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You are here: Home / Recipes and Cooking Tips / Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

May 9, 2021 by Alea Milham 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
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how to make bbq chicken in an Instant Pot
pulled bbq chicken in an instant pot
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This Instant Pot BBQ chicken recipe is a quick and easy way to make barbecue chicken for your family!

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken recipe served on a bun.

Confessions: I often make BBQ chicken in the Instant Pot even when the weather is nice enough to grill outside.

I love making BBQ Chicken in an Instant Pot! It is quick, easy, and the meat always turns out so tender! Plus there is no chance of it getting charred.

I usually like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but you can also make it with chicken breasts if you wish.

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Recipe

This Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken is an easy recipe to double when you are serving a crowd. I make a batch of this easy homemade BBQ Sauce to use on the chicken, but you can use your favorite barbecue sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 2 – 3 pounds boneless/skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
  • 3/4  cup water
  • 3/4 cup barbecue sauce (Easy Homemade BBQ Sauce Recipe) + extra for serving

Directions:

  1. Place the rack in the Instant Pot or multi-cooker.
  2. Add the water to the Instant Pot.
  3. Place the chicken pieces on the rack and pour 1 cup of barbecue sauce over the top of the chicken. Chicken breasts with BBQ sauce in the Instant Pot
  4. Secure the lid. Choose Poultry or Manual, ensuring that high pressure has been chosen. Set the time for 15 minutes.
  5. After it is done cooking, release the steam using the valve.

You can serve the Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken as whole pieces or you can shred the cooked chicken and serve Pulled BBQ Chicken. Use the directions below if you want to shred your barbecue chicken.

Instant Pot barbecue chicken thighs on a white platter

How to Make Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 2 – 3 pounds of cooked chicken
  • 2/3 cup barbecue sauce for shredding + more for serving

Directions:

Once you have cooked your barbecue chicken in the Instant pot, remove the rack and drain the liquid. Then put the BBQ chicken back in the pot. If your Instant pot is not stainless steel, place the cooked chicken in a large bowl. You do not want to shred the chicken in the liquid as it will dilute the flavor. We will add more barbecue sauce after the chicken is shredded to add more flavor as well as moisture.

Then use either two forks to pull the chicken into pieces or use a hand mixer to quickly shred the chicken.

shredding instant pot barbecue chicken with a hand mixer

Stir in 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce and add a little more at a time until the pulled chicken reaches the desired flavor and consistency.

shredded Instant pot chicken with bbq sauce

Put more Barbecue sauce on the table so your family and friends can add more if they choose to when making their BBQ Chicken Sandwich.

This Instant Pot BBQ Chicken recipe is a quick and easy way to make Pulled BBQ Chicken! Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken can be shredded or served as whole pieces. Use chicken breasts or boneless thighs to make this simple recipe.

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Video Tutorial

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Printable Recipe for Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Quick and easy instant pot bbq chicken on a hamburger bun with barbecue sauce dripping off the shredded chicken.
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5 from 3 votes

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Recipe

A quick and easy way to make BBQ chicken by cooking it at high pressure in an Instant Pot.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 20 minutes minutes
Servings 10
Author Alea Milham

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 pounds boneless/skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup barbecue sauce plus more for serving

Instructions

  • Place the rack in the Instant Pot or multi-cooker.
  • Add the water to the Instant Pot.
  • Place the chicken pieces on the rack and pour the barbecue sauce over the top of the chicken.
  • Secure the lid. Choose Poultry or Manual, ensuring that high pressure has been chosen. Set the time for 15 minutes.
  • After it is done cooking, release the steam using the valve.

Notes

How to Make Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:
  • 2 - 3 pounds of cooked chicken
  • 2/3 cup barbecue sauce for shredding + more for serving
Directions:
Once you have cooked your barbecue chicken in the Instant pot, remove the rack and drain the liquid. Then put the BBQ chicken back in the pot. If your Instant pot is not stainless steel, place the cooked chicken in a large bowl. You do not want to shred the chicken in the liquid as it will dilute the flavor. We will add more barbecue sauce after the chicken is shredded to add more flavor as well as moisture.
Then use either two forks to pull the chicken into pieces or use a hand mixer to quickly shred the chicken.
Stir in 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce and add a little more at a time until the pulled chicken reaches the desired flavor and consistency.

 

Instant Pot pulled bbq chicken on a hamburger bun.

Shredded BBQ Chicken Recipes

Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Potatoes

BBQ Chicken Roll Ups

Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas

More Instant Pot Recipes

Instant Pot Tri Tip Recipe

Quick Instant Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

Instant Pot Basmati Rice Recipe

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Barbara says

    April 8, 2022 at 6:19 pm

    The cook time is 15 after coming to pressure or after you turn it on?

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      April 10, 2022 at 5:04 pm

      After it comes to high pressure.

      Reply
  2. Wendi L says

    December 22, 2021 at 7:07 pm

    5 stars
    Nice easy recipe! I sprinkled my thighs with seasoning and then bbq sauce before cooking. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Beck Bulow says

    May 26, 2021 at 4:52 am

    5 stars
    lovely

    Reply

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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