Barbecue chicken made in an Instant Pot is a SIMPLE and EASY way to get slow-cooker chicken in no time. No planning needed, and prep is a snap.

We love our barbecue here in the South, but sometimes I need a break and chicken is the next best thing. Most of the time, I’ll cook it in the slow-cooker, shred it and put it on a biscuit or make tacos. But on nights when I haven’t done any planning, most nights for me, I can stop at the grocery on the way home, grab some chicken and we can have delicious barbecue in no time. The Instant Pot makes this possible.
How to use an Instant Pot:
This recipe uses two functions on the Instant Pot. When I first got the Instant Pot I was a little weary of using it but as long as you keep your fingers away when the pressure is being released, it’s really an easy device to master. If you don’t want soupy sauce, you’ll need to cook your sauce ingredients first using the sauté function. If you’re really pressed for time you can start with prepared barbecue sauce, but I really like the addition of chipotle peppers in this one. Also you can control how sweet it is when you create your own. Melissa Clarks version is a favorite for us.
Once the sauce is thickened, add the chicken and cook under high pressure for 15 minutes. You’ll need to wait for the pressure to release naturally which will take about 15 minutes, so factor that in. Once the pressure has released, take the chicken out and shred it while you turn the Instant Pot back to the sauté function and let the sauce thicken again.
Place your sauce infused chicken on a biscuit or roll and cover it with the slightly sweet and smokey sauce. It’s also great inside a tortilla with some cheese and avocado or your favorite taco toppings. Or just eat it plain.
I love to have a few recipes at my fingertips that I know I can put together when I have no idea what I’m doing for dinner. The Instant Pot can be a real time saver for those busy nights.
If you find yourself cooking with chicken a lot and want to know for sure that your chicken is cooked thoroughly, head to my informational page on ways to make sure your chicken is cooked all the way but still remains juicy and delicious.
Melissa Clark, Dinner in an Instant
Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs Boneless and skinless chicken breasts/thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chile in adobo sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and let sit while you prepare the sauce.
- Set the Instant Pot to the saute function. Add the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire, chipotle chile, vinegar and garlic. Stir in seasons and simmer until it has thickened and turns into a paste, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in chicken. Cover and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
- Remove chicken and turn the pot onto saute again and simmer until it has thickened about 5-10 minutes. Once thickened, shred the chicken and add the sauce to the top for serving.
- You can use prepared BBQ sauce in place of this version.
Leave a Reply