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    Urban Bliss Life » Blog » Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

    Published: June 18, 2018 / Updated: December 26, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

    28 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Need a versatile weeknight chicken recipe? This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken is tender, flavorful, and has so many meal options!

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken on UrbanBlissLife.com

    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.

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken with creamy avocado lime dressing

    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

    Shredded Chicken with shallots in sauce

    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.

    Shredded Chicken

    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

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken with avocado lime dressing salad

    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.
    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken on UrbanBlissLife.com

    What wine pairs with Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

    glass of white wine

    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

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

    5 from 3 votes
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    This shredded chicken is flavorful and so versatile!
    PRINT PIN RATE

    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)
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

    IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, SHARE IT ON INSTAGRAM WITH #URBANBLISSLIFE AND TAG @URBANBLISSLIFE. I’D LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU MAKE! AND IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, PLEASE DO ME A HUGE FAVOR AND LEAVE A STAR RATING. THANK YOU, SWEET FRIENDS!

    PIN IT:

    Instant Pot Shredded Chicken on UrbanBlissLife.com

    What dish would you enjoy this Instant Pot Shredded Chicken?

    More Instant Pot Recipes:

    Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken

    Instant Pot Sausage & Peppers Pasta

    Instant Pot Filipino Chicken Adobo

    Instant Pot BBQ Ribs

    « Avocado Lime Dressing and Dip
    Triple Berry Chia Whole30 Smoothie (Dairy-Free, Vegan, Paleo) »
    28 shares

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Hillary Harper says

        July 09, 2018 at 9:40 pm

        SO GOOD! Shredded chicken like this is my favorite :) I love throwing leftovers into a quesadilla for lunch!

        Reply
      2. Doniree says

        June 25, 2018 at 12:50 pm

        5 stars
        This sounds so good, and that wine pairing looks perfect!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          June 28, 2018 at 2:17 am

          Thank you so much, Doniree! They're a great combo! :)

      3. Sheila says

        June 24, 2018 at 11:26 am

        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.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          June 28, 2018 at 2:17 am

          I hope you love it! Thank you, Sheila!

      4. Melissa Manos says

        June 21, 2018 at 2:38 pm

        5 stars
        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!!!!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          June 28, 2018 at 2:16 am

          Yay! I'm so glad you liked it!

      5. Waz says

        June 19, 2018 at 1:16 pm

        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!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          June 28, 2018 at 2:16 am

          I think it would work wonderfully!

      6. Erin @ Platings and Pairings says

        June 19, 2018 at 12:34 pm

        5 stars
        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!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          June 28, 2018 at 2:15 am

          It makes dinners so much easier! Thank you, Erin! :)

      7. Kelsey says

        June 19, 2018 at 11:53 am

        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.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          June 28, 2018 at 2:14 am

          Isn't it?! Thank you! The saute function works great!

      8. Melissa says

        June 19, 2018 at 10:52 am

        This might be the post that talks me into finally getting an instant pot! Your food photography is amazing by the way!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          June 28, 2018 at 2:14 am

          You totally should! Thank you so much, Melissa!

      9. Hillary Harper says

        June 18, 2018 at 10:49 pm

        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 :)

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          June 28, 2018 at 2:13 am

          I agree! You should definitely try it out!

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

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