This Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is ready in 30 minutes! Juicy, flavorful, and perfect for sandwiches, salads, or nachos.
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If you're a fan of my Instant Pot chicken recipes (like Salsa Shredded Chicken or Cheesy Bacon Shredded Chicken), you're going to love today's recipe! It's so easy to make and can be used in a ton of different dinners.
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You can have this meal on the table in around 30 minutes, with less than 10 minutes of hands-on prep.
- We’re using simple ingredients you likely already have, making it an easy, no-fuss option.
- You can serve this chicken so many ways. I’ll share some favorites below!
🍗 Ingredients & Variations
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts - Chicken thighs also work great for this recipe!
- ⅔ cup ketchup - This is going to form the base of our bbq sauce for the chicken. I like to make my own sauce for this one to a) control the flavors and b) make it Instant Pot-friendly. You need a sauce on the thinner side for pressure cooking.
- ¼ cup light brown sugar - Feel free to add more or less depending on how sweet you like your barbecue.
- ¼ cup worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup chicken broth - If you have chicken stock on hand, use it instead; it will to add even more flavor!
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard - Mustard adds a great bite to the sauce.
- seasonings - In this recipe, we're using 2 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
Other Substitutions
- If you'd prefer to use pre-made barbecue sauce, go for it! I recommend adding water or chicken broth to help the Instant Pot come to pressure. Add about ¼ cup liquid per cup of sauce you add.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Add ¼ cup worcestershire sauce, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, and ¼ cup chicken broth to the pressure cooker.
- Place 1.5lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of the Instant Pot. Pour all remaining ingredients over the top of this without stirring. (Don't worry, as it cooks it will all blend!)
- Seal on the lid and set the Instant Pot to manual, high pressure, for 15 minutes. Once cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10–15 minutes before manually releasing any remaining pressure.
- Shred the chicken with forks and stir it back into the sauce.
🎥 Step-by-Step Recipe Video
🍽️ How to Serve
The obvious choice here is to make barbecue chicken sandwiches, but there are so many possibilities for this chicken! A few of the more popular ideas...
- Barbecue nachos
- Chicken salad
- Loaded baked potatoes
- Quesadillas
- Tacos
- BBQ chicken pizza
❄️ Leftovers & Storage
LEFTOVERS should be placed in an airtight container in the fridge. This one has big flavors - you don't want that mixing with other foods! I'd recommend enjoying this dish within 3-4 days of cooking it.
FREEZING: This is the perfect dish to freeze! Make chicken as directed, cool, and freeze (sauce and all) in a gallon-sized freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight when you're ready to serve.
I wouldn't freeze this longer than 6 months or so; flavors can start to change past that point.
✅ More Useful Tips & Tricks
- You can make this recipe with frozen chicken - just keep in mind that your Instant Pot will take longer to come to pressure, which slightly extends the overall cooking time. No need to change the cook time you set.
- Prefer a slow cooker? No problem! Simply place the chicken in your Crock Pot, mix the sauce, pour it over the top, and cook on low for 5–6 hours.
I hope you love this easy weeknight dinner idea! If you give it a try, I want to hear what you think; leave a rating ⭐️ or comment 💭 at the bottom of the post.
Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ¼ cup worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ⅔ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Add worcestershire sauce, vinegar, and chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Place chicken breasts in the pot.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the pot without stirring.
- Lock on the Instant Pot lid and set the pressure cooker to manual, high pressure, 15 minutes. Once cook cycle is over, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10-15 minutes before manually releasing remaining pressure.
- Shred chicken with forks and mix into sauce.
Notes
- How to Serve – Great for BBQ sandwiches, nachos, chicken salad, loaded baked potatoes, quesadillas, tacos, or BBQ chicken pizza.
- Leftovers & Storage – Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days to keep flavors from mixing with other foods.
- Freezing – Freeze cooled chicken (with sauce) in a gallon-sized freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Using Frozen Chicken – Works great! The Instant Pot will take longer to come to pressure, but no need to change the cook time.
- Slow Cooker Option – Place chicken in a Crock Pot, mix sauce, pour over, and cook on low for 5–6 hours.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 16 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
