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!
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 or these gluten-free smashburgers.
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!
I am making this recipe for tomorrow night so I need to put it in the fridge over night, what is the best way to reheat it? In the instapot or covered with tinfoil in the oven? If so what temp?
Hi Kate, either option will work. For oven, reheat at 350°F. You may need to add more BBQ sauce for either method to make sure the chicken doesn’t dry out. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hello! Has anyone had success with making a freezer meal out of this recipe?
Hi Maddie, this should work well for a freezer meal. Let cool completely then freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags. You can reheat the chicken in the instant pot or oven. You may need to add extra BBQ sauce when reheating to keep it moist. We hope this helps!
It’s definitely a 5-Star rated recipe for a reason. Thank you. It is definitely delicious!!
Thank you for such a kind review, Sherwin! We’re so glad you loved the recipe!
I did 5 pounds of chicken and doubled the spices but not the water/bbq sauce. Also didn’t add sugar because the bbq sauce has it. Very easy and made great sandwiches and salads w/beans, corn, tomatoes and ranch.
We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Jamie! Thank you for sharing your tips and experience with us!
For friends that don’t have an instant pot, what adjustments would you recommend to make for stovetop cooking? What temperature and amount of time would you recommend? Thank you!
Hi Sara, we haven’t tried this recipe on the stove, but it should work if you add a little extra water or chicken stock/broth. You can simmer the chicken for 30 minutes or so until it’s cooked through and then shred. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Hello,
I am making a few batches (in multiple instant pots) for a party of 19 people. I am wondering if it is possible to make ahead (say 2-3 hours) and use the keep warm feature on the instant pot to keep it hot until serving? Or would it dry out?
Thank you so much!
Hi Kelly, yes that should work. You can always add more BBQ sauce, if desired, to keep it from drying out. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Yum! Yum! YUM! I am not a good cook, and my kids are never thrilled with what I make, but they enthusiastically ate up every last bite of this meal! I didn’t have onion, so I used minced onion. I also only had 1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts, so that’s what I used. Thank you for passing this recipe along! I will definitely make this again!
Hi Josie, we’re so glad your family enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us!
This is my favorite way to make pulled chicken bbq sandwiches. I think it’s got a lot to do with the onion. My husband raves! This is the only way I make bbq chicken sandwiches! It’s delicious! ♥️
This is my go-to recipe for summer gatherings (or any time) and it never disappoints!! I like the modified version with more liquid. I threw in a tablespoon of corn starch to help it thicken which turned out well. I am trying to watch my sugar intake so I reduced it to one tablespoon of brown sugar and could hardly tell the difference (the BBQ sauce is plenty sweet). I may try finely chopping the onion instead of grating, the grating kills my eyeballs and I am afraid I am going to grate my fingers while I am blinded. 🙂
We’re so happy to hear how much you love this recipe! We appreciate all your tips and feedback!
How would you adjust the liquids if using a crock pot?
Hi Jim, for a crockpot you can omit the water/chicken stock from the recipe. Then just combine everything else and cook on low for 4-6 hours. We hope you enjoy!
Making this for s second time. My hubby loved it!
We’re so glad you and your husband loved the recipe! Thank you for taking the time to share with us!
Would you adjust the cooking time if you are starting with frozen chicken breasts?
Hi Gretchen, the instant pot will take longer to come to temperature, but the cook time will remain the same. Just make sure the chicken isn’t frozen into one big chunk and you’re all set. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hello! I was thinking about making this dish for a baby shower. How many times increase the ingredients and have the recipe still turnout in the instant a pot? I need to make enough for 50 people. I am planning on making this tomorrow June 1st. I am not sure if you have time to respond but would love your feedback!
Thank you! Melissa
Hi Melissa, that partially depends on the size of your instant pot and how much it can hold without going over the max fill line. We would tend to recommend only doubling the recipe. Thank you for your question!
I’ve made this so many times! This is definitely in our rotation! I make steamed rice, carrots and broccoli to go with it! It is a healthy yet delicious meal! My toddler loves it too! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Thank you for the positive feedback, Stephanie! We’re so happy your family loves this recipe!
What altitude are you cooking at? I am close to 8,000 feet and so need to know how to adjust accordingly. Thank you!
Hi Rebekah, the recipes are created in an area with an altitude of about 350 ft. You’ll definitely want to make adjustments for high altitude baking/cooking. You will most likely need to increase the cooking time for instant pot recipes at high altitude. You may also need to reduce the temperature and/or add more liquid. Thank you for your question!
Hi! If I’m cutting the recipe I. Half because I only have 1.5 pounds of chicken, does the cook time decrease in half as well?
Hi Jaymie, typically with instant pots you’ll keep the cooking time the same, just use half the ingredients to cut the recipe in half. Thank you for your question!