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This Instant Pot BBQ Chicken tastes like it’s been slow-cooked all day, but it’s ready in a less than an hour! It’s fall-apart tender, layered with bold, smoky-sweet flavor, and finished with a rich, saucy glaze. Quick, freezer-friendly, and effortlessly delicious—it’s guaranteed to become a weeknight favorite.
The Only Shredded BBQ Chicken Recipe You Will Ever Need
You are absolutely going to love this shredded Instant Pot BBQ chicken. It’s fast, full of flavor, and so much better than the usual “dump and go” versions (although it’s just as easy).
I start with a quick spice rub and sear to build flavor, then pressure cook it with BBQ sauce, mustard, vinegar, and red onion until it’s fall-apart tender. The chicken thighs stay juicy, and a quick broil gives it that caramelized, sticky finish.
I like to make a double batch of it early on in the week and use it for several meals throughout the week. And if I can’t use it all? I just freeze it and use it later!
This chicken can be enjoyed a million different ways. Try it on sliders, use it to make shredded chicken sandwiches (variation included in the recipe card below), BBQ Chicken Salad, Homemade Pizza, Chicken Quesadillas, or BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad. Put it over Homemade Mac and Cheese, Twice Baked Potatoes, or use it instead of pork over our BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos!
This is the easiest (and fastest) way to make pulled BBQ chicken and I just know you are going to love it!
đź©· Erica
Key Ingredients
Chicken – Chicken thighs are ideal for this recipe because they are so tender and don’t dry out. Chicken breasts can also be used for the same amount of time, just be sure to cut them down to smaller pieces so they cook through evenly. You can also do half chicken breasts and half thighs so you get the tenderness from the thighs and the bulk from the chicken breasts.
Seasonings – I like to use BBQ chicken seasoning with a little added salt and paprika for flavor and color. I typically use the “Meat Church” Voodoo Seasoning because I like the flavor but any kind of seasoning will work.
Chicken broth – This is absolutely needed to prevent the chicken from burning. Anyone who is familiar with Instant Pots knows that the “burn notice” is the most dreaded part of any pressure cooking process. The chicken broth in the bottom prevents this.
BBQ Sauce – I like to use a semi-homemade BBQ sauce for this recipe. I still like to use regular BBQ sauce but I like to doctor it up and add a little more “zing”. I do this by adding some mustard and cider vinegar. These balance out the sweetness of the BBQ sauce and just add an overall nice flavor to the chicken.
How to Make BBQ Chicken in the Instant Pot
- Combine seasonings and generously sprinkle over all sides of the chicken.
- Sear the chicken by using the sauté function on the Instant Pot. Remove chicken and add broth to the Instant Pot. Add chicken and sliced red onion back to the pot.
- Add lid and move tab to seal the pot. Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes, slow release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Drain off all excess liquid from the pot. Remove the chicken from the pot, shred, and return back to the Instant Pot with the onion.
- Combine BBQ sauce, mustard, and cider vinegar then pour over the chicken in the Instant Pot.
- Turn on the sauté function and allow to cook until sauce thickens. Alternatively you can spread the chicken on a lined baking sheet and broil until caramelized. Stir in chopped cilantro and serve.
Expert Tips
Shredding Tip – Use a hand mixer to shred up the chicken. You can do this right in the Instant Pot! Drain off the liquid and mix on low until the chicken is shredded.
Adjust to your tastes – Once the chicken is shredded and sauced, taste and tweak if needed—add more vinegar for tang, a bit of honey or brown sugar for sweetness, or a dash of hot sauce for heat.
Meal Prep – This is an ideal meal prep recipe. Make it 2–3 days in advance, store in the fridge, and reheat when needed.
Freezing Tips – I will often make a double batch and freeze a bunch for later. Let leftovers cool, then freeze in small containers or freezer zip-top bags for up to 3 months. This makes reheating easy for quick weeknight dinners (don’t forget to date and label the containers).
Reheating -When reheating, add a splash of broth or BBQ sauce to keep the chicken juicy. Warm on the stovetop or in the microwave in short bursts.
Ways to Use Shredded BBQ Chicken
Sandwiches or Sliders – Add chicken to burger buns or homemade dinner rolls and top with coleslaw or pickles (you will love our Virginia Chunk Sweet Pickles) for the easiest chicken sandwiches that will have everyone begging for seconds.
Pizza – Use our homemade pizza dough and make a sauce from equal parts pizza sauce and BBQ sauce. Top with shredded BBQ chicken, pineapple, red onion, cilantro and shredded mozzarella cheese for the best BBQ pizza on the planet!
Salad – Swap out the grilled chicken in this BBQ Chicken Salad recipe for the shredded BBQ chicken and you will have a quick summer salad everyone will love (plus the dressing for this salad is incredible).
Frequently Asked Questions
Searing is optional but highly recommended. It adds a rich, savory flavor that builds depth in the final dish. If you’re in a hurry, you can skip it—but you’ll lose that extra layer of flavor.
Definitely! This recipe is perfect for meal prep! It keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months. Just reheat gently and add a splash of broth or BBQ sauce to freshen it up.
Use your favorite BBQ sauce—whether sweet, smoky, spicy, or tangy. A thicker, richer sauce tends to hold up best in this recipe. Or you can make our homemade BBQ sauce from scratch! Feel free to customize with hot sauce, brown sugar, or honey if you’d like.
More Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Have you tried this Instant Pot BBQ Chicken? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how it turned out—or how you made it your own! ❤️
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon BBQ chicken seasoning (I used Meat Church Voodoo Seasoning but any will work)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or cooking oil)
- 1/2 cup finely sliced red onion
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Combine BBQ seasoning, salt, and paprika and rub evenly over chicken thighs.
- Heat oil in the Instant Pot using the "saute" function. Spread the oil around so it evenly coats the bottom of the pot. When oil is hot and shimmery, carefully place chicken evenly in the bottom Instant Pot and allow to sear for 3-4 minutes on each side.
- Remove chicken from the Instant Pot and stir in chicken broth, using a metal spatula to scrape up any little bits that are stuck to the bottom. Add chicken back to the Instant Pot along with the sliced red onion.
- Add lid and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, allowing a 10 minute slow release before doing a quick release.
- Remove chicken from Instant Pot and drain off all excess liquid being careful to not drain off the onion. Tip: Don't toss the broth! Save it in a separate container to use for soup or to add liquid back to the chicken when re-heating. Shred the chicken and return to the pot with the onions (see tip below for shredding).
- In a small bowl, combine BBQ sauce, mustard, and cider vinegar then pour over the chicken in the Instant Pot. Turn on the sauté function and allow to cook until sauce thickens.
- Stir in cilantro and serve.
If you want a more caramelized chicken:
- If you want to caramelize the sauce on the chicken wait to add the cilantro. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the chicken over the top, spreading it out evenly. Broil the chicken for only about a minute or two, watching it very closely. Because there is a lot of sugar in the sauce it will burn easily.Once you see it start to caramelize and darken, remove it from the oven and add cilantro.
