Instant Pot BBQ Chicken! Sweet, fall-apart tender and perfect for sandwiches, salads, BBQ plates and more!
This Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is an easy recipe you can make for a weeknight meal. You can use in so many ways!
I like serving it on buns for chicken sandwiches or for a delicious meal over rice. It is also one of my favorite recipe for meal prep!
It’s also delicious in a BBQ chicken salad with romaine, black beans, corn, tomatoes, avocado and ranch dressing. This chicken is versatile, easy and delicious!
However you serve it, this easy instant pot barbecue chicken is one of my favorite recipes for busy weeknights!
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses a combination of boneless chicken breasts and boneless thighs. I like the texture when
Onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, brown sugar and grated onion give this chicken delicious flavor.
The flavor of this BBQ chicken really depends on what kind of BBQ sauce you use. Use your favorite bbq sauce for this instant pot bbq chicken recipe!
How to Make Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
This instant pot pulled chicken can be made in 4 easy steps.
- Place the ingredients in the instant pot in this order: chicken broth (or water), chicken, onion powder, garlic, powder, paprika, salt, BBQ sauce, grated onion, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. (Do NOT stir. You want the water to stay on the bottom of the pot so the instant pot comes to pressure.)
- Place the lid on the instant pot making sure the valve is in the sealing position. Press manual (high pressure) and set the cook time to 15 minutes.
- Let the pressure natural release for 10 minutes. Then quick release the venting position to remove the remaining pressure.
- Remove the cooked chicken and shred it. Reduce the liquid by pressing the “saute” button and simmering the sauce until thickened if necessary. Add the shredded meat back into the sauce.
Note: This recipe has been updated since the video was published. In recent years I’ve recommended add a cup of water or chicken broth, not stirring, removing the chicken and reducing the liquid, then adding the chicken back in. This ensures the instant pot doesn’t give you the dreaded burn notice!
I like using a combination of chicken breasts and chicken thighs for the meat. The meat turns out so much more moist this way than compared to using all chicken breasts.
I used to make BBQ chicken in the slow cooker all the time, but now I prefer it in the instant pot. It is so easy to throw everything in and walk away. Plus it takes just a fraction of the time.
For an allergy-friendly meal, enjoy this on toasted gluten-free buns with a side of my favorite Dairy-Free Coleslaw! You also might like these bbq nachos.
Expert Tips and Tricks
Use Gluten-Free Worcestershire Sauce: Not all brands are gluten-free so check the label! I use Lea and Perrins which is gluten-free.
Choose a Good BBQ Sauce: The flavor of this chicken is highly dependent on what kind of BBQ sauce you use. I love the flavor of Sweet Baby Ray’s – but lately I’ve been using Stubbs Sweet Sticky BBQ sauce (such a good price on Amazon!) because it doesn’t contain high-fructose corn syrup. Use your favorite barbecue sauce!
Chicken Breasts + Thighs = Yum: I like using a combination of chicken breast and thighs in this recipe. The chicken thighs keep the dish moist and delicious!
More Instant Pot Recipes
I hope you like this recipe as much as we do! If you try it be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken stock or water
- 2 lbs chicken thighs
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce
- 1/2 cup grated onion plus juice
- 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Place the ingredients in the instant pot in this order: chicken stock (or water), chicken, onion powder, garlic, powder, paprika, salt, BBQ sauce, grated onion, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Do NOT stir. You want the water to stay on the bottom of the pot so the instant pot comes to pressure.
- Place the lid on the instant pot making sure the valve is in the sealing position. Press manual (high pressure) and set to 15 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Then quick release the venting position to release the remaining pressure and open the pot.
- Remove the chicken and shred it. If necessary, reduce the liquid by pressing the "saute" button and simmering the sauce, stirring often, until thickened. Add the chicken back to the sauce before serving.
- Add more BBQ sauce if desired. Shred and enjoy on sandwiches, salads, BBQ plates and more!
omg this was the best ever. full of flavor, not dry. Perfect!!
I’m so glad it turned out for you! 🙂
This was amazing. First time ever making and my family loves it. I printed the recipe for future dinners. 5 stars in my book.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I sautéed the sauce and it was still too juicy and our buns got too soggy. Next time I won’t add it back to the sauce, just add BBQ sauce after I shred it.
Since we aren’t stirring anymore would it be best to combine the ingredients in a bowl first, stir, then add to the instant pot or does it not matter that we don’t stir?
I used a vidalia onion with Sweet Baby Rays sweet vidalia onion bbq sauce. It was killer!!
Question: using the chicken thighs – is it boneless or is the bone in ok? I have boneless chicken breast and bone in chicken thighs.
You can really use either one! If you use bone-in chicken, remove the bones when you shred the meat. Hope you enjoy it!
So delicious and so easy, have made it twice now! It’s being printed to go in my recipe binder permanently. Thank you!!!
Hooray! I’m so glad you like it!
Can you use frozen chicken on this recipe? How much time should I add?
If I’m only using chicken breasts do I cook it for less time?
No you can keep the cook time the same!
This was great! I made it in an 8 quart instant pot, with extra chicken, so I added extra water and sauce, which in retrospect I don’t think I should have done. I reduced the sauce a bit, but in the end added some cornstarch to thicken. It was delicious. Even my pickiest kid liked it.
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it! Great to know it worked with those additions in an 8-quart pot.
Any modifications when using frozen chicken? Thank you!!
The instant pot might take longer to come up to temperature, but the cook time will be the same! 🙂
Does the time need adjustments for using frozen ck’n breast?
This recipe is so delicious, easy and quick. My son doesn’t like BBQ sauce so once I took the chicken out and shredded it, I put some on the side for him and put the rest back in the instant pot once the sauce reduced some on saute. He could not tell at all that it was even cooked in BBQ sauce. He loved it and ours was even better in the sauce. We all really enjoyed this recipe. Thank you!
I’m so glad you and your son enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
If I’m doubling the amount of chicken, do I double everything else too?
Yes! That’s the way to do it. I hope it turned out for you!
How do you do this with just a crock pot? Just mix everything and do low?
You can omit the water! Then just combine everything and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Just used chicken thighs but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. It was delicious!
How would you adjust the time if the chicken was frozen?
I always use frozen and don’t chnage anything!
Is this recipe for frozen chicken? Should I adjust the cook time accordingly if I’m using thawed chicken?
Easy and yummy!