Tasty Oven

  • Browse All Recipes
  • Instant Pot
  • Air Fryer
  • Slow Cooker
  • Breadmaker
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Browse All Recipes
  • Instant Pot
  • Air Fryer
  • Slow Cooker
  • Breadmaker
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Browse All Recipes
  • Instant Pot
  • Air Fryer
  • Slow Cooker
  • Breadmaker
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Instant Pot

Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken

Published: Apr 23, 2021 · Modified: Jun 14, 2024 by Kristina Tipps · This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a small commission.

Jump to Recipe

This Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken recipe makes a sweet and zesty pulled bbq chicken that's great for sandwiches, American-style taquitos and quesadillas, and as a pizza and flatbread topping. The Instant Pot makes it easy— cooked in only 8 minutes, you get a big pot of zesty pulled chicken fast!

pulled barbecue chicken on a sandwich roll served with coleslaw
Table Of Contents
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Ingredients
  • Step-By-Step Directions
  • Cooking Tips
  • How To Store
  • Recipe
  • Related Recipes
  • Recipe Reviews

Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken is a set it and forget it recipe— throw all the ingredients into the pressure cooker and walk away! Make it with your favorite barbecue sauce and Italian dressing for a flavor you're guaranteed to love.

Chicken is mixed with barbecue sauce, dressing, garlic powder and salt + pepper and pressure cooked for a short 8 minutes. That's all it takes to create an irresistible and juicy barbecue chicken that the whole family will enjoy.

*All of my recipes are tested in the 8 qt Instant Pot Duo Crisp but also work in the 6 qt Instant Pot.

Serving Suggestions

How Should I Serve Pulled Barbecue Chicken?

One of the most popular uses for pulled chicken is as a sandwich stuffer. But it doesn't need to be reserved just for sandwiches. It has many uses, such as on pizza and flatbreads. Use pulled bbq chicken as a filling for non-traditional tacos, taquitos, quesadillas, and even nachos.

It's also delicious on top of a big baked sweet potato if you're looking for a low-carb dinner.

Pulled barbecue chicken is incredibly tender, so it's also a great option for young kids who still have difficulty chewing tough meats or have texture sensitivities.

How To Use Pulled Barbecue Chicken

  • as a sandwich stuffer
  • to make barbecue chicken pizza or flatbread pizza
  • as a filler for quesadillas
  • as a filler for taquitos, mixed with mozzarella cheese
  • in place of traditional Mexican-seasoned beef to make nachos!
  • mix into rice bowls
  • as a filler for lettuce wraps
Instant Pot bbq chicken sandwich

Ingredients

You need:

  • Chicken breasts: or a combination or breasts and thighs, fresh or frozen
  • Barbecue sauce: your favorite, good quality sauce
  • Italian dressing
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt + pepper

Step-By-Step Directions

chicken breasts in a pressure cooker
shredded barbecue chicken in a pressure cooker
  1. Add 1 cup of water, the chicken, barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, water, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the pot. Do not mix.
  2. Seal the lid and set the pressure cooker to high for 8 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure. Let complete a full natural release when finished.
  3. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return to the sauce and mix to coat the chicken fully.
  4. If sauce is too watery for your preference, thicken it prior to returning the chicken to the pot. To thicken, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to ¼ cup of cold water. Stir to dissolve, then add to the sauce and stir. Set to saute for 2 minutes and repeat if necessary.

Cooking Tips

  • Use a thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. If it hasn't cooked fully, use the saute mode in 2 minute increments until it reaches 165 degrees. You can see the official Instant Pot cooking time guidelines here.
  • If using frozen chicken breasts, extend the cook time to 10 minutes.
  • Extra sauce can be reserved for later use as a marinade. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Instant Pot pulled barbecue chicken on sandwiches

How To Store

Fridge: store in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Freezer: freeze for up to 6 months.

Defrost in the fridge overnight or use the microwave for a quick thaw.

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to give it a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments! And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for more delicious recipes!

Recipe

instant pot barbecue chicken on a bun with coleslaw

Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken

Kristina Tipps
This Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken recipe makes a sweet and zesty pulled bbq chicken that's great for sandwiches, American-style taquitos and quesadillas, and as a pizza and flatbread topping. The Instant Pot makes it easy— cooked in only 8 minutes, you get a big pot of zesty pulled chicken fast!
4.86 from 27 votes
Bookmark RecipeSaved!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
Prep Time 12 minutes minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes minutes
Total Time 20 minutes minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 239 kcal

Equipment

  • 6, 8 or 10 quart pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 lb boneless chicken breasts *see notes
  • 2 cups barbecue sauce
  • ¼ cup Italian dressing
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions
 

  • Add water to the Instant Pot, followed by the chicken, barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Do not stir. Seal the lid and set to pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. The pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.
  • Allow to complete a full natural release when cook time has finished. Then transfer chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return to the pot and mix to coat chicken. If desired, thicken sauce by adding ¼ cup of cold water mixed with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to the sauce and saute for 2 minutes.
  • Serve on sandwiches, pizza, flatbreads, mixed into rice bowls or use as filling for quesadillas and tacos.

