Chicken
Im so glad you asked! Ever find yourself at 6pm staring into your refrigerator and freezer and wondering: What can I cook for dinner, and quick? Im pretty sure weve all been there, and its no fun. But on those nights, our Instant Pot has become our best friend, for being able to whip up a quick and delicious dinner.
Something magical happens when the frozen chicken breast is cooked in the Instant Pot because it comes out as the most tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken weve ever had. And now that we know that, there is no going back. Read all about cooking frozen chicken in your Instant Pot. Weve done extensive testing on this one!
Also Check: How Long Do You Cook Tamales In An Instant Pot
How To Cook Instant Pot Pulled Chicken
Instant Pot Mexican Shredded Chicken
The Chunky Chef03/31/2020
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Tender shredded chicken, smothered in the most mouthwatering Mexican sauce made from salsa, green chiles, tomatoes and plenty of bold spices! With both Instant Pot and slow cooker instructions, youll have this flavorful dinner on the table with minimal effort. Such a versatile recipe, you can use it in tacos, burritos, chimichangas, enchiladas and more!
Recipes like my Baked Mexican Rice and Beef Barbacoa are great for when you want restaurant quality food, made easily at home. We love hearty Mexican-inspired meals, and this is one of my Mexican recipes youll definitely want in your dinner rotation!
MEXICAN SHREDDED CHICKEN
I dont know about you guys, but Mexican food is my all time favorite, and Im pretty much ALWAYS in the mood for it.
So Ive been tinkering around trying to come up with the perfect all purpose Mexican chicken, that would be super easy to throw together, and could be used in a big variety of ways.
When I settled on this combination, I knew this was it! No searing or browning, no complicated ingredients, an option to make this with no fresh produce, makes enough food for a crowd, but PACKED with flavor.
This is what I would consider a dump it in and go kind of meal. You literally add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot, start cooking, and walk away!
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Storing Simple Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Storing: This chicken will last for 4 days in your refrigerator in an airtight container. We like to store it with the broth leftover from cooking to keep the chicken moist.
Freezing: I have frozen this shredded chicken in small bags or containers. When ready to defrost, simply take out the night before and let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight or simply heat from frozen in the microwave or in a pan. The chicken should last 2-3 months in the freezer.
How To Save This Chicken For Later:
If you’re making this ahead, shred the chicken, then allow it to cool. Place in a sealed container or large zip top bag. This will last in the refrigerator for about 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you freeze the chicken, allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for several hours before using.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
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How To Make Shredded Chicken In The Instant Pot:
To make this Instant Pot chicken recipe, simply
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Learn how to make the best Instant Pot shredded chicken that is full of great flavor, nice and tender, and not overcooked.
Hey friends! Im back today with a meal prep recipe that you all have been requesting how to make shredded chicken in the Instant Pot! Or more specifically, how to make Instant Pot shredded chicken that is:
I agree that Instant Pot chicken can be a bit finicky at times. But Ive been testing different methods and cook times these past few months, and am happy to report Ive landed on a winner-winner-chicken-dinner recipe thats incredibly easy to make and checks all of those boxes. Ive included my favorite all-purpose chicken seasoning in the recipe that goes with pretty much everything. But if you are interested, I have also included some of my other favorite seasoning variations too if you would like to mix things up.
So pull out that pressure cooker, and lets make some Instant Pot shredded chicken!
Recommended Reading: Cooking Tamales In Instant Pot
Easy Bbq Shredded Chicken
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken is sweet and tangy and so easy to make. You need four ingredients and about 30 minutes. Thats it!
Making instant pot ribs is a nice treat but when you want a quick dinner with the same flavors, try pulled chicken. This chicken is great served on buns and topped with dill relish or pickled jalapenos.
Why Is My Instant Pot Chicken Rubbery
Weve found that a lot of recipes for Instant Pot shredded chicken actually call for pressure cooking the chicken for less time than we do, but in our experimentation, the lower amount of time tends to yield more rubbery, hard-to-shred chicken, while the amount of time that we recommend really allows the protein to break down and become tender + very easily shreddable.
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How To Make Perfect Instant Pot Chicken Breast
Though making shredded chicken in the Instant Pot is super simple, if this is your first time , youll want to keep a few things in mind:
- Dont forget to add water its really important to add water to the Instant Pot before securing the lid and setting it to cook. The water is what actually causes the Instant Pot to pressurize, so if you forget to add it, youll likely get a burn notice from your Instant Pot, and will need to open it back up and add water/broth at that point.
- Account for the Instant Pot coming to pressure+ the natural release while this recipe calls for cooking the chicken for 20 minutes at high pressure, dont forget to account for the 10-15 minutes that itll take to get the Instant Pot up to pressure + the 10ish minutes itll take for the Instant Pot to release its pressure naturally. In other words, if you need dinner ready at 6:00, dont put your chicken in at 5:40 and expect it to be totally done in time!
