This Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner in just 20 minutes. It features juicy chicken breasts seasoned with barbecue rub and pressure cooked in your favorite BBQ sauce.
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Why this Recipe Works
The Instant Pot is a lifesaver for busy weeknight dinners, and this recipe is a perfect example. In just 20 minutes you can have this flavorful barbecue chicken on a plate and ready to eat. And with just 3 ingredients and one pot to clean it doesn't get much easier!
This Instant Pot chicken breast recipe is also great for meal prep. After cooking, you can slice or shred the meat for salads, BBQ chicken nachos, rice bowls, sandwiches, and more.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken - I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. Boneless skinless thighs will also work with the same cooking time. For smaller, thinner chicken breasts, reduce the cooking time by 1 minute.
- Barbecue Rub - You can use your favorite store-bought barbecue seasoning in this recipe or try my homemade barbecue rub.
- Barbecue Sauce - Again store-bought works great here for this recipe, or use your favorite homemade barbecue sauce.
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Season the chicken with the BBQ rub on all sides.
- Stir together ½ cup of BBQ sauce and ½ cup of water in a measuring cup and pour into the Instant Pot. Add the sauce mixture first so that you don't rinse the rub off the chicken when pouring it in.
- Add the chicken to the pot and lock the lid. Set to manual high pressure and cook for 8 minutes.
- After the cooking cycle completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and baste with the remaining barbecue sauce before serving.
Recipe Tips and FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Reheat leftovers in a 325°F oven for 10 minutes or until warmed through. Smaller portions can be reheated in the microwave.
BBQ sauce does count towards the liquid needed to pressure cook food in an Instant Pot, but thick, sugary sauces will burn during the intense cooking cycle, so it needs to be thinned with water or another liquid to avoid a burn error.
Yes, this recipe will also work with frozen chicken breasts. Make sure the chicken breasts are separated and add 2 minutes to the cooking time.
How to Make Pulled BBQ Chicken
This recipe is perfect for making pulled BBQ chicken that you can use in a variety of dishes. I love to use this in my BBQ Chicken Nachos.
After cooking the chicken, do not baste it with the remaining sauce. Instead, transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board and use two forks to shred the chicken.
After all of the chicken is shredded, transfer it to a bowl and add the remaining ½ cup of sauce and stir to coat the chicken. If you like a little more sauce, you can also add some of the cooking liquids from the Instant Pot.
The shredded barbecue chicken is great for sandwiches, BBQ chicken tacos, topping salads, and more!
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken
These Instant Pot BBQ chicken breasts go great with all of your favorite barbecue side dishes like my Instant Pot baked beans, baked mac and cheese, southern-style cole slaw, and Hawaiian Mac salad.
For healthy options try serving this dish with grilled broccolini or grilled zucchini and squash.
More Instant Pot Recipes
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 Tablespoon BBQ rub seasoning
- 1 cup BBQ sauce, divided
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the BBQ rub on all sides.
- Stir together ½ cup of BBQ sauce and ½ cup of water in a measuring cup and pour into the Instant Pot.
- Add the chicken to the pot and lock the lid. Set to manual high pressure and cook for 8 minutes.
- After the cooking cycle completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then vent any remaining pressure before opening the lid.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and baste with the remaining barbecue sauce before serving.
Notes
- For smaller, thinner chicken breasts, reduce the cook time by 1-2 minutes.
- For frozen chicken breasts, add 4 minutes to the cook time.
Nutrition
* All nutrition information we provide are estimates based on third party calculators. We encourage you to calculate these on your own for accurate results.
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