Easy Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breasts

Instant Pot frozen chicken breast makes is a quick-cooking hack for tender chicken that can also be shredded in less than 30 minutes! Perfect for meal planning throughout the week.

Let me clue you in on how I make easy weeknight meals even simpler; I put frozen chicken breast in Instant Pot and come out with delicious flavorful shredded chicken. That’s the kind of magic that I like to see!

I prepare as many chicken breasts as will fit into my Instant Pot because there are a gazillion recipes that I can cook with chicken breast and shredded chicken. Yes darlings, I have listed them here.

But first, let me explain the finer details of making chicken breast with an Instant Pot. Not that there is anything complex about it.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breasts

• Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth, or water
• 1 teaspoon Seasoning Salt
• Black Pepper

How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in Instant Pot

All you need for this Instant Pot chicken breast recipe is frozen boneless chicken breasts, chicken broth, and some basic seasoning. Put it all together and you are done!

There is no need for marinating or a dry rub because the broth will do the heavy lifting. I generally stick to just salt and pepper for the seasoning so that I have more freedom in adapting the chicken for other recipes.

• Season the frozen chicken breasts with seasoning salt and black pepper.
• Add the chicken broth and frozen chicken to the Instant Pot.
• Close the lid and set the vent to seal. Use the Manual setting and set the timer to 12 minutes for tender cooked chicken. For shreddable chicken, set to 25 minutes.
• Once the timer goes off, quick release the vent and remove the lid.
• For shredded chicken, use two forks, bear claws, or a mixer to shred.

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken Breast in Instant Pot

The exact timing will depend on the brand and size of Instant Pot that you have. After a little trial and error, I found that 12 minutes is perfect for juicy tender whole chicken breast and 25 minutes if you want to shred it. More on how to shred frozen chicken breast later.

You can check whether the chicken is done by using a temperature gauge. It should read 150 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t let it go over because it will dry out quickly.

How Much Chicken Per Person

For a meal where the chicken breast is the star, I like to serve 1 chicken breast per person. However, for recipes that call for cutting up the chicken breast you usually need less.

I’d say 2 chicken breasts for 3 people is about right for most recipes. Of course, if you have a household of big eaters they’ll want more.

How to Shred Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast

Let the chicken breast sit inside the Instant Pot for a little longer and it will become super soft – perfect for freshly shredded chicken. The method could not be easier.

I place the chicken breast on a stable cutting board and just go at it with two forks. It’s sort of a poke and slide movement – very satisfying and therapeutic.

You can also use bear claws if you want to be a little bit more efficient. It also helps that you look extra cool doing it.

How to Shred Chicken with a Mixer

Want to do a little less manual labor? You can also make shredded chicken with a mixer!

Both a hand mixer or a stand mixer works, whichever you have handy. Just be aware that you might send little pieces of chicken flying around the kitchen.

That is why I prefer the fork method. It may take a little bit more time and the chicken shreds are less fine but I won’t find any chicken bits stuck to the window. On most days, at least.

To make it easier on your mixed, cut up the chicken breast into smaller pieces. If possible, cover the bowl you are shredding the chicken.

PS: the least messy version of preparing shredded chicken is to put frozen chicken in pressure cooker and let it sit for a few hours. But you will need a pretty rich broth and some vegetables to fill it up. Otherwise, the chicken might disappear completely.

Frozen Chicken Instant Pot Recipes with Shredded Chicken

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Okay, as promised, here are my favorite recipes that use this Instant Pot chicken as the base. I hope they give you lots of inspiration for what to make with shredded chicken.

Chicken Noodle Soup

The most comforting meal that you can have. Perfect for these cold days that we are having, especially if you are feeling a little under the weather. For this recipe, you can also cut up the chicken breast into chunks if you prefer a bit more chew in your chicken noodle soup.

Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas

Enchiladas are always a hit in my house and I’m sure they will be in yours, too. If you decide to make this recipe it will double your cooking time. That is why I recommend making a big batch of Instant Pot shredded chicken – you’ll save so much time during busy weeks.

One Pan Chicken Flauta

At first glance, you might think that the chicken flautas are very similar to the chicken enchiladas. Honestly, you are correct but they do have different flavorings and different cooking methods. Flautas go in a skillet which reduces your cooking time so if you want something quicker…

Italian Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos

Before you say something about tacos not being Italian, give these yummy babies a try. You will not regret it! It also comes together in no time with ingredients you almost always have ready in your fridge. It’s a win for me.

Instant Pot Chicken Salad

Don’t know what to put in your kids’ school lunchboxes? Then I have a treat for you. This chicken salad is rich, creamy, and has a little kick from the red onions and dijon mustard. I love it with a slice of rustic bread but your kids might like it in a wrap, too.

How to Freeze Chicken Breast

I like keeping extra cooked chicken on hand to throw into meals for later. Especially shredded chicken since it can easily be put into any of the recipes listed above.

To freeze the chicken, whether it’s a chicken breast or shredded, place them into an airtight freezer Zip loc bag and freeze for up to 4 months. Any longer than that and they begin to lose flavor and texture.

Now, do you understand why I make a whole lot of this frozen chicken breast with my Instant Pot? Shredded chicken is so incredibly versatile that I had to stop myself from making too much or the extras won’t fit in my freezer.

Let me know what your favorite shredded chicken recipes are. And tell me, isn’t this even better than store-bought rotisserie chicken?

Recommended Recipes

• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Salad
• Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas
• Italian Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos
• One-Pan Chicken Flautas