This easy Instant Pot BBQ Chicken is perfect for meal prepping! It’s made with only a few ingredients, is perfectly juicy and tender and is ready in under 30 minutes!

To me, January is the perfect time to set new goals. One thing I hope to improve on is meal prep. I love my vegan meal prep bowls and make them often, but I also want to have prepped and ready-to-go proteins available in my refrigerator for quick and easy lunches.

This Instant Pot BBQ chicken is just that, and it truly couldn’t be easier to prepare. Once it’s made, you could easily eat it on a sandwich like my bbq chicken sliders, or even add it to this corn kale salad. If you’re not in hurry, my slow cooker bbq chicken is another great option.

Recipe features

• The Instant Pot makes this chicken juicy and tender
• You can use your favorite kind of BBQ sauce
• It’s ready in under 30 minutes!

Ingredient notes

Chicken – The recipe calls for 2 lb. of chicken, so feel free to use chicken breasts, thighs or a combination of both. Just make sure you’re using boneless, skinless chicken.

BBQ sauce – I tested this recipe two ways: one using Stubb’s original BBQ sauce, and one using The New Primal Whole30-approved BBQ sauce. I preferred the Stubb’s, but if you’re doing Whole30 or are looking for a low sugar sauce, The New Primal was pretty good.

Chicken broth – The broth is what allows the chicken to become tender and juicy, so I don’t recommend omitting or substituting it.

Spices – Technically, the spices are optional, but they do provide extra flavor to the chicken/bbq sauce.

How to Make Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

First: Add ingredients to your Instant Pot. Begin by pouring the chicken broth into the pot, then lay the chicken on top. Next, pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken, and then add the spices.

Second: Pressure cook. Close the lid and make sure the valve on top is in the “seal” position. Pressure cook the chicken for 15 minutes, then allow it to manually release for 10 minutes before switching the valve to “vent”.

Third: Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken and place it onto a cutting board. Use two forks to shred it, then place it back into the Instant Pot and stir everything together, making sure the chicken is coated in the sauce.

Tips and tricks

-This isn’t an absolutely “must”, but I like purchasing two different kinds of BBQ sauces and seeing which one I like better. This is BBQ chicken after all, so you want to make sure you really like the BBQ sauce you’re using.

-You don’t have to add the spices — I think they add extra flavor to this recipe, but if you’re out of garlic powder/onion power, don’t sweat it.

How should leftover chicken be stored?

Store any leftover chicken in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you’re not going to consume it within that time frame, store it in the freezer for up to 4 months.

To reheat: You can either microwave the chicken until it reaches your desired temperature, or you can place it in a baking dish and into the oven at 350° for approximately 20 minutes. If the chicken seems dry at all, add 1/2 cup chicken broth to the baking dish.

Is this recipe Whole30-approved?

Yup! As long as you use a Whole30 barbecue sauce (like The New Primal), then this recipe is Whole30-friendly.

More easy chicken recipes

• BBQ Chipotle Wings
• Instant Pot Whole Chicken
• Creamy Coconut Lime Chicken

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!