Skip to Content

Easy, Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken

Easy, Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken is a quick, healthy pressure cooker recipe that can be used to make shredded chicken sandwiches. This recipe produces juicy chicken that is drizzled with BBQ sauce. If you are looking for a keto version, use sugar-free, unsweetened BBQ sauce. 

instant pot bbq pulled chicken on white plate
Save This Recipe Form

Want to save this recipe in your inbox?

Enter your email below & we'll send it directly to you! Plus you’ll get new recipes, tips, and tricks from us every week!

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.

This post was originally posted in July 2017 and has been since updated.

Calories: 351       Fat: 6G        Net Carbs: 36G          Protein: 41G
 

This recipe for Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches provides a quick and easy way to eat home-cooked BBQ without using a grill. I have gotten a lot of feedback from subscribers of my blog that they would like to see ways to prepare grilled dishes without using a grill.

Many people have apartments that do not allow grills. Some people simply do not know how to use a grill. (I can actually help with that! I should probably put together a tutorial).

I recommend grilled meats for meal prep purposes because the grill locks in so much flavor and produces really juicy meat. Flavor and juicy are key to meal prep dishes.

When reheated, juicy meat that is packed with tons of flavor does not feel like leftovers. Though I recommend using a grill for a lot of recipes, I have found the Instant Pot can yield very similar results!

instant pot bbq pulled chicken sandwiches

How to Make BBQ Pulled Chicken in Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

  1. Add chicken breasts, BBQ sauce, and chicken broth to the Instant Pot.
  2. Cook in the Instant Pot using the Meat Setting.
  3. Allow steam to release naturally.
  4. Open the pot and shred the chicken.

How Long to Cook Pulled Chicken in Instant Pot

I use 10 minutes of cook time, with an additional 10 minutes of natural release of steam.

How to Reheat Pulled Chicken in Instant Pot

If you want to reheat using the Instant Pot use the Saute function and add additional liquid such as BBQ sauce.

instant pot bbq pulled chicken sandwiches

How to Make Buffalo Pulled Chicken in Instant Pot

Check out my Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken recipe here.

Can You Use Frozen Chicken for BBQ Pulled Chicken in the Instant Pot?

Cook the chicken for 20 minutes if using frozen.

What Does Natural Release on Instant Pot Mean?

Natural release means that you allow the steam from the pot to release naturally instead of performing a quick release and releasing the steam immediately when the food has stopped cooking.

instant pot bbq pulled chicken sandwiches

For meat, I always do a natural release because it always results in juicier meat.

Why Does My Instant Pot Say Burn?

The Instant Pot will register the burn signal if the pot has overheated or if food has stuck to the bottom of the pot. This usually occurs when there isn’t enough liquid in the pot to accommodate the ingredients in the recipe. You can read more about What Instant Pot Burn Message Means here.

What Goes Well With Pulled Chicken?

Pair this Pulled Chicken with Instant Pot Potato Salad, Instant Pot Southern Green Beans, Keto Coleslaw, and Zucchini Noodle Pasta Salad.

I live in Kansas City. We are known for our BBQ here. The pressure is on to make sure I put together a recipe that is true to my KC roots. I used our infamous, local Gates BBQ Sauce for this recipe. Gates BBQ sauce is tomato based with some vinegar and is not overly sweet.

You can keep this dish keto-friendly by using my Homemade Keto BBQ Sauce.

To assist with making the chicken feel and taste like homestyle BBQ I added Liquid Smoke. This gives the chicken a smokey taste, similar to that from a grill.

If you are cooking this dish and want to enjoy leftovers or for meal prep, store the chicken in Tupperware. Pack the buns in Ziploc bags and toast immediately before eating. 

More Instant Pot Recipes:

instant pot bbq pulled chicken on white plate
Print Pin
5 from 15 votes

Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches is a quick and easy recipe that allows you to prepare home-cooked BBQ without a grill!
Save this recipe here.
Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine American
Keyword instant pot BBQ pulled chicken, instant pot pulled chicken, instant pot shredded chicken
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 351kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Season the chicken breasts with the seasonings (including the cocoa powder).
  • Add the seasoned chicken to the pot. Next, add the chicken broth, 1/4  cup of BBQ sauce, and liquid smoke.
  • Put the lid on the pot and adjust the settings to the Meat Setting. 10 minutes should be the default. Leave it at 10 minutes.
  • Allow the Instant Pot to release steam on its own without quick release.
  • Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot. Using a knife and fork, shred the chicken.
  • Remove the chicken broth and BBQ sauce mixture from the Instant Pot with a ladle. Drizzle the sauce over the pulled chicken.
  • Toast the buns (optional)
  • Add the chicken to the buns.
  • Drizzle the remaining sauce throughout. Top with sliced red cabbage.
  • Serve!

Video

Notes

Feel free to use your favorite chicken seasoning or rub.
Recipe Tools Used in this RecipeAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 6g
Tried this recipe? Mention @Stay_Snatched or tag #StaySnatched! The recipe instructions noted here are the property of Stay Snatched and subject to copyright. Please do not screenshot and share this recipe on social.
Subscribe to our YouTube ChannelCheck out our YouTube Channel!
Join our Air Fryer and Instant Pot Facebook GroupClick here to join our Facebook Group!
Join our Keto Recipes Facebook GroupClick here to join our Facebook Group!
Nutrition DataMacros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Recipe Rating




Ashley

Sunday 7th of May 2023

Knew this week was going to be hectic, so I searched for a few Instant Pot recipes on Stay Snatched and I knew that it would not disappoint! The BBQ chicken sandwiches were delicious. The chicken came out so juicy and not dry. I’m looking forward to repurposing the leftover chicken for lunch!

staysnatched

Thursday 11th of May 2023

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Anna

Monday 13th of February 2023

Love love love the flavor of this chicken! I don’t have an instant pot so made it with the exact ingredients but in a slow cooker and it was perfect!

staysnatched

Tuesday 14th of February 2023

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Hazel

Monday 21st of December 2020

Couldn’t wait to try this recipe and my taste buds are thanking me right now! 😋 Recipe was easy to follow and the flavor is definitely there! Cooked this for our dinner but couldn’t wait that long so I had it for lunch! Thanks for the recipe!🙏🏾🧡

staysnatched

Tuesday 22nd of December 2020

haha this works great for lunch!

Coby

Saturday 12th of September 2020

This is a delicious recipe! I love the seasoning combination, it was so flavorful! And I loved topping the meat with the red cabbage. Will definitely be making this again!

staysnatched

Monday 14th of September 2020

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Arielle

Monday 7th of September 2020

Made this tonight!! Delicious!!

staysnatched

Friday 11th of September 2020

I'm so glad you enjoyed it!