Instant Pot Pulled Chicken is the most simple and flavorful dish. If you want a fun and flavorful mealtime solution that the whole family will love, then this is it! With minimal ingredients it’s done in less than 30 minutes!
We adore our instant pot. You can use it to make so many things, from Chicken and Dumplings to pot roast. I absolutely love Bourbon Chicken made in a pressure cooker.
Pulled Chicken in the instant pot is one of our weeknight go to dinners, and recommend that everyone make! The flavors of the bbq sauce and pineapple really play well and it doesn’t have any weird ingredients in there so the kids won’t shy away from this dish! We cant get enough of recipes that have 5 ingredients, are less than 30 minutes and feed a crowd!
Ingredient Notes
All you need is 2 cups of your favorite bbq sauce, 1 heaping cup of crushed pineapple in its juice, chicken breasts, water and cornstarch.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – make sure they’re thawed and make sure they’re similar sized. I like to pound them thin or cut them so they’re all even (that way they cook evenly). You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite flavor and brand. You’ll mix with water to make a thinner sauce – you can also use chicken broth.
- Crushed Pineapple: You can also use pineapple tidbits.
- Feel free to add seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, or salt.
How to make Instant Pot Pulled Chicken Tips
- For the pressure cooker to work properly, you need to make sure to have at least 1 cup of liquid in the bottom. This is where the juice from the pineapple mixed with the barbecue sauce comes in.
- Can you use frozen chicken in an instant pot? Yes, but make sure the chicken breasts are frozen separately (not in one huge chunk). The cook time should be the same, it’ll just take longer to come to pressure.
- You’ll want to cook on high pressure.
- If, for some reason, the chicken is not done when you finish, just reseal and add a few more minutes. Use an instant read thermometer to check the temp – it should be 165°F when done.
- You can shred the cooked chicken with two forks or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
- Only add the cornstarch once you’re on the sauté function – cornstarch will cause the mixture to burn when coming to pressure.
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Storing Leftovers
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave.
- You can freeze leftovers in a freezer bag to make another meal!
Instant Pot Pulled Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 cups barbecue sauce
- 1 cup crushed pineapple in juice
- ½ cup water
- 3-4 thawed chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Place your chicken breasts in the bottom of instant pot. Make sure they're the same size (either cut or pounded even).
- Pour your bbq sauce, ½ cup water and crushed pineapple over the chicken and seal lid.
- Manual cook for 15 minutes and then do a quick release.
- Remove chicken from instant pot and press saute.
- In small bowl whisk together cold water and cornstarch and add to your instant pot.
- Whisk mixture until sauce thickens.
- Serve over rice or pasta and drizzle with sauce.
Recipe Video
Recipe Nutrition
- Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice go perfectly with Bourbon Chicken!
- Instant Pot Chicken Caesar Sandwiches are a great weeknight meal.
I wonder if this could be made with a crock pot? I don’t have an instant pot but the recipe sounds yum!!
I made it with a regular pressure cooker- outstanding!
Yes that’s how I’ve been making it was in our crockpot until I decided to upgrade to the instantpot
The Hawaiian Chicken was delicious, but I kept getting the “burn” message—- suggestions?
Can this recipe be doubled?
I got the same message, so I put the chicken on the rack. It