Shredded Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken

Easy Step-by-Step Instructions for Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken

Follow these straightforward steps, complemented by the photos above, to create perfect Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken in your own kitchen. For precise ingredient quantities, please refer to the recipe card below.

1. Season the Chicken: Begin by generously seasoning your chicken breasts or thighs with the chicken wing seasoning. Place the seasoned chicken directly into the inner pot of your Instant Pot.
2. Add Buffalo Sauce: Pour your chosen buffalo sauce evenly over the chicken in the Instant Pot, ensuring each piece is well coated.
3. Secure and Set: Carefully place the lid on your Instant Pot and twist to lock it into position. Double-check that the pressure release valve is set to the “sealing” position.
4. Set Cooking Time:
   • For bone-in chicken breasts, frozen chicken breasts, or chicken thighs, set the Instant Pot to cook on HIGH pressure for 12 minutes.
   • For fresh (not frozen) boneless chicken breasts, set the timer to pressure cook for 10 minutes.
5. Natural Pressure Release: Once the cooking timer beeps, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. This crucial step helps keep the chicken incredibly tender and juicy.
6. Quick Release Remaining Pressure: After the 10-minute natural release, carefully move the pressure valve from “sealing” to “venting” to quick-release any remaining pressure. Be cautious of the hot steam escaping.
7. Remove Chicken: Once all the pressure has been safely released and the float valve has dropped, remove the lid. Using two forks or tongs, carefully transfer the cooked chicken from the Instant Pot to a large cutting board.
8. Shred the Chicken: With two forks or specialized meat claws, shred the chicken into desired consistency. It should be incredibly tender and easy to shred.
9. Toss and Serve: Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot, tossing it thoroughly with the buffalo sauce remaining in the pot. This ensures every piece is coated in that delicious, tangy flavor. Serve immediately in your favorite recipe, or keep it warm in the Instant Pot with the lid replaced until ready to use.

Expert Tips for Perfect Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken

Maximize your success with these valuable tips designed to help you create the best Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken every time, and store it efficiently for future meals.

• Understanding Yield: One pound of chicken, regardless of type, will typically yield approximately 2 cups of shredded chicken. Chicken breasts can vary significantly in size, so always aim to measure by weight rather than counting individual pieces to ensure consistent results for your recipes. This helps in planning your meals accurately.
• Scaling the Recipe: This recipe is incredibly adaptable! You can easily make it with just 1 pound of chicken or scale it up to 6 pounds in a 6-quart Instant Pot. If you’re making 1 pound, halve the amounts of seasoning and buffalo sauce. When doubling or tripling for 4 or 6 pounds of chicken, be sure to double or triple your seasoning and buffalo sauce accordingly. Always ensure there’s enough liquid to cover the bottom of the Instant Pot to prevent the “burn” signal and ensure even cooking.
• Storage and Freezing: Cooked, shredded buffalo chicken is a fantastic meal prep component. It will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, making it perfect for lunches or quick dinners throughout the week. For longer storage, you can freeze the shredded chicken in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
• Total Cooking Time Breakdown: While the active pressure cooking time is short, the total process for buffalo chicken in an Instant Pot typically takes about 25-30 minutes. This includes 6-10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure, 10-12 minutes for actual cooking, and then a 10-minute natural pressure release. This full breakdown helps in planning your meal timeline.
• Cooking from Frozen: No need to defrost! One of the Instant Pot’s greatest advantages is its ability to cook chicken directly from frozen. Simply add an extra 2 minutes to the suggested cooking time for fresh chicken, and you’ll still achieve perfectly tender, shredded results. This saves you valuable time and stress.
• Making it Creamy: For a delightful twist on classic buffalo chicken, stir in ½ cup of ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing after you’ve cooked and shredded the chicken. This addition mellows the spice and adds a rich, creamy texture, perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or dips.

Endless Ways to Enjoy Your Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken

The beauty of this Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken recipe lies in its incredible versatility, making it a fantastic base for meals throughout the entire week. Whether you’re planning for lunches, dinners, or game-day snacks, this shredded chicken is your culinary canvas.

A good rule of thumb for this recipe is to use approximately ¾ cup of buffalo sauce for every pound of chicken. For instance, if you’re preparing two pounds of chicken, you’ll want to use about 1 ½ cups of buffalo sauce, which typically corresponds to a standard 12-ounce bottle of Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce. Each pound of chicken will yield roughly 2 cups of delicious shredded buffalo chicken, providing a generous amount for multiple uses.

To help you plan your weekly menu, here’s a guide to some fantastic recipes where this Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken truly shines, along with the approximate amount of chicken needed and the additional prep time (beyond the initial chicken cooking):

1. Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Pasta: Transform your buffalo chicken into a comforting and cheesy pasta bake. You’ll need 2 cups of shredded buffalo chicken, adding just 29 minutes to your total meal preparation.
2. Buffalo Chicken Taco Ring (pictured above): A visually impressive and incredibly tasty party appetizer or family dinner. This festive dish calls for 3 cups of buffalo chicken and takes about 29 minutes to assemble and bake.
3. Pull Apart Buffalo Chicken Rolls: Perfect for sharing or a quick snack, these savory rolls are addictive. You’ll need 1 cup of buffalo chicken, requiring only 20 additional minutes to create.
4. Buffalo Chicken Baked Pasta: A hearty, crowd-pleasing casserole combining tender pasta with spicy buffalo chicken. Use 2 cups of buffalo chicken and allocate 29 minutes for this delicious bake.
5. Buffalo Chicken Dip Taco Cups: Mini bites of your favorite buffalo dip, baked into crunchy taco shells. These require 2 cups of buffalo chicken and 29 minutes of additional effort.
6. Buffalo Chicken Wrap: A quick and satisfying lunch option. Grab 1 cup of buffalo chicken, and you’re just 5 minutes away from a fresh and flavorful wrap.
7. Buffalo Chicken Salad Sliders: A lighter take, mixing buffalo chicken into a delicious “salad” served on mini buns. This needs 2 cups of chicken and just 10 minutes to prepare.
8. Buffalo Chicken Tacos: A vibrant and easy dinner idea, perfect for customization with your favorite toppings. You’ll need 2 cups of buffalo chicken, ready in about 29 minutes for assembly.
9. Buffalo Chicken Phyllo Rolls: Elegant and crispy appetizers that are surprisingly easy to make. Utilize 2 cups of buffalo chicken for this recipe, with 29 minutes of preparation time.
10. Buffalo Chicken Dip: The ultimate game-day or party dip, cheesy, creamy, and undeniably delicious. This classic requires 3 cups of buffalo chicken and 35 minutes to bake.
11. Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese: Elevate your comfort food with a spicy, cheesy grilled sandwich. Just 2 cups of buffalo chicken and 10 minutes will get you there.
12. Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins: Crispy potato skins loaded with spicy chicken and cheese – a perfect appetizer. This recipe uses 1 cup of buffalo chicken and about 50 minutes total.
13. Buffalo Chicken Bites: Quick, savory mouthfuls of buffalo goodness, ideal for snacks or party trays. You’ll need 1 cup of buffalo chicken and 25 minutes for these.

For each of these recipes, the Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken is already perfectly seasoned and sauced, so there’s no need to add additional buffalo sauce to the chicken itself. The times listed above are for preparing the final dish, in addition to the time it takes to make the Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken.

Simple Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches: A Weeknight Favorite

For a quick and satisfying meal, pile your freshly shredded buffalo chicken onto toasted brioche buns. Enhance the experience with a generous sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled blue cheese. To add a refreshing crunch and balance the richness, consider topping your sandwich with shredded carrots, thinly sliced red onions, and crisp shredded lettuce. A drizzle of ranch or blue cheese dressing can also take it to the next level, offering a cool contrast to the spicy chicken.

Beyond sandwiches, buffalo chicken is fantastic in salads, rice bowls, quesadillas, loaded nachos, or even as a pizza topping. Its robust flavor ensures it stands out in any dish you create!

More Instant Pot Recipes to Explore

If you’ve fallen in love with the convenience and efficiency of your Instant Pot after making this buffalo chicken, you’ll be thrilled to discover many other delicious recipes that leverage its capabilities. From savory mains to comforting sides, the Instant Pot can do it all. Try these other go-to recipes, all made effortlessly in your Instant Pot!

Create the most flavorful Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken with this quick and easy 3-ingredient recipe! Use the shredded chicken to make tacos, dips, salads, sandwiches, or pasta recipes. You can use boneless or bone-in chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or frozen chicken to make this easy Instant Pot recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds skinless chicken breasts, boneless or bone-in, fresh or frozen
• 2 tablespoons chicken wing seasoning, click link for the recipe
• 12 ounces buffalo sauce

Instructions

1. Season the chicken with chicken wing seasoning, and add it to an Instant Pot. Pour the buffalo sauce over the chicken in the Instant Pot.

2. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the steam release is set to “sealing”.

3. For bone-in chicken breasts, frozen chicken breasts or chicken thighs, set the timer on the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 12 minutes. For fresh (not frozen) boneless chicken breasts, set the timer to 10 minutes.

4. Once the timer beeps, allow the Instant Pot to pressure down for 10 minutes, then move the pressure valve from “sealing” to “venting” to release any remaining pressure.

5. Once all of the pressure has been released, remove the lid from the Instant Pot.

6. Use two forks or tongs to remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and place it on a large cutting board. Use two forks or meat claws to shred the chicken.

7. Once the chicken is shredded, toss it back in the buffalo sauce in the Instant Pot.

8. Use the chicken immediately, or place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for later use.

Notes

• If you don’t have the chicken wing seasoning, I recommend using 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon chili powder + 1 teaspoon garlic powder to season the chicken.
• One pound of chicken will give you approximately 2 cups of shredded chicken. Chicken breasts vary in size greatly. When determining how much shredded chicken you’ll need for a recipe, I recommend going by weight NOT the number of breasts or thighs.
• This recipe can be made with 1 pound of chicken, or up to 6 pounds of chicken, using a 6-quart Instant Pot. If making the recipe with 1 pound of chicken, cut the seasoning and buffalo sauce in half. Always make sure the bottom of the Instant Pot is covered in liquid, or you risk getting the “burn” signal. If doubling or tripling this recipe to make 4 or 6 pounds of chicken, you’ll want to double or triple the amount of seasoning and buffalo sauce.
• Cooked, shredded chicken will stay good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the shredded chicken in an airtight container, like a freezer bag, for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Facts

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