Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
This Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is juicy, tender, and packed with bold BBQ flavor—all with minimal prep and hands-off cooking. Made with pantry spices and your favorite barbecue sauce, it’s perfect for busy weeknights, high-protein meal prep, and easy leftovers you’ll actually look forward to eating.
Equipment
Ingredients
- non-stick cooking spray
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- ⅓ cup chicken broth or water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ cup finely minced yellow onion or red onion
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or a mix of boneless skinless chicken thighs and breasts
Instructions
- Spray the bowl of the Instant Pot very liberally with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, water, apple cider vinegar, honey, Worchestershire sauce, yellow mustard powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder until well combined. Stir in the minced onion until combined.
- Pour the BBQ sauce mixture into the prepared bowl of the Instant Pot. Gently nestle the chicken breasts and/or thighs into the barbecue sauce mixture. Pro-Tip: Be careful not to touch the meat to the bottom of the pan.
- Lock on the pressure cooker lid and cook on high for 15 minutes. Quick-release the steam from the pressure cooker.
- Very carefully move the chicken to a heat-safe bowl and shred with 2 forks. Stir in your desired amount of BBQ sauce and serve immediately or keep it warm in the WARM Instant Pot setting for up to 2 hours.
Notes
Storage Directions
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Liberally spray the Instant Pot. BBQ sauce is thick, and spraying the pot generously helps prevent sticking and reduces the risk of a burn notice during pressure cooking.
- Keep the chicken off the bottom of the pot. Gently rest the chicken on top of the sauce mixture, rather than letting it touch the bottom of the pot—this keeps the liquid between the meat and the pot and helps prevent scorching.
- Use enough liquid for pressure cooking. Chicken broth or water is essential here, since barbecue sauce alone is too thick to build pressure safely.
- Shred the chicken outside the pot for the best texture. Removing the cooked chicken before shredding keeps it tender and prevents it from becoming mushy.
- Add barbecue sauce to the shredded chicken to your preference. For a less saucy dish, stir in just a spoonful or two of the cooking sauce. If you love extra-saucy shredded BBQ chicken, add up to a few cups until it’s just how you like it.
- Season to taste and make it your own. Like it smokier? Add more smoked paprika. In the mood for something sweeter? Stir in extra honey before serving. Want some heat? Whisk hot sauce into the sauce before cooking—the sky is the limit.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/8 of recipe made with 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs and 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breastsCalories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 30gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 144mgSodium: 689mgPotassium: 534mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 186IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
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