Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
This tender Instant Pot BBQ Chicken recipe is just what you need for dinner! You’ll love just how simple and delicious this recipe is!
BBQ CHICKEN MADE IN THE INSTANT POT
This Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is a quick and easy way to get an amazing dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes (and you don’t even have to turn on the oven or stove)! It starts with affordable boneless skinless chicken thighs that get so tender and cooked to perfection in your pressure cooker. With so much flavor, it’s the perfect quick dinner recipe that the entire family will love to eat! The best part? Clean up is a breeze!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
You bet! If I’m not using my preferred storebought one, Kinder BBQ Blend, I usually opt to make it myself. Here is my recipe:
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Yes! If you like a pop of heat in your spice rub or BBQ sauce, try adding chili pepper flakes or hot sauce.
Yes! If you don’t want a regular BBQ sauce, you can use one with more spice, or one that is more sweet or savory depending on the flavor profile you’re going for. Or you can throw in some red pepper flakes.
I used chicken thighs, but you can chicken breasts if you want white meat. If using a different cut of chicken, you will need to adjust cooking time. I would cook for the same amount of time but allow it to natural release for 10 minutes instead of 5.
If you don’t want to make sandwiches with your barbecue chicken, you could serve the shredded chicken over a bed of rice, stuffed in a wrap, or use it as a salad topper.
It really should not turn out tough if it was cooked long enough and was cooked in enough liquid.
There are a few ways to shred cooked chicken. You can use a “bear claw” or meat claws to shred it. You can also use two forks to shred the chicken. But, I really like to use an electric mixer, it shreds in seconds that way.
Of course, if you have a crock pot, you can easily make it in there and it will come out so tender and delicious! Check out my recipe HERE on how to do that!
Once your bbq chicken has cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and place it in the fridge for up to 4 days. I suggest storing the meat in any extra sauce for best results. Reheat your leftovers by placing them in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish, covered with a microwave-safe lid or plate to trap some moisture in as it heats. Additionally, you can reheat it in a saucepan on the stove over low heat until warmed through again.
Freeze leftovers in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- boneless, skinless chicken thighs – I think this is the most affordable option and there is a lot of flavor in chicken thighs but you can certainly use chicken breasts (as I mention above in the FAQ).
- BBQ seasoning – you can have a lot of fun switching up the flavors here. You can make your own seasoning (I share mine above in the FAQ section), use store bought or even switch up the seasoning to something like cajun seasoning.
- chicken stock – if you are trying to lower the sodium, you could use lower sodium chicken stock or broth. This will infuse a bit more flavor into the chicken. You could use water but I really don’t recommend it.
- BBQ sauce – go with your favorite here. I like Sweet Baby Rays but you could also make a Homemade BBQ Sauce.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BBQ CHICKEN
Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and then season them on both sides all over with the BBQ seasoning. Rub the seasoning into the chicken.
Pour the chicken stock into the Instant Pot and place the chicken thighs on top, making sure they are not touching the sides.
Drizzle the BBQ sauce over the top of the chicken, avoiding the sides of the Instant Pot (this helps to keep you from getting a burn notice.)
Seal the Instant Pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 13 minutes. Note: It can take up to 10 minutes for the pot to come up to pressure. After the Instant Pot has finished cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure.
Using tongs, remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and shred it using two forks. To serve, place a generous amount of shredded chicken on a hamburger bun and top with more BBQ sauce and cole slaw (optional)
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 Tablespoons BBQ seasoning
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- hamburger buns, for serving
- pickles (for topping, optional) optional side
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and then season them on both sides all over with the BBQ seasoning. Rub the seasoning into the chicken.
- Pour the chicken stock into the Instant Pot and place the chicken thighs on top, making sure they are not touching the sides.
- Drizzle the BBQ sauce over the top of the chicken, avoiding the sides of the Instant Pot (this helps to keep you from getting a burn notice.)
- Seal the Instant Pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 13 minutes. Note: It can take up to 10 minutes for the pot to come up to pressure.
- After the Instant Pot has finished cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes and then quick release the rest of the pressure.
- Using tongs, remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and shred it using two forks.
- To serve, place a generous amount of shredded chicken on a hamburger bun and top with more BBQ sauce and cole slaw (optional)
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- If you don’t want to use these for sandwiches, try eating with some rice, or served on a wrap or salad.
- Use meat claws, two forks, or an electric mixer to shred the meat easily.
- Store leftovers with extra sauce in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Do you know if you can use frozen chicken thighs? How would I adjust the cook time? I have frozen thighs. May just have to wait until they thaw but the recipe sounds so good I don’t want to wait. I’m anxious to try this recipe. Thank you for your detailed instructions! You always share the best recipes!
I’ll be honest, I haven’t tried this with frozen chicken thighs so I really can’t say. I don’t like to guess unless I’ve tested it myself. I’m sorry! Thanks SO much for your sweet words!!❤️
Hi, I love this recipe but don’t have an instapot. Can I use my crockpot or oven?
Hi Cindy, yes you can? I actually answer that question up in my FAQ section on how to do that 🙂
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