Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Shredded BBQ Chicken inside Instant Pot.

5 from 3 votes

Made with a flavorful dry rub and sweet and tangy BBQ sauce, Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is a quick and easy recipe filled with extraordinary flavor! Perfect for sandwiches, pizza, quesadillas, and more!

Prep Time5

Cook Time7

Pressure Build-Up & Release15

Total Time27

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
2 tablespoons dry rub see recipe below
¾ cup 100% pineapple juice see recipe note
¾ cup water
½ cup BBQ sauce + more to taste

Homemade Dry Rub

1 tablespoon brown sugar dark or light
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Dry Rub

In a small bowl, combine the 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper together in a small bowl until everything is well combined.

For Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and sprinkle the prepared dry rub evenly over the chicken to coat both sides. NOTE: If your chicken is frozen, skip this step and simply sprinkle the dry rub mixture over the chicken once it is in the Instant Pot.
Add ¾ cup 100% pineapple juice and ¾ cup water to the inner pot. Add the seasoned chicken (or frozen chicken) to the inner pot. It is okay if your chicken is overlapping slightly. If needed, sprinkle the dry rub mixture over the chicken inside the inner pot.
Place the lid on the inner pot and be sure the vent knob is sealed and/or the lid is locked. Set to cook on High Pressure by hitting the manual or pressure cook button and use the +/- buttons to adjust the cooking time.
For Thawed/Fresh Chicken: 7 Minutes on High Pressure*
For Frozen Chicken: 11 Minutes on High Pressure*
*If your chicken is really thick or large, increase the cooking time by 1 minute.
Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes before doing a quick release of any remaining pressure. Once pressure has been released, remove the lid from the pressure cooker.
Remove the cooked chicken from the inner pot and place it into a large mixing bowl, along with ¼ cup of the cooking liquid from inside the inner pot. Use two forks or a handheld mixer on low speed to shred the chicken, adding more liquid as needed to keep the meat nice and moist.
Once the chicken has been shredded, feel free to drizzle with BBQ sauce if desired and toss to coat.
Serve the shredded BBQ chicken as desired.

Notes

Note on Liquid: You need 1 ½ cups of liquid for this recipe and I recommend a combination of pineapple juice and water. Canned pineapple juice often comes in 6-ounce cans, which is equivalent to ¾ cup. Alternatively, you can drain canned pineapple slices (in 100% juice) and then add water to equal 1 ½ cups.

Note on Using Frozen Chicken: Be sure the chicken breasts or thighs are not frozen together in a solid lump, as this will result in uneven cooking. If your chicken is frozen together, run it under cold water to separate the chicken into individual pieces.

Doubling the Recipe: To double the recipe, double the chicken and double the spice rub. There is no need to double the liquid. The cooking time will remain the same.

Storage: Allow the shredded chicken to cool slightly and then transfer it to an airtight container, along with an additional ¼ cup of the cooking liquid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating Instructions: Allow the chicken to thaw overnight in the refrigerator if needed. Heat the thawed chicken in a heat-safe bowl covered with a damp paper towel in the microwave and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until warmed through.

Nutrition