Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken is one of the most versatile ways to make dinner. Combined with a sweet and smoky BBQ sauce, this pulled chicken is so tasty.
I have a bit of a love affair with BBQ and shredded chicken with BBQ sauce. It’s one of my favorite ways to eat chicken. BBQ sauce adds so much flavor to boring chicken breasts that can otherwise be quite dry, and it makes a great main dish for any low-carb meal.
Why You’ll Love It
- The shredded flavorful chicken can be used for so many different dishes, from sandwiches to salads and pizzas. It’s one of the fastest ways to get meals on the table. It’s great for leftovers, too.
- If you don’t often use the Instant Pot, you might be surprised how simple it is to make BBQ chicken. You can cook it from frozen too, which can cut down not only on the amount of time it takes to defrost chicken, but also the space and mess of thawing chicken in the refrigerator or microwave.
- BBQ chicken freezes amazingly well. Use this BBQ pulled chicken recipe for your weekly meal prep. Freeze it in one serving amounts, making it easy to quickly grab a healthy meal.
» You might also like this Easy Instant Pot Shredded Buffalo Chicken.
Ingredients You’ll Need for BBQ Pulled Chicken
- Chicken breast – In this case boneless skinless chicken breasts work the best.
- Seasoned salt – You can used seasoned salt or a flavorful dry rub.
- Water – All Instant Pot recipes need liquid to help build pressure. You can also use chicken broth or vegetable broth to add more flavor
- Onion- Yellow or white onion will add a savory sweet flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce – Bring a lot of umami to the shredded chicken.
- Liquid smoke – I use the hickory one because I like the flavor. It doesn’t need a lot!
- BBQ sauce – You can use your favorite BBQ sauce or try making this smoky bourbon BBQ sauce.
Equipment Needed
- Instant Pot – I use a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus to make all of my recipes, but you can use any size or brand of electric pressure cooker. If you’re using an 8-quart pot, you will need to adjust the amount of liquid accordingly, as it requires more water to build steam.
- Kitchen tongs – These are always handy in to grab foods from the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Expert Tips to Follow
- Don’t add the BBQ sauce to the Instant Pot while cooking the chicken. It will just be a soupy mess at the end.
- Skip the extra step of defrosting frozen chicken and put it right into the Instant Pot. All it needs is enough water in the bottom to bring it up to pressure without burning.
- If you want to keep the chicken whole just brush the BBQ sauce onto the tops of the chicken and broil it for 3 minutes to make the sauce bubbly and char it slightly.
- You can check the internal temp of the chicken. It should be at least 165°F(74°C) for it to be safe to eat.
How to Make BBQ Chicken in the Pressure Cooker
Step 1: Season the chicken
Add the water or chicken broth to the pot. Sprinkle the tops of the chicken with seasoned salt or a smoky and flavorful rub then put it in on top of the water. Add the liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce and onions.
These ingredients flavor the water, which really impacts the flavor of the chicken as it cooks.
Pro Tip: Skip the extra step of defrosting frozen chicken and put it right into the Instant Pot. All it needs is enough water in the bottom to bring it up to pressure without burning.
Step 2: Pressure cook
It takes 12 minutes to cook fresh chicken breasts, and 15 minutes to cook frozen chicken. When the time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10-15 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure.
Step 3: Add the BBQ sauce
There will be quite a bit of liquid in the pot. Remove that liquid so all that’s left is the chicken breasts and onions. I reserve the liquid because it’s a super flavorful broth that can be used for soup.
Now, here you have a choice. Shred the barbecue chicken or leave it whole.
My favorite method is to shred the chicken and it is easy to do. To do this, just shred the chicken with a pair of tongs, then add the BBQ sauce and stir. The ‘keep warm’ function on the Instant Pot will warm the chicken and sauce to a good serving temperature in a few minutes.
You can also keep the chicken breasts whole rather than shredding them. Brush the barbecue sauce onto the tops of the chicken and broil it for 3 minutes to make the sauce bubbly and char it slightly. It comes out just like it would from the barbecue without all the work.
How to Serve Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Whether you plan to serve the chicken shredded or whole, you can make it in the Instant Pot and then determine your serving method once it’s done.
Instant Pot BBQ chicken can be served with a side salad or coleslaw. It can be served on keto cloud bread or low-carb bread. So many uses for this easy shredded chicken.
Store and Reheat
Store
If you have leftover Instant Pot BBQ chicken, let it cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
If you want to freeze your leftovers, you can store it in the freezer for up to 4 months. I like to freeze portions in 1-2 cups amounts. Then I can just remove what I need from the freezer.
