Spice up your lunch routine with this delicious and easy Chinese style Instant Pot shredded chicken. Packed with protein and flavor, it is the perfect healthy meal option. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
Instant pot shredded chicken takes 5 minutes to put together and it’s a perfect item to have in your fridge or freezer on a busy week. Cooked in a savory and fragrant brown sauce, the chicken is juicy and tender with a rich taste.
This chicken is super versatile in the ways you can serve it or use it in other dishes. You can serve it over steamed rice as a quick and light lunch. You can top it on your Soy Sauce Noodle Soup, Scallion Oil Noodles, or Sesame Noodles to turn a side dish to a main dish. Or use it to cook Bang Bang Chicken, Cold Chicken Noodles, Sichuan Chicken in Red Oil, or Korean Noodle Soup.
Ingredients for Instant pot shredded chicken
Oyster sauce is your best friend
Oyster sauce is an essential ingredient in the Chinese pantry. It is a thick, dark brown liquid condiment that has a sweet, salty, and deeply savory flavor. It is made from oyster essence or oyster extract, with a few other ingredients, such as sugar and cornstarch. Oyster sauce is a key ingredient in many dishes such as chow mein noodles, lo mein noodles, char siu pork, and chicken and broccoli.
This recipe uses oyster sauce as a main ingredient and a few other ingredients to create a fragrant and deep umami that enhances the chicken.
I highly recommend Lee Kum Kee oyster sauce and Megachef oyster sauce. You can also make the dish gluten free by using a gluten free oyster sauce.
All the ingredients you need
- Chicken breast or thighs
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Ground black pepper
How to cook instant pot shredded chicken
First, mix all the sauce ingredients and the aromatics together in your Instant Pot.
Now add the chicken and coat it with the sauce. Spread out the chicken with no or minimal overlap for cooking.
Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Once cooked, let it release naturally for five minutes, then use quick release. It’s important to use quick release here to prevent the chicken from overcooking.
Finally, shred the chicken using two forks. You can either toss the shredded chicken with the brown sauce, or store the chicken separately and use it as a salad topping.
How to serve Instant Pot Shredded chicken
As I mentioned above, the easiest way to use Instant Pot shredded chicken is to top it on steamed rice and add a spoonful of the brown sauce. You can also add some steamed vegetables on top. It makes a fast meal with no effort.
Since this recipe yields a nice savory tasting chicken, you can also use it in other dishes without the sauce. For example:
- Add it to salad greens
- Make it into a Mexican chicken bowl with salsa, rice, beans and guac
- Make a chicken wrap, sandwich, or quesadilla.
You can also add the chicken to one of these simple noodle dishes to make it a main dish:
You can also use the chicken to make:
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Bang Bang Chicken
- Cold Chicken Noodles
- Sichuan Chicken in Red Oil
- Korean Noodle Soup
Frequently asked questions
Chicken breast might become tough and chewy when cooked in an Instant Pot, because it’s very lean and is prone to overcooking.
The biggest cause of rubbery chicken is overcooking. I noticed that the 10 minute cook time works much better for larger chicken breasts (the ones I used were close to 1 lb (450 g) per chicken breast). If you use smaller chicken breasts, I would set the pressure cooking time to 7 to 8 minutes to prevent overcooking.
The best way to make sure your chicken always turns out soft and moist is to use chicken thighs. Since chicken thighs contain more fat, they will remain tender even if they’re overcooked a little. It’s also a cheaper cut, making it a perfect option for Instant Pot shredded chicken.
I know that the makers of the Instant Pot say you should use at least 1 cup of liquid to cook any ingredients to prevent scorching. But we are using a combination of liquid seasonings here, and the chicken will release juice during the cooking process. I’ve tried this recipe many times. The bottom of the chicken might brown a bit, but it won’t burn.
If your Instant Pot gives you a burning warming, you can add 1/2 cup chicken broth to resolve the issue.
More easy Instant Pot recipes
- Instant Pot Beef Curry Stew
- Asian Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Congee
- Instant Pot Eggs (Perfect Hard-Boiled & Soft-Boiled Eggs)
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic , grated
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 lbs (900g) skinless boneless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- Chopped green onion for garnish (Optional)
Instructions
- Add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and ground black pepper into your Instant Pot. Stir to mix well.
- Add the chicken and toss it well. Then spread out the chicken with minimal overlap.
- Close the lid and seal the valve. Press the “manual” button, set the pressure to “high”, and set the timer to 10 minutes.
- Once the cooking is done, let it natural release for 5 minutes, then use fast release. Once the pressure has released, you will hear a small click. Open the lid and let cool for a few minutes. Use two forks to shred the chicken.
- How to serve: Now you can serve the chicken while it’s hot. Toss it with the sauce then serve it over steamed rice or noodles as a main dish. You can also use the shredded chicken (with or without the sauce) as a salad topping, for making wraps, or in quesadillas. You can also use it in recipes such as Bang Bang Chicken, Cold Chicken Noodles, and Korean Noodle Soup.
- How to store: Store the chicken in a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tasty! Lettuce wrap is exactly what I often make for my quick meal as the fillings are easily customized . The shredded chicken looks delicious with the soy sauce and oyster sauce (I’ve never heard of it tho but I’m so excited to try soon)!
– Natalie Ellis
Oh my I want to have this! It’s perfect for weekday healthy meals. I’m def going to make it. It seems like the chicken would make a great asian style taco too!
Can frozen chicken be used for this?
Yes you can. I think the cooking time for frozen chicken doesn’t change too much. If you use smaller chicken breast, 10 minutes should be enough. If using larger chicken breast (like I did in this recipe), set the timer for 12 minutes.
This looks so good! I don’t have an instant pot though T_T I was wondering if you knew how I would cook this recipe in a slow cooker? Thank you!
Hi Sienna, I’m afraid I don’t have a slow-cooker version right now. I’m adding it to my list and will try to get to it asap!
Muy buena receta .Exelent
I don’t have an instant pot – but would love to try this recipe if you have suggestions?
You can use this recipe with a crock pot. I think you might be able to cook it on the stove as well. I would rub the chicken with some salt and spray with oil. Sear in a hot pan for 5 to 7 minutes without moving to brown the chicken. Then pour in the sauce and cook for another 7 minutes or so over medium heat, until the thickest part reaches 165F. For the stove top method, the sauce might dry out in the process. I would pour in a bit water or chicken broth to thin it out if needed. If the chicken takes very long to cook and the surface start to char too much, you can also cover the pan and steam it for a few minutes. It helps the inside to cook through without burning the surface.
Thanks for this recipe.
How would you modify this recipe if we intend to steam skinless and boneless chicken thigh?
It’s pretty straightforward to use this recipe with a steamer. I would mix the sauce and the chicken pieces in a plate that can fit in your steamer. The plate should have some depth so it catches the from the chicken. Steam for up to 20 minutes (might need less time if chicken pieces are smaller), until the interval temperature reaches 165 degrees F (73 C). Try not to overlap the chicken too much, because it doesn’t cook evenly and will prolong cooking time.