Instant Pot Shredded Chicken BBQ Style
on Feb 26, 2020, Updated Jan 30, 2024
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Instant Pot Shredded Chicken with BBQ is excellent for sandwiches, salads, soups, pasta, and more! It’s juicy, flavorful, and so easy to make! Perfect for meal prep or dinner tonight!
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken BBQ Style
Instant Pot recipes are some of my favorites for weeknight meals. Everything cooks super quick in a pressure cooker. During the summer months, there is no need to use the oven, which is excellent if you ask me!.
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My Instant Pot Ribs and Instant Pot Corn on the Cob are great beginner recipes that I use over and over again. BBQ pulled chicken in the Instant Pot is super simple and great for newbie Instant Pot users too!
For this Instant Pot Chicken recipe, you can use fresh or frozen chicken breast or even thighs. Breasts are easier and a bit healthier, so I tend to use them the most.
Shredded Chicken freezes very well so, it is perfect for meal prep. I will often make a couple of batches to have on hand for quick lunches or dinners. You will love how versatile it is too!
- Use it for a wonderful Chicken Salad. Toss it on a bed of greens and enjoy!
- Add the BBQ chicken to some pasta, such an easy dinner.
- Make BBQ chicken tacos, they are delish.
How long will Shredded Chicken keep in the refrigerator?
Store the cooked chicken for 3-4 days in your refrigerator, which makes it great for making ahead of time.
Can you Freeze Shredded Chicken?
Yes, you can! Allow for the chicken to cool completely and then place in an air tight container or zipper bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
New to using the Instant Pot?
If so, be sure to see Kristine’s- A Beginners Guide To Using Your Pressure Cooker!
Ingredients to Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken BBQ Style
- Chicken breasts or thighs
- Root Beer, Dr. Pepper, Coke, Chicken Stock or Water
- Favorite BBQ sauce
- Liquid Smoke
How to Make Instant Pot Shredded Chicken BBQ Style
First, add the chicken to the Instant Pot. You can use fresh or frozen chicken breasts, and the cooking time will remain the same, there’s no need to wait for thawed chicken. If choosing to use frozen chicken breasts, it will take just a bit longer for the cooker to get up to pressure.
Next, pour in your liquids. I use Root Beer for ours! I find it adds quite a bit of flavor. You could also use Dr. Pepper as I do with our Pulled Pork Recipe. If you do not have any soda on hand, feel free to use chicken stock or even water.
Make this shredded chicken with or without BBQ sauce. The sauce adds so much flavor. We often use Montgomery Inn (a local brand) or a sweet with heat Stubbs brand. It’s perfect for BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, on a salad, or even in a pasta dish.
We like to add liquid smoke to this easy recipe. It’s great when wanting a smokey barbeque flavor infused. It’s inexpensive, and you can find it in most grocery stores near the condiments, bbq sauces, and such.
Give the chicken and liquids a quick stir, lifting chicken from the bottom of the pot. Then, place the lid. Set the Instant Pot to manual or pressure cook set to high for 15 minutes. After the pressure has been reached and the 15 minutes of cooking has finished, allow for 10 minutes of natural pressure release.
I often remove the chicken breast and shred them on a plate, I find it easiest that way. If you remove the chicken for shredding, return it to the pot so it can continue to absorb the juices. If you prefer, go ahead and shred the chicken breasts right in the Instant Pot if you would like.
Two forks work great for shredding the chicken. It’s so tender and mostly falling apart, so it is not necessary to use a stand mixer or hand mixer for shredding.
Add additional BBQ sauce if you would like. We often add more if enjoying this chicken recipe on buns or bread.
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken breasts
- 1 cup Root Beer
- 18 oz BBQ Sauce
- 1/4 tsp Liquid Smoke
Instructions
- Add chicken to Instant Pot.
- Add Root Beer to Instant Pot.
- Add BBQ sauce to Instant Pot.
- Add Liquid Smoke to Instant Pot.
- Stir briefly.
- Close Lid and set to Manual/Pressure Cook, High Pressure, 15 minutes, Keep Warm Off.
- When cooker shuts off, allow pressure to release naturally (when metal locking piston drops).
- Remove breasts from cooker and shred with forks.
- Return to pot and mix with the sauce.
- Serve on buns.
Nutrition
