The Easiest Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is sweet and tender chicken breasts cooked right in your Instant Pot.  This chicken makes for amazing sandwiches or just BBQ chicken for dinner. 

instant pot bbq chicken sandwich on a plate in front of an instant pot machine

Do you ever have one of those crazy busy days when you need to get dinner on the table quickly, but you really want something delicious and not a frozen dinner?  That is where this Instant Pot BBQ Chicken recipe really comes in handy.  Not only is the chicken tender and perfect for quick bbq sandwiches, but it can make for some awesome and creative leftovers. 

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it requires only a few basic ingredients, and I usually have them on hand at all times.  Keeping the ingredient list simple keeps me from running back and forth to the grocery store all the time, plus keeps me from spending extra money. 

I don’t know about you, but I can’t go into the grocery store and only grab one thing.  As soon as I hit the doors it’s like “ohhh I gotta have it all”. This is why I try to eat before going. It’s just ba

Frequently Asked Questions About BBQ Chicken?

What is the best BBQ sauce to use for this recipe

I like to use Sweet Baby Ray’s honey BBQ sauce when I’m in a hurry and trying to get dinner on the table quickly.   If you want to change up the taste a little bit you could also try the new Sweet Baby Ray’s Hawaiian BBQ sauce.  It makes for delicious Instant Pot BBQ Chicken.  It has a slight pineapple taste that will make your taste buds sing. 

If you have some extra time on your hands you could also make a simple homemade BBQ sauce using just a few basic kitchen staples. Not that it takes a long time to make your own BBQ sauce, but sometimes you might not have all of the ingredients on hand. However, BBQ is super easy to make and super easy to season towards your own liking of flavors.

How to make Homemade BBQ Sauce

There’s two different way that you can whip up this homemade BBQ sauce. You can add all ingredients into a bowl, and whisk until smooth and set aside. Once the chicken is done cooking, you can then add it to shredded chicken. Press the Sauté button, and allow to simmer for a couple of minutes to help infuse flavor and break down the sugars.

The other method is that you can whip up a ingredients in a sauce pan, and place over a medium heat until bubbly.  I like to allow my bbq sauce to simmer for about 5 minutes because I enjoy the deeper flavor that results from a slow simmered sauce.

  • ⅔ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons smoked  paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Easy MyWW (Formerly Weight Watchers) BBQ Sauce

A lot of my readers are on a MyWW plan, so I love finding different alternative recipes to help keep them within their points and on their specific MyWW Plan (Green, Blue, or Purple). This Weight Watchers friendly BBQ Sauce is perfect, and Low in points.

For about 2 tablespoons of this MyWW BBQ sauce, you get the following points: 1 point for all plans! Here’s the ingredients you need for the sauce:

  • 1¾ cup(s) Canned tomato puree
  • ¼ cup(s) Honey
  • ¼ cup(s) Red-wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp, mild, smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tbsp, barbecue flavor Spiced seasoning mix
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard or yellow mustard

Instructions for MyWW BBQ sauce: Simply add ingredients into a bowl, and then stir until smooth. It doesn’t get any easier than that. To keep your MyWW Points, you can eat “as-is” or use a delicious MyWW Low Point bread.

As you might know, chicken breast is a great zero SmartPoint item for Purple & Blue, and only 1 SmartPoint on Green.

Ideas to use leftover Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

  • BBQ Chicken Quesadillas 
  • Chicken Salad topped with bleu cheese, tomatoes, and bacon
  • Layered salad with lettuce, black beans and corn.  I like mix a little ranch and bbq sauce for my dressing
  • BBQ Chicken topped baked sweet potato
  • Enchiladas made with this bbq chicken will add a nice smokey flavor

Can I make this Instant Pot BBQ Chicken the Slow Cooker?

You can totally make this BBQ chicken in the slow cooker! For a rich a savory flavor, follow the same directions for making it in the Instant Pot; HOWEVER, do NOT add the chicken broth. Cook on low for about 6 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 160℉ (165°F for dark meat).

Can I Freeze this Instant BBQ Chicken?

YES! If you’re making this in a big batch or if you have left overs, then you’ll knowing that you can freeze this for later usage. There’s a few things that you should do to make sure it’s stored properly and how to ensure your chicken is tasty:

  1. Allow your BBQ chicken to cool before packaging and placing in the freezer. Then place in an air tight container(s), and place in the fridge overnight. You can than portion out and place in the freezer. This will help reduce any type of food borne illness or contamination.
  2. When portioning out, place BBQ chicken in plastic wrap, then a piece of foil, and then in a freezer bag. This will ensure that your chicken stays protected from any freezer burn.
  3. Be sure to remove any type of excess air from the freezer bag.
  4. Your BBQ chicken can last up to 4 months! Just be sure that you write the date on the outside of the bag so you don’t lose count.
open faced instant pot bbq chicken sandwich on a tray

Can You use Thigh Meat instead of breast meat?

You absolutely can. Many people do this with no issue at all! You an use 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs. You will still cook for the same amount of time as the recipe states.

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce (or make your own from recipe provided)

How To Make 

Mix together salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper into a bowl. Rub the seasoning on both sides of the chicken breast.

Pour broth into the inner pot of your Instant Pot, and place chicken breasts in.

Press the PRESSURE COOK button, and adjust time to 10 minutes. Close and lock lid in place, and close vent to sealing position. Once done, allow to NPR for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid.

Shred chicken with forks. Once done, add in your BBQ sauce and stir. Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

Cooking Tips

  • Remove your chicken from your chicken broth if you want a thick bbq sauce.
  • If you are using an 8 quart Instant Pot add at least one more cup of chicken broth
  • Making sandwiches? Top your BBQ chicken with my zingy coleslaw for a savory and sweet sandwich

What To Serve With Instant Pot BBQ Chicken 

Be sure to make one of these other fabulous recipes, and grab a jar of your favorite pickles! Don’t forget to make my Zingy BBQ Coleslaw Recipe to top your sandwich off.

Instant Pot Baked Beans
Deviled Egg Potato Salad
Roasted Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, and Carrots
Potatoes Au Gratin

More Easy Instant Pot Recipes

If you loved making this easy Instant Pot recipe, then you’ll making a few of these fabulous recipes, too!

Yield: 6-7

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

This Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is a fabulous and easy meal to make during the week night or weekend. You can make this BBQ Chicken in 30 minutes, and I love it!

Prep Time 3 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Additional Time 17 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 chicken breasts
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup BBQ sauce (or make your own from recipe provide)

Instructions

Mix together salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper into a bowl. Rub the seasoning on both sides of the chicken breast.

Pour broth into inner pot of your Instant Pot, and place chicken breasts in.

Press PRESSURE COOK button, and adjust time to 10 minutes. Close and lock lid in place, and close vent to sealing position. Once done, allow to NPR for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure. Remove lid.

Shred chicken with forks. Once done, add in your BBQ sauce and stir. Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Serve with my zingy coleslaw on the sandwiches!
  • If you want a thicker sauce consistency, you can remove the chicken broth before adding your BBQ sauce.
  • If you live at a higher elevation, I would add on an extra 2-3 minutes to your cooking time.
  • You will need to use a little extra liquid if you are using an 8qt pressure cooker. I would use at least 1 cup of chicken broth.

Did you make this recipe?

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