Lara Clevenger

Recipes, Travel, Bowling, and RV Adventures

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
    • Air Fryer
    • Blackstone
    • Instant Pot
    • Keto
    • Ninja Creami
    • Paleo
    • Sheet Pan Meals
    • Slow Cooker
    • Vegetarian
  • Services
    • Meal Plans
    • Services
    • Food Sensitivities – MRT
  • RV LIFE
    • Blackstone Recipes
    • Campgrounds
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Disclosure Policy
Home » Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs

Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs

September 14, 2022 by Lara October 30, 2022

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE POLICY FOR MORE INFO.

Jump to Recipe

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs is a simple last minute dinner idea for a weeknight. The Instant Pot makes these chicken thighs juicy and tender in less than 30 minutes. Great for meal prep too!

cooked shredded chicken thighs in the instant pot
Table of Contents
  • Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs
  • Why you’ll love these Shredded Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
  • Ingredients
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Tools to make this easy recipe
  • How to make Shredded Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot
  • Stovetop Directions
  • Substitutions
  • What to serve with Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs
  • More Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes
  • How to store
  • How to reheat
  • 1 Cup Shredded Chicken Nutrition Information
  • FAQs
  • PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs

Cooking chicken thighs in the Instant Pot is super simple and it is my favorite way to cook shredded thighs. It leaves the chicken moist and with loads of flavor!

I love using shredded chicken thighs to make this Keto Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole and this Keto Chicken Cordon Bleu.

Check out my Instant Pot Shredded chicken breast recipe if you want to make shaded chicken breast instead!

meal prep with shredded chicken thighs and broccoli

Why you’ll love these Shredded Instant Pot Chicken Thighs

  • Prefect for meal prep – this shredded chicken thigh recipe is great for meal prepping and can be added to casseroles, salads and even added into tacos to increase protein intake.
  • Easy and simple recipe – making these shredded chicken thighs in the instant pot is simple and only takes about 30 minutes. With these simple ingredients that you can pick up at your local grocery store.
  • Keto and low carb – With only 1g of total carbs and 28g of protein per serving. This makes a great low carb meal.

Ingredients

  • Boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Chicken broth or water
  • seasonings: salt, black pepper, optional fresh thyme
cooked shredded chicken thighs in the instant pot

Tips & Tricks

DO NOT skip the “natural pressure release” step. This step is important to ensuring that the pulled chicken thighs remain moist and juicy.

If you want to make homemade chicken broth save the extra liquid at the bottom of the Instant Pot after cooking.

Tools to make this easy recipe

The Instant Pot is one of my favorite kitchen tools! It cuts down the time but leaves the moisture that your want in each dish!

instant pot set to 8 minutes

How to make Shredded Chicken Thighs in the Instant Pot

  1. Place chicken thighs in the Instant Pot (no need for a trivet).
  2. Next add in the ½ cup of chicken broth. If you don’t have chicken broth you can substitute water or bone broth.
  3. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
  4. Place the lid on the instant pot and make sure the knob is set to sealed.
  5. Hit “manual” select high pressure and set the time to 8 minutes.
  6. It’ll take about 10 minutes to come to pressure. Let the chicken thighs then cook for 8 minutes and let the pressure naturally release.
  7. Carefully remove the lid from the Instant Pot.
  8. Transfer the chicken thighs to a bowl, reserve ~¼ cup of liquid from the Instant Pot and discard the rest.
  9. With either 2 forks or an electric hand mixer, shred the chicken thighs.
  10. Add in the reserve liquid to the shredded chicken (this helps it stay moist!).
  11. Optionally top with fresh thyme or herbs of choice.
raw chicken thighs in the instant pot
Add chicken thighs into the Instant Pot
raw chicken thighs in the instant pot with seasonings
Season with salt and pepper
raw chicken in the instant pot with chicken broth
Add in chicken broth
cooked chicken thighs in a metal bowl
Place cooked thighs into a bowl
shredded chicken thighs in a metal bowl
Shred chicken thighs with two forks

Stovetop Directions

If you do not have an Instant Pot you can always boil these chicken thighs in a pot.

In a dutch oven, add the seasonings and broth. Next add in the chicken thighs. Cook covered on high medium heat for 15-20 minutes.

Check internal temperature of chicken with a meat thermometer. Chicken is done when the internal temperature is 165 degrees.

Remove chicken thighs and shred chicken with two forks.

Optional: Add in about 1/4 cup of liquid for extra moisture.

shredded chicken thighs in a white bowl with green garnish

Substitutions

If you do not have chicken thighs you can substitute chicken breast, chicken tenders or even chicken breast filets.

Whichever chicken kind you use, the cook time is the same for all types.

