Craving tender, juicy pulled chicken for sandwiches, tacos, or any favorite use but don’t want to wait hours? This easy Instant Pot pulled chicken recipe is your new best friend. Skip the slow cooker and get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes with minimal effort. Simply toss everything in your Instant Pot, set it, and forget it – perfectly flavored, shreddable chicken awaits!
An Instant Pot is an absolute game-changer for making shredded chicken. First and foremost, it’s a speed demon – shredded chicken in under 30 minutes compared to hours of waiting with other methods. But speed isn’t the only superpower.
The pressure cooking process creates a steamy haven for your chicken, locking in moisture and yielding incredibly tender, juicy meat that shreds like a dream. If you’re looking for an easy recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or to use in your chicken recipes, like chipotle chicken tacos or Instant Pot BBQ chicken mac and cheese, this delicious Instant Pot pulled chicken is the way to go.
What Is Easy Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken?
Instant Pot pulled chicken is simmered in chicken broth seasoned with paprika, garlic powder, soy sauce, and bbq sauce. The chicken breasts cook on high pressure until they’re shreddable, which is perfect for topping salads or using in your favorite recipes!
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Ingredients
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: This is the protein for our dish. We used chicken breasts as they’re a little less flavorful than thighs, making them the perfect base for adding seasonings and sauces.
- Chicken Broth: This forms the base of the cooking liquid, infusing the chicken with flavor while helping it cook quickly and stay moist in the pressure cooker.
- Diced Onion: Onion adds a base layer of savory flavor to the chicken and the sauce. It gets nice and tender while the chicken cooks.
- Garlic Powder: A sprinkle of garlic powder adds a powerful hit of garlicky flavor without the hassle of chopping fresh garlic.
- Paprika: Paprika adds a touch of smoky sweetness and a vibrant reddish hue to the finished pulled chicken.
- Salt: Salt enhances all the other flavors in the dish and is important for overall taste.
- Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a salty depth of umami flavor, rounding out the flavor profile of the pulled chicken.
- BBQ Sauce (for serving): This isn’t for cooking but for tossing the shredded chicken in after it’s cooked. Barbecue sauce adds a smoky, sweet, and tangy flavor that’s perfect for pulled chicken sandwiches or tacos. You can use your favorite bbq sauce or make our homemade vinegar-based bbq sauce!
How to Make Tender Chicken in the Instant Pot
- In a bowl or small jug, whisk together the chicken broth, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and BBQ sauce until everything is well combined.
- Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts on the bottom rack of your Instant Pot.
- Top the chicken with the diced onion.
- Carefully pour the sauce mixture you made earlier over the chicken and onions.
- Place the lid on your Instant Pot and make sure the vent is sealed. Set it to high pressure for 9 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is done, allow the pressure to release naturally for 12 minutes. Then, carefully open the pressure release valve for a natural pressure release.
- Take the chicken out of the Instant Pot and transfer it to a bowl or chopping board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into nice, bite-sized pieces.
- In a bowl, combine the shredded chicken with about 3/4 cup of the leftover liquid from the Instant Pot. Add a little more BBQ sauce if you want a stronger flavor, and stir everything together until the chicken is well-coated.
- You can enjoy your delicious shredded chicken in tacos, on a bun for a sandwich, or even add it to a salad for a protein boost.
girl carnivore expert recipe tips
- While not essential, using the Instant Pot’s sauté function to sear the chicken breasts for a few minutes on each side before pressure cooking can add a nice depth of flavor. This browning mimics what happens on a grill and creates those delicious caramelized bits.
- Don’t have soy sauce? Use Worcestershire sauce instead for a similar umami flavor profile.
- Want an extra kick of heat? Add a sprinkle of hot sauce to your shredded chicken.
- For this recipe, a natural release is ideal. This allows the pressure to come down gradually, which helps keep the chicken extra juicy. A quick release can result in slightly drier meat.
- Use two forks to shred the chicken while it’s still warm. This is much easier than waiting for it to cool completely. If you find the chicken a little too dry, add a tablespoon or two of the cooking liquid back in while shredding to create a moist consistency.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken breasts. They should read 165ºF when done.
What to Serve With Shredded Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
Keep it simple and serve your shredded chicken on a bed of lettuce for a low-carb dinner. Want to make the perfect appetizer for game day? Whip up a batch of pull apart bbq chicken bread, loaded chicken nachos, or a bbq bacon chicken quesadilla!
If you want a more traditional dinner, serve your chicken as a sandwich with slaw or tacos. Or toss it over a hearty salad or alongside some roasted butternut squash. Pile it all over air fryer sweet potato fries. We also love it simple tossed together with shredded cabbage, peppers and onions.
Leftovers & Reheating
Let the chicken cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the shredded chicken in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. This is great to make in batches for quick meals later on.
To reheat, place your shredded chicken in a skillet or pot with a splash of chicken broth and a little bbq sauce. Set the heat to medium and let the chicken warm up for a few minutes.
More Instant Pot Recipes
There you have it – deliciously smoky, tender Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken in under 30 minutes! This recipe is a weeknight dinner lifesaver, perfect for satisfying your pulled chicken cravings without the wait.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
This Instant Pot pulled chicken recipe delivers huge smoky, sweet flavors and fall-apart tender texture in a fraction of the typical cook time.
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Add the chicken broth, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and BBQ sauce to a bowl or small glass jar. Whisk to combine.
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Whisk to combine.
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Meanwhile, place the chicken breast on the bottom rack of the instant pot.
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Add the diced onion to the instant pot, on top of the chicken.
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Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken.
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Place the lid on the instant pot and seal the vent.
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Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 9 minutes. Allow natural release for 12 minutes then open the valve.
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Remove the chicken from the instant pot and transfer to a bowl or chopping board.
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Use two forks to shred the chicken.
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Place the shredded chicken to a bowl and pour 3/4 cup of liquid from the instant pot over the chicken and a little more BBQ sauce, if desired.
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Stir until coated.
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Serve in tacos, on a bun or in a salad.
If your chicken isn’t pull apart tender after the initial cooking time, reseal and cook 4 minutes longer.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 2.107mg | Potassium: 1.088mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 476IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 2mg
FAQs
Absolutely! While boneless, skinless chicken breasts are common for pulled chicken, bone-in options work, too. Bone-in chicken thighs tend to be a bit more flavorful and can stay juicier during pressure cooking.
However, they will take a few extra minutes to cook through (around 12-15 minutes on high pressure). If you use bone-in chicken breasts, adjust the cooking time to 10-12 minutes on high pressure. Just remember to check the internal temperature (165°F) to ensure it’s safe to eat.
Sure! You can still create a delicious pulled chicken base even without BBQ sauce. Use the recipe as written, omitting the BBQ sauce in step 4.
After shredding the chicken, you can toss it with your favorite sauce (buffalo, salsa chicken, etc.) or get creative with your own flavor combinations using ingredients like taco seasoning, Italian seasoning, or a simple hot sauce and honey mixture.
Don’t toss that leftover cooking liquid from your Instant Pot! It’s packed with flavor and can be used in several ways. Strain the liquid to remove any chicken bits, then you can use it as a base for soups, stews, or even add it to rice or quinoa for extra flavor.
The “Burn” message usually indicates that the pot is too hot and food is burning on the bottom. There could be a couple of reasons for this.
First, make sure you don’t forget to add the chicken broth or another liquid to the pot. The liquid helps prevent burning.
Second, you want to make sure the chicken isn’t sitting directly on the bottom of the Instant Pot. Use a wire rack specifically made for the Instant Pot so the chicken still cooks without burning.