- Use fresh chicken while you can absolutely cook chicken from frozen in the Instant Pot, this recipe is written for fresh chicken. We have all kinds of really great instructions for cooking chicken in the Instant Pot from frozen here if youd rather go that route!
- Keep it simple we recommend keeping your Instant Pot shredded chicken really simple so that you can use it for a variety of meals and flavor profiles. If you season it with something really distinct while cooking, you may feel limited in what you can use it in.
Our Favorite Sources For Meat
For years, weve been sourcing our meat from Butcher Box. We love this curated meat delivery service, which provides grass-finished beef, heritage breed pork, organic chicken, and more from small farms direct to the customer. You can learn more in our extensive Butcher Box review and unboxing.
More recently, we’ve also become big fans of Cooks Venture for chicken.
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Ingredients For Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Pressure cooker shredded chicken is a great first recipe to try if youre new to the Instant Pot world.
- Chicken breasts or thighs: You can use either, they both shred well. Chicken breast is leaner and tends to be less juicy than the more flavorful and juicy thighs. However, the IP does an amazing job of keeping as much moisture in as possible. Chicken breasts also look prettier than shredded thighs.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Other than that you just need chicken and water because 90% of the time I end up adding shredded chicken to chicken salad or chicken tostadas and each recipe has its own seasonings.
- Water or broth: I use water but you can use broth for extra flavor if youd prefer.
What Goes Well With Pulled Chicken
Pair this Pulled Chicken with Instant Pot Potato Salad, Instant Pot Southern Green Beans, Keto Coleslaw, and Zucchini Noodle Pasta Salad.
I live in Kansas City. We are known for our BBQ here. The pressure is on to make sure I put together a recipe that is true to my KC roots. I used our infamous, local Gates BBQ Sauce for this recipe. Gates BBQ sauce is tomato based with some vinegar and is not overly sweet.
You can keep this dish keto-friendly by using my Homemade Keto BBQ Sauce.
To assist with making the chicken feel and taste like homestyle BBQ I added Liquid Smoke. This gives the chicken a smokey taste, similar to that from a grill.
If you are cooking this dish and want to enjoy leftovers or for meal prep, store the chicken in Tupperware. Pack the buns in Ziploc bags and toast immediately before eating.
Recommended Reading: Instant Pot Burn Food
How To Make Bbq Chicken In The Instant Pot
This recipe comes together in 30 minutes from start to finish. It is definitely a no fuss no frills dinner. Just add everything to the Instant Pot, turn it on, let the pressure release and voila. Dinner is served. We like to serve it classic style on a bun, stuff it in sweet potatoes, put in tortillas for a fun taco night or add on top of a salad. Heres how to make it:
Add Ingredients: To your Instant Pot add chicken breast, chicken thighs, garlic powder, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, cinnamon, thyme, salt, pepper, onions, bbq sauce and chicken bone broth.
Prepare Instant Pot: Close lid and secure, making sure pressure valve is turned in the correct direction.
Set Mode: Turn your Instant Pot to Pressure Cooker mode, on High for 14 minutes. Start.
Release: Once done, do a natural release for 15 minutes then press the pressure valve to do a manual release for the remaining pressure.
Shred it: Shred the chicken to your desired texture with two forks, a stand mixer or a hand mixer.
The Best Instant Pot Bbq Pulled Chicken
Posted on Last updated:
By: Author Kate
This Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken recipe is an absolute family favorite – it is SO EASY to make, makes great leftover pulled chicken, and tastes fantastic. Serve this BBQ Pulled Chicken in sandwiches, on tacos, as a pizza topping, over rice or a baked potato.
This isn’t one of those long food blogger stories, I promise.
My brother recently got a pressure cooker and is constantly asking me for recipes, so I texted him this Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken recipe with vague instructions:
- Slice an onion , place in the Instant Pot
- Add 3-4 chicken breasts on top
- Season the chicken if you want
- Add some BBQ sauce on top
- Cook for 20 minutes? 15 if you’re extra hungry?
- Saute to get rid of extra liquid, dump in more BBQ sauce, mix, eat
He made this pressure cooker BBQ pulled chicken and said it was the BEST recipe he’s tried so far and asked me why the recipe is not on the blog.
Because I’m selfish and I was keeping it to myself? Just kidding.
Here it is! My super forgiving, super easy Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken.
And by the way, if this is something that piques your interest, then you need to check out my Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork with homemade grape jelly BBQ sauce!
This BBQ pulled chicken has only 4 ingredients:
- onion
- BBQ sauce
- chicken or pork seasoning
If you take the extra minute to roughly slice an onion and to sprinkle some seasonings on the chicken, it will be out-of-this-world delicious.
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