What to serve with Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs

I meal prepped this shredded chicken with broccoli and topped it with Parmesan Cheese and fresh thyme. It would also be great with Air Fryer Broccolini and Air Fryer Spaghetti Squash if you’re trying to make it a low carb meal.

More Easy Chicken Thigh Recipes

If you are looking for more recipes to make with chicken thighs (bone in or boneless) check out this Easy Palak Chicken Curry, Teriyaki Chicken Thighs, Broiled Chicken Thighs, Cast Iron Chicken Thigh in Tomato Sauce and Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables.

How to store

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

meal prep with shredded chicken thighs and broccoli

How to reheat

Remove the lid from the container and microwave on high for 1 to 1.5 minutes or until chicken is warm. You may also transfer the chicken to a microwave safe dish to warm up.

1 Cup Shredded Chicken Nutrition Information

  • 1 cup of shredded chicken thighs is about 5.5 ounces
  • 1 cup of shredded chicken thighs is about 331 calories
  • 1 cup of shredded chicken thighs is about 31 g of protein
  • 1 cup of shredded chicken thighs is about 3.6 g of fat

FAQs

How to make shredded chicken?

After cooking chicken shred with two forks or use an electric hand mixer

Benefits of Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs have great sources of many essential nutrients including Iron and zinc. They also have fact soluble vitamins and are a good source of protein.

How long do chicken thighs take in an Instant Pot?

Chicken thighs take about 8 minutes at high pressure to cook in the Instant Pot.

Can you overcook chicken in an Instant Pot?

It is very easy to overcook chicken thighs in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot.

What chicken is best for shredding?

You can use boneless skinless chicken breast or boneless skinless chicken thighs. They are both great for shredding.

shredded chicken thighs in a white bowl with green garnish
PHOTO COLLAGE OF RECIPE WITH THE WORDS "VIEW MEAL PLANS"
cooked shredded chicken thighs in the instant pot
Print Pin
5 from 23 votes

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs

This shredded chicken thighs in the Instant Pot is a simple last minute dinner idea for a weekday or even a great meal prep! The Instant Pot makes these chicken thighs juicy and tender in less than 25 minutes.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword instant pot shredded chicken thighs, shredded chicken thighs in the instant pot
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Natural pressure release 15 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 420kcal
Author Lara

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs boneless skinless
  • 1/2 cup Chicken broth
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Place chicken thighs in the Instant Pot (no need for a trivet).
  • Next add in the ½ cup of chicken broth. If you don’t have chicken broth you can substitute water or bone broth.
  • Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
  • Place the lid on the instant pot and make sure the knob is set to sealed.
  • Hit “manual” select high pressure and set the time to 8 minutes.
  • It’ll take about 10 minutes to come to pressure. Let the chicken thighs then cook for 8 minutes and let the pressure naturally release.
  • Carefully remove the lid from the Instant Pot.
  • Transfer the chicken thighs to a bowl, reserve ~¼ cup of liquid from the Instant Pot and discard the rest.
  • With either 2 forks or an electric hand mixer, shred the chicken thighs.
  • Add in the reserve liquid to the shredded chicken (this helps it stay moist!).
  • Optionally top with fresh thyme or herbs of choice.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

do not perform a quick pressure release. This will cause the chicken to become tough. Only do this as a last resort if you are running short on time and don’t care about the tenderness of the chicken.

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 831mg | Potassium: 406mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 135IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

pin of meal prep shredded chicken thighs

Filed Under: Camping Recipes, Chicken, Instant Pot, keto, Keto, Main, Paleo, Paleo, Recipes

« Best Blackstone Chicken Breasts
Air Fryer Peppers and Onions »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





About Me

image of a girl in a pink jacket with fury hood smiling

Hi, I’m Lara! I’m a dietitian and I love to travel the US in my fifth wheel RV with my pups Stella & Loki. I share healthy, low carb and camping recipes along with my travel and bowling stories.

Recent Posts

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with butter on top
sesame salmon bowl with avocado, red cabbage, cucumber and spring mix topped with sesame dressing.
air fryer zoodles being pulled out of the basket with a fork.
instant pot chicken thighs with rice with a spoon lifting a chicken thigh out of the instant pot
2 air fryer furikake salmon filets on a white plate
instant pot baby back ribs being dipped into a clear glass filled with BBQ sauce.
chocolate protein ice cream without bananas in a clear pint and a black spoon and white napkin
cooked whole spaghetti squash cut in half on a white plate topped with parsley
medium rare sliced ribeye steak on a white plate topped with butter and served with broccoli

Web Stories

The information presented on this web site is not intended to take the place of your personal physician’s advice and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Discuss this information with your own physician or healthcare provider to determine what is right for you. All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. We cannot and do not give you medical advice. See full disclaimer/disclosure policy. 

Lara Clevenger · Copyright © 2023