Reheat
Let the BBQ chicken thaw in the refrigerator overnight. You may want to add more BBQ sauce if it looks dry. When you are ready to reheat it you have a couple of options.
Instant Pot – Add the BBQ chicken to the Instant Pot and turn on sauté mode. Sauté until heated through. You can add more BBQ sauce if it is dry.
Microwave – Place the pulled BBQ chicken in a dish and heat for 2 minutes or until the desired temperature is reached.
What to Make With Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
I always make a large amount of BBQ chicken. One of the simplest meals you can make is this pressure cooker BBQ chicken and it’ll make everyone happy. Leftovers make an easy lunch the next day.
Here are some of the things I make with Instant Pot BBQ Chicken:
- Barbeque chicken pizza
- Barbeque chicken sandwiches
- Chicken tacos
- Shredded chicken with coleslaw
- Top a baked potato
- Add it to a quesadilla
Questions About the Recipe
Can I add the BBQ to the Instant Pot while cooking the chicken?
You really shouldn’t. I’ve made this mistake before. The Instant Pot requires at least 3/4 cup of liquid in the pot to build pressure. If you add the sauce to the pot, it will just mix with the water and make a pretty soupy chicken.
Why is my Instant Pot shredded chicken rubbery?
Rubbery chicken usually means that you overcooked the chicken. You should make sure that the internal temp of the chicken is at least 165°F(74°C). If it hasn’t reached that temperature, replace the lid and cook on high pressure for one more minute, followed by a quick release.
Should you let chicken cool before shredding?
Its easiest to shred chicken when it is warm. If you let it cool slightly before shredding you are less likely to burn your fingers. Shred the chicken using two forks or a fork and kitchen tongs to the size pieces you require.
Side Dishes to Serve With This Pulled BBQ Chicken
- Instant Pot Buttered Noodles
- Easy Instant Pot Potato Salad
- Instant Pot Cauliflower
- Instant pot Pasta Salad
Before You Go
Since you made it to the end of this article, you might be interested in more Instant Pot chicken recipes. Here are a few more articles we think you might enjoy.
- Instant Pot Chicken Marsala
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
- Instant Pot French Onion Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Pad Thai
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE
Like this recipe? We’d love for you to share it on your Pinterest boards! Click to follow our Pinterest boards so you can find all our recipes! You can also find us on Facebook!
Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken
Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot
Equipment
- Kitchen Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts (around 3-4)
- 1/2 tablespoon (9 g) seasoned salt
- 3/4 cup (177 ml) water or chicken broth
- 1/2 small onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) liquid smoke
- 3/4 cup (215 g) BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Sprinkle or rub the chicken breasts with seasoned salt.
- Pour water into the Instant Pot inner pot. Add the onion, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke. Place the chicken breasts into the liquid.
- Lock the lid and set the vent to “sealing”. Press the Poultry button, or manually set the cook time to 12 minutes (15 minutes if chicken is frozen).
- When cooking is complete, naturally release pressure for 10-15 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and discard the cooking liquid. Shred the chicken with a fork and return to the empty Instant Pot. Add the BBQ sauce and stir. Allow it to heat up on the “stay warm” setting for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Don’t add the BBQ sauce to the Instant Pot while cooking the BBQ chicken. It will just be a soupy mess at the end.
- Skip the extra step of defrosting frozen chicken for this Instant Pot shredded BBQ chicken and put it right into the Instant Pot. All it needs is enough water in the bottom to bring it up to pressure without burning.
- If you want to keep the chicken whole just brush the BBQ sauce onto the tops of the chicken and broil it for 3 minutes to make the sauce bubbly and char it slightly.
- You can check the internal temp of the chicken. It should be at least 165°F(74°C) for it to be safe to eat.
Nutrition
Laura is a passionate home cook and the owner of A Pressure Cooker Kitchen. She is dedicated to helping people create delicious Instant Pot meals with ease. Laura is an expert at developing recipes that can be prepared quickly and easily using a pressure cooker.
This Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken is making me hungry!
Your instant pot pulled BBQ chicken recipe is one of my all time favorites. My family asks me to bring it to get togethers.
That is awesome Topher. Thanks for sharing!
The chicken turned out juicy, flavorful, and ready to eat super quick.
I took this to the last tailgating party I went to. It was perfect because I could leave it in the Instant Pot to stay warm.
That sounds like a great idea!
I tried the bbq sauce recipe that you have in this recipe. It was delicious.
We are happy to hear that Ava, Thanks!