Notes

*Use a thermometer to ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. If it hasn't cooked fully, use the saute mode in 2 minute increments until it reaches 165 degrees. You can see the official Instant Pot cooking time guidelines here. 
If using frozen chicken breasts, extend the cook time to 10 minutes.
Extra sauce can be reserved for later use as a marinade. Freeze for up to 6 months. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
This recipe was tested in the 8qt Instant Pot Duo Crisp but also works in the 6qt Instant Pot. To convert to a 10qt pot, you may need to add a little more liquid.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ozCalories: 239kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 12gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 990mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 210IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
Did you try this recipe?Give a shout out to @tastyovenrecipes or tag #tastyovenrecipes! Scan the QR code to check for any recipe updates, including tips, answers to FAQs and to ask me a question!
QR Code

Related Recipes

  • air fried meatloaf on a white plate
    Barbecue Cheddar Air Fryer Meatloaf
  • air fryer chicken tenders with a pecan crust on a plate
    Air Fryer Chicken Tenders - Pecan Crusted
  • Instant Pot buffalo chicken dip topped with scallions in a white bowl surrounded by celery, carrots, and crackers
    Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
  • buffalo chicken dip in a casserole dish
    Buffalo Chicken Dip

Recipes To Try Next

  • pressure cooker vegetable farro soup in a white bowl
    Instant Pot Mediterranean Vegetable Farro Soup
  • instant pot brown rice in a white bowl
    Instant Pot Brown Rice
  • instant pot applesauce in a white bowl
    Instant Pot Applesauce
  • pressure cooker carrots in a white bowl
    Instant Pot Carrots
  • Facebook
  • Flipboard
  • X
  • Threads

Comments

    4.86 from 27 votes (20 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Chef Dennis says

    April 27, 2021 at 3:45 am

    5 stars
    This looks incredibly delicious. Yum! I am so excited to try this.

    Reply
  2. Linda says

    April 27, 2021 at 1:33 am

    5 stars
    What a great idea to make barbecue chicken in an IP! Love how easy it is to make but comes out with amazing flavors.

    Reply
  3. Adrianne says

    April 23, 2021 at 10:03 pm

    5 stars
    I love all of the options that you can use this chicken for!! It sounds yum and too easy. Can't wait to give it a go, thanks!

    Reply
  4. Patty says

    April 23, 2021 at 9:49 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! This is fabulous and so easy and absolutely a family favorite! Yum!

    Reply
  5. SHANIKA says

    April 23, 2021 at 9:05 pm

    5 stars
    I love that this chicken is made in an Instant Pot! BBQ Chicken is the perfect shredded filling for any sandwich!

    Reply
  6. Ana F. says

    April 23, 2021 at 8:37 pm

    5 stars
    This barbecue chicken turned out delicious and it's so easy to make! I enjoyed over toasted buns just like your photos. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  7. Shadi Hasanzadenemati says

    April 23, 2021 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for the recipe, it was absolutely delicious and we all loved it!

    Reply
profile image

Hello, I'm Kristina! I'm here to show you how to take your favorite recipes and adapt them to all your kitchen appliances!

More about me →

What's New

  • moroccan chicken stew and vegetables in a stock pot
    Moroccan Chicken Stew
  • veggie supreme pizza on a pizza peel
    Veggie Supreme Pizza
  • Italian herb and cheese bread on a cutting rack
    Italian Herb and Cheese Bread
  • hot honey pepperoni pizza image
    Hot Honey Pepperoni Pizza

Slow Cooker

  • slow cooker mashed sweet potatoes in a bowl
    Crockpot Mashed Sweet Potatoes
  • slow cooker loaded potato soup topped with chives, bacon and cheddar cheese
    Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
  • apples, oranges and whole seasonings for apple cider in a crockpot
    Slow Cooker Apple Cider
  • slow cooker apple pie filling with ice cream topping
    Best Slow Cooker Apple Pie Filling Recipe

Instant Pot

  • instant pot pumpkin risotto in a serving dish
    Instant Pot Pumpkin Risotto
  • instant pot pumpkin bread in a bundt pan
    Instant Pot Pumpkin Bread
  • instant pot cauliflower mac and cheese in a white bowl
    Instant Pot Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
  • instant pot garlic mashed potatoes in a white bowl topped with butter and black pepper
    Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Trending Now

  • mediterranean quesadilla stacked on a plate
    Mediterranean Quesadillas
  • slow cooker pepper steak over rice in a black bowl
    Crockpot Pepper Steak
  • slow cooker loaded potato soup topped with chives, bacon and cheddar cheese
    Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
  • patriotic charcuterie board with red, white and blue foods
    Patriotic Charcuterie Board

Footer

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Newsletter

  • Sign Up for the latest recipes!

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 TastyOven.com, LLC.

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Stuck on what to say? Here are some suggestions:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this recipe! We can't wait to make it again.
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. It turned out great!
I made a few modifications, but it still turned out wonderful.

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.