Instant Pot Pulled BBQ Chicken is fall apart tender cooked chicken breasts that are seasoned with a bbq dry rub, then cooked in your electric pressure cooker.
Pull it and shred it and then mix it up with your favorite BBQ sauce and serve it on a bun topped with delicious coleslaw for an amazing pulled chicken sandwich, which make a really easy dinner!
This pulled barbecue chicken would also be amazing on my BBQ Chicken Sliders!
If you love BBQ – definitely check out my Instant Pot Boneless BBQ Ribs! But, if you are looking for a non-barbecue pulled chicken, check out this recipe for Instant Pot All Purpose Pulled Chicken.
How to Make BBQ Pulled Chicken in the Instant Pot
Start by cutting your boneless skinless chicken breasts into 4 pieces each. This will allow more surface area for flavor! If you want to use a mix of chicken breasts and chicken thighs for a dark/white mix, you can absolutely do that!
Make a delicious bbq dry rub, which will impart extra bbq flavor! Mix together:
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon each: onion powder and garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Sprinkle the dry rub on all sides of the chicken, pressing it in so it sticks.
In the Instant Pot pour 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ tablespoon cider vinegar, and 3 crushed garlic cloves. Place the seasoned chicken in the pot.
Using the trivet is optional.
Close the pot and set to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
Do a 5 minute natural release and then finish with a quick release.
Frozen Chicken
Yes you can definitely use frozen chicken, however note that it will not be quite as tender.
Make sure that your chicken breasts are seperated and not frozen in one chunk.
Increase the cook time to 12 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
Shred the Chicken
Remove the chicken from the pot and pull or shred it. My very favorite way to shred chicken is in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment, it makes really quick work of it! Just make sure the chicken is warm and watch so it doesn’t over shred.
You can also shred it by using two forks pulling each chicken piece apart.
Add the BBQ Sauce
Mix your shredded chicken with your favorite BBQ sauce. We like a stickier KC style BBQ sauce . For this amount of chicken I use between ½ to ¾ cup sauce.
Serving your Pulled BBQ Chicken
My very favorite way to serve this chicken is on a bun for Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, top it with a little coleslaw and I am in heaven!
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Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 lbs fresh – boneless skinless chicken breast - each breast cut into 4 pieces (see frozen chicken notes below)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon each – onion powder & garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3 fresh garlic cloves - crushed or smashed
- BBQ Sauce – your favorite brand or flavor
Serving
- Buns
Instructions
- Mix the BBQ dry rub in a small bowl – 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt , 1 teaspoon black pepper , ½ teaspoon onion powder , 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika.
- Sprinkle the dry rub on all sides of the cut chicken breasts. Press the seasoning in so it will stick to the chicken.
- Pour 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar and the crushed garlic cloves into the Instant Pot. Put all the seasoned chicken breasts in the Instant Pot
- Close the pot and lock the pressure valve in place. Set it to cook on pressure mode, high for 8 minutes.
- Do a 5 minute natural release, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred/pull it. Kitchen Tip: put the warm chicken in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for easy and fast shredding!!! Discard the liquid in the pot.
- Mix the shredded chicken with desired amount of BBQ sauce. We like between ½-3/4 cup BBQ sauce.
- Serve on buns for amazing pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches.
Ges Briggs says
Absolutely fantastic, this was a huge hit tonight! Adding it to the regular lineup.
Douglas Taylor says
Now that’s good food
Kristina says
I love this recipe! I’ve made it before and plan to make a double batch again today for a Meal Train for a friend. I love doing half chicken breast and half thighs. Delicious!
Maureen Plumb says
Love it! Have made it several times and just love the taste!
Blake says
A very easy meal to prepare and extremely delicious! The dry rub on the chicken was wonderful and the tip about using a mixer to shred the meat is a very useful one!
Erika H says
Anything i can substitute for apple coder vinegar ?
Susie Weinrich says
You can absolutely make it without the vinegar! But you could also use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, or rice wine vinegar.
Gena says
So I tried this. Chicken tasted great, but the liquid turned in lava rock in the bottom and I had to let it soak to get it to break apart from the pot
Not sure what I did wrong. Anyone else have this problem?
Susie Weinrich says
Did you put the bbq sauce in before pressure cooking?
Kim Jones says
I used some of the juices from the instant pot.
It keeps ckicken more moist. I keep juices in frig and add a little more when reheating.
Susie Weinrich says
GREAT idea!!!!
Shane says
Why wouldn’t you just cook the juice back into the chicken once shredded?
Susie Weinrich says
You absolutely can do that. We usually eat our shredded bbq chicken on buns and you don’t want it too juicy or your buns will get soggy.
Janet says
Very good!!! Just be sure to not shred with kitchenAid for too long or you will need to serve on crackers as a pate lol I will make this again today but shred the old fashioned way.
Jasdeep says
If I use bone in chicken breast, how long should I pressure cook for?
Susie says
Not much longer at all… I would say go to 12 minutes just to be safe, then still do the 10 minute natural pressure release.
Ally says
Such a delicious recipe, my family loved it! I’d like to make this for a party I have coming up, and since my Instant Pot is pretty big, I’m wondering the best way to triple the recipe? How long do you think I should pressure cook? Thanks!!
Susie says
It would be great for a party!! Just to be safe I would pressure cook a triple recipe for about 12 minutes, and still do the 10 minute natural release.
Report back and let me know how it goes!!
Meg G says
So yummy and easy! I added a little cayenne pepper for some heat and it was delicious. Definitely a new favorite👍
Sheila says
Do you mix the shredded chicken with the liquid that is In the instant pot or do you discard it ? I’m making this now and it smells yummy! I think I’ll just discard the liquid I’ll see what it looks like when it’s through cooking.
Susie says
Yes, I just discard it. That is a great question though. I will add that note to the recipe card! Thank you
Claire says
Made this recipe for dinner and LOVED it! I used frozen chicken and cooked on high pressure for 18 minutes. I also subbed the brown sugar for coconut sugar and topped it with homemade healthy bbq sauce! Will be making again for sure!
Susie says
I am so glad that you loved it! Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe. I love the subs you made!
JOHN says
We had this last night for dinner and it was an instant family favorite!