Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken
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Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken is bursting with flavor, ready in under 30 minutes, and perfect for making sliders!
We eat a lot of chicken in our house so I am always trying to find ways to get creative. What’s even better is when I can make a dish one time, then turn it into several other ways to eat it. This is definitely the case with my instant pot pulled BBQ chicken.
Not only is this easy pressure cooker recipe great for making during the week (it cooks in under 20 minutes!), but you can double or even triple it and make it for a crowd, without having to make it in multiple batches.
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We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
If you love pulled chicken you have to check out my Instant Pot Pulled Pork. And if you don’t have an instant pot try my Crockpot Pulled BBQ Chicken and BBQ Baked Chicken Thighs recipes. Be sure to read until the end to find my other favorite easy chicken recipes.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken
Chicken – I typically use boneless, skinless breast but you can use whatever cut you have on hand because it will be shredded
BBQ sauce – our favorite is Sweet Baby Rays
Red onion
Pickle chips – these are used as a topping if you are making sliders
Slider buns – Hawaiian Rolls can be used too
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
How To Make BBQ Chicken in the Instant Pot
Place the trivet inside the inner pot of your Instant Pot and pour in a cup of water. Add the chicken on top of the trivet.
Secure and lock the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the valve to the “Sealing” position and cook on High pressure for about 8 minutes.
After the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Manually release remaining pressure by turning the valve to the “Release” position (be careful with the steam). Take the chicken out of the pot and set aside, then pour out the water.
Shred the chicken then place it back into the Instant Pot and select the Saute function. Add in the BBQ sauce and heat until the chicken mixture is warm.
If you are making sliders, cut the rolls in half horizontally and place the bottom buns into a baking pan. Add the shredded chicken evenly over the buns (tongs work great for this), then top with the onions, pickles, and bun tops.
Broil for just a little bit, then you are ready to serve!
Does BBQ Sauce Count as a Liquid in the Instant Pot?
Yes and no. While BBQ sauce is a liquid, if you place it in the pot first and cook on the pressure function you may get a burn notice. But if you mix it with some water, broth, vinegar, etc. you typically won’t have to worry about it burning.
Since we are adding the BBQ sauce after the chicken has pressure cooked, you don’t have to worry about a burn notice at all.
Tips for Making
- To make a double batch, you can add additional chicken without changing the cook time.
- If you are serving a crowd, you can warm the slider buns and let your guest assemble their chicken sliders themselves.
What To Serve BBQ Chicken Sliders With
The great thing about BBQ chicken is that it goes well with just about anything. But here are some of our faves:
- Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
- The BEST Simple Southern Coleslaw Recipe
- Easy Vegetable Salad
- California Slaw
More Ways to Serve Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken:
You know I mentioned before that I love this dish because it can be served many different ways. While you can eat it as a stand alone meal and as a slider, here are some other ideas.
- Tacos
- Over a salad
- In a sweet potato
- Lettuce wraps
- Quesadilla
- Nachos
- Pizza topping
More Family Favorite Easy Chicken Recipes:
- Easy Chicken Spaghetti {Weeknight Version}
- Italian Grilled Chicken
- Italian Chicken Potato Green Bean Bake
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
- Copycat Chipotle Chicken Bowl
- Instant Pot Mississippi Chicken
** Save the Pulled BBQ Chicken Recipe for Later **
Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast, boneless, skinless
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 9 Kosher pickle chips
- 9 slider buns
Instructions
- Place chicken breast in the Instant Pot on a trivet and add a cup of water. Close the lid, turn the pressure valve to “Sealing”. Set the pressure cooker to “Manual” and cook on High for 8 minutes.
- Manually release any remaining pressure by moving the pressure valve to the "Release" position (be careful of the steam). Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and discard the water.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken. Return shredded chicken to the pressure cooker and set to Sauté. Add the BBQ sauce and Sauté for 1 minute or until heated through.
- Cut the rolls in half horizontally. Place the bottom half in a 9 x 9 baking pan. Add the shredded BBQ chicken, spreading evenly across the rolls. Top with sliced onions, pickles and the bun tops.
- Broil sliders on high for 90 seconds (or less depending on your oven). Keep a close watch on to prevent burning.
- Remove and serve immediately.
Notes
- Substitute dinner rolls or Hawaiian roll for the slider buns.
- Recipe can be doubled with the same cooking time.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
