This Instant Pot BBQ Chicken recipe makes easy pulled chicken in the pressure cooker in about 30 minutes with minimal prep. A quick dinner for busy days!
This easy Instant Pot BBQ chicken is one of my favorite Instant Pot recipes for busy days. Seriously, this recipe is incredibly simple and makes the best pulled chicken in just 30 minutes. If you’re looking for quick and easy dinner recipes, this one’s for you!
I have an awesome recipe for pulled BBQ chicken in the Crock-Pot , but making BBQ chicken in the pressure cooker is so much faster. And since I don’t always plan ahead, this is why I love Instant Pot dinner recipes. Well, one reason, anyway!
Barbecue pulled chicken is also a big hit with the kids. Even my picky eater likes it!
Plus, it’s a very versatile recipe. You can use it to make chicken sandwiches, sliders, wraps or quesadillas. You can even use the meat to top nachos, baked potatoes or salads. You get the picture, right?
How to make pulled BBQ chicken in the Instant Pot
This Instant Pot shredded chicken is pretty much a dump and go dinner. All you do is add the boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the pressure cooker, season them and top them with your favorite BBQ sauce.
You’ll have to add water, since BBQ sauce is so thick. I tried to get away with using only a quarter cup of water, but I had a messy pot to clean afterwards. Half a cup works much better!
When the chicken is done, I usually shred it with a hand mixer. You can do it with two forks, but the mixer is much faster. My kids have fun helping with this part!
And that’s all there is to it! You guys, this Instant Pot BBQ chicken is a lifesaver, especially on crazy busy days!
Looking for more easy Instant Pot chicken recipes?
Recipe for Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Add olive oil to inner pot of pressure cooker, and place chicken in pot
- Add water, and sprinkle sea salt, garlic powder and pepper over chicken, then pour BBQ sauce over chicken. Do not stir!
- Place lid on pot, turn vent to Sealing position, and hit PRESSURE COOK for 10 minutes. Pot will take a few minutes to pressurize, and chicken will cook for 10 minutes
- After pot beeps, allow a 10 minute natural release, then do a quick release to release remaining pressure. When pin drops, remove lid, and use hand mixer to shred chicken before serving
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy easy Instant Pot BBQ chicken as much as we do!
~janny says
I tried this tonight, and it was very good~! I didn’t bother to shred it – had it with a baked potato and broccoli. Next time, I will be a little more heavy handed with the seasonings.
Dee says
That sounds like a delicious dinner! Thank you so much. 🙂
MDK says
Can you double this recipe and still use the same cooking time? New to instant pot cooking…
Dee says
Yes — It should still cook for the same time, but the pot might take a little longer to reach pressure.
Elfia Presta says
yes I doubled it and also doubled the time and it was yummy
Rebecca says
Made this tonight and it was delicious! I made it in an 8qt pot and used 1 cup of liquid as suggested (I used chicken stock). I found the mixture to be just a little too liquidy. I think I will try 3/4 cup next time. I used Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce. I put the cooked chicken on buns and topped with swiss cheese, then put under the broiler for a minute. Afterwards we garnished them with more BBQ sauce or Ranch dressing – will definitely add to our meal rotation!
Dee says
Thank you SO much, Rebecca! That sounds like an amazing dinner. 🙂
H. Nakamoto says
Can you use frozen chicken?
Dee says
You can use frozen, but it may take longer to pressurize. I always recommend adding a couple of minutes to the cook time when using frozen.
Julia says
is the time the same for thin cut chicken breasts?? or a little less time?
Dee says
If they are super thin, you can try 8 minutes with 8 minute release and check the temperature at the end. 10 minutes will still work, though. 🙂
Jennie Capps says
This was perfect! Thank you. I had chicken tenders so pressure cooked for 8 minutes. Loved this recipe.
Dee says
I’m so happy you liked it, Jennie!
Jack says
If I use half of the amount of chicken & ingredients, will cooking time still be the same?
Dee says
Yes! The cooking time is still the same.
Orsola says
I’m doubling the recipe so I just doubled what was needed. I hope it comes out ok!!
Lili says
What about boneless chicken thighs? I have 4 of them.
Dee says
You can definitely use thighs if you have them.
Beth says
This is a great weeknight recipe. It was as easy as you said it would be, my family liked it, and the tip about “shredding” it with a hand mixer is pure genius. Thanks so much, Dee!
Dee says
I’m so happy to hear this, Beth! Thanks so much!
LeighAnne says
Made this today. Have been craving pulled pork, but needed a healthier option. So glad I found this recipe! Turned out great! Did not have to use a hand mixer, the chicken just fell apart. Thank you for sharing!
Dee says
Thank you so much! So glad you liked it!
Larry Kaminsk says
I will add Mexican Coca Cola to the barbecue sauce which will really sweeten that liquid. I do this on my pulled pork and beef. Thank you
Amanda Poff says
Moist and delicious!!!
Raven says
Very good, easy to make and delish!
Dee says
So glad you liked it, Raven!
Dana says
I made this chicken for dinner last night and put it on a sandwich, and it tastes incredible! Makes great leftovers too
Dee says
We love these sandwiches, too! Thanks so much!
James says
Made this last night since it was too windy to BBQ. Awesome and the clean up is simple. Another hit with the kids too! You have to try this!
Dee says
That’s the best thing about IP ribs — you can make them anytime!
Star Bury says
Can this meal be frozen? Made to much and want to save for later
Dee says
Yes, you can freeze the leftovers. 🙂
mikah testa says
I want to try this for a BBQ I’m having and wondering if you can make this in advance and what’s the best way to reheat.
Dee says
You can definitely make this ahead of time. For a large crowd, I would heat it up and keep it warm in a slow cooker, but you can also use your oven or even your IP if you want.
Bridget Kevin-Myers says
So good and so easy. Leftovers could go in lettuce wraps or quesadillas!
Dee says
We have made the leftovers into quesadillas before! Thanks so much, Bridget — glad you liked it! 🙂
Valerie S says
Wow!! It doesn’t get any easier than this!! I was a little nervous because I’ve never made pulled anything before but this was literally dump and walk away! This came out perfect! I used 6 big chicken breasts, 1 cup of water, 2 cups of bbq sauce, seasonings as suggested and it couldn’t taste any better! Thank you for sharing!!
Dee says
Thanks so much, Valerie! Glad you enjoyed this — you made my day! 🙂
Tony D says
I made this last night and it came out sooo good! I put it on King’s Hawaiian Sweet Sub Rolls, and added pickled jalapeno’s, and it was perfect for me and my friends!
Zoe says
Use zesty Italian dressing instead of water and this is wonderful!
Dee says
That sounds like a delicious combo. Thanks for sharing!
Lori says
I just bought an instant pot and this was the second recipe I tried using it. I’m starting to wonder why didn’t I get one sooner! This recipe was very easy and delicious! My super picky husband devoured the sandwiches and had seconds! The only thing was my meat wasn’t as tender as I had hoped. I had to put some muscle into shredding the chicken. There was no way a hand mixer would’ve helped. Anyone know why this could be? Should I have let it cook for a little longer or did I cook too long? I followed the instructions to a T. Regardless it was still so good! Thanks for a delicious and easy recipe!
Dee says
So sorry the chicken wasn’t as tender as you wanted. Are you at a higher altitude? Was it extra thick? Did it release for a few minutes on its own? There are many reasons why it could have been on the tough side. But the hand mixer really does make it easier to shred. 🙂
Tony D says
I made this last night! And OH BOY!! Was it good! It came out so perfect! Thank you for such a great recipe!