Need a versatile weeknight chicken recipe? This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is tender, flavorful, and has so many meal options!
Are you still loving your Instant Pot?
When I do use my Instant Pot, I want it to have impact. I want to produce a dish that can be used for two meals or at least give me meal options.
This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe achieves both of those goals. It’s super versatile, so flavorful, and a healthy base for so many flavor combinations. It’s a great Whole30 recipe!
It’s the perfect Instant Pot recipe to make when you want the main course to do double duty: use it for one dish the first night, and then use the leftovers in a completely different recipe the next night!
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
I use shallots because I love the extra little sweetness they have compared to standard onions, and they’re milder than yellow or white onions. That said, you can absolutely use regular onions in place of shallots if that’s what you have on hand.
After sautéing the chicken in the instant pot a bit until it’s browned on all sides, you then sauté the shallots, garlic, and spices, return the chicken to the instant pot, and then cook the chicken. It comes together fairly quickly, and makes a tender, juicy chicken that shreds easily.
Different Ways to Use Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
I love using this instant pot shredded chicken with a big salad. It’s perfect to top a big bowl of spinach & arugula, topped with the salsa shredded chicken, sliced avocados, diced tomatoes, red onions, bacon, mango… and drizzled with creamy avocado lime dressing on top.
Other fantastic ways you can enjoy this Whole30 friendly, Instant Pot Shredded Chicken:
- spice up your Taco Tuesdays: this chicken is amazing in tacos!
- instead of pulled pork use the shredded chicken to make a juicy stacked sandwich.
- make a shredded chicken rice bowl with cilantro, black beans, tomatoes, avocados, and corn
- nachos, nachos, nachos! Load them up with a pile of shredded chicken, shredded cheese (or dairy-free cheese), olives, tomatoes, bacon.
What wine pairs with Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
I love pairing this shredded chicken with a Pinot Gris. This white wine tends to have lovely melon and citrus fruit flavors with nice minerality, which helps it pair well with a variety of foods. I thought it especially went well with the mild spices in the chicken, and the mango and avocado in the salad.
Try these Pinot Gris wines:
Lange Winery Pinot Gris ($28)
A to Z Winery Pinot Gris ($18)
Rainstorm Pinot Gris ($14)
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt & pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 tbsp shallots, thinly sliced
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 2 tsp chili powder
- dash salt & pepper
- 1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes, undrained
- juice from 1 lime
Instructions
- Season both sides of chicken pieces.
- Turn your Instant Pot to SAUTÉ setting. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once it’s hot, add chicken to the instant pot in a single layer. It’s ok if they touch, but try not to overlap so that the chicken sautés evenly; you may need to work in batches. Sauté until both sides are browned, then remove and place on a plate.
- Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to the Instant Pot, along with the shallots, garlic, paprika, chili powder, and sprinkle of salt and pepper. Sauté until shallots are slightly softened, about 2-3 minutes. Hit CANCEL
- Stir in can of tomatoes (undrained, with the juice), lime juice, and add back the chicken to the instant pot. Try to place the chicken in a single layer if possible. Chicken will touch and overlap, but just be sure they’re not stacked directly on top of one another.
- Close the lid and lock. Press PRESSURE COOK (or MANUAL, depending on your Instant Pot), and cook for 10 minutes. Once Instant Pot comes to pressure and starts to countdown, allow natural pressure for 5 minutes and then use tongs and/or oven mitts to turn valve to Quick Vent for remaining 5 minutes. Once pin is down completely and it has finished venting, carefully open the lid, turn the Instant Pot off.
- Stir the chicken so it can soak up the sauces a bit, then remove to a separate bowl. Shred chicken with two forks. Serve immediately, as desired. (see meal ideas in the post)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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What dish would you enjoy this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken?
More Instant Pot Recipes:
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SO GOOD! Shredded chicken like this is my favorite :) I love throwing leftovers into a quesadilla for lunch!
This sounds so good, and that wine pairing looks perfect!
Thank you so much, Doniree! They’re a great combo! :)
This is a brilliant idea and very timely since I just got my Instant Pot. So excited to have this as my first recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I hope you love it! Thank you, Sheila!
Oh I LOOOVE shallots!!! seriously so delish! Now I need to get an insta pot! I use your salad ingredients as inspiration last week with arugula, avocado, mangos and bacon! it was such a yummy summer combo. Thanks again for all the inspiration!!!!
Yay! I’m so glad you liked it!
I’ve never an Instant Pot before, but now I’m really curious about what I could do with something like jackfruit, which has a similar stringy texture. Takes forever to cook to that texture normally, but maybe the Instant Pot could work some magic!
I think it would work wonderfully!
Love my Instant Pot! I don’t use it every night… But probably once a week at least. My favorite use for it is cooking meats quickly, love this quick shredded chicken!
It makes dinners so much easier! Thank you, Erin! :)
Shredded chicken is one of my favorite things to make in the Instant Pot (so easy!). This recipe sounds way more flavorful than what I usually do, I will have to try it. I haven’t used the saute function much yet.
Isn’t it?! Thank you! The saute function works great!
This might be the post that talks me into finally getting an instant pot! Your food photography is amazing by the way!
You totally should! Thank you so much, Melissa!
I love how versatile shredded chicken is. The possibilities are endless! I don’t have an Instant Pot but we received a different pressure cooker as a wedding gift but haven’t tried it out yet! This shredded chicken will definitely be a great first recipe to try in it :)
I agree! You should definitely try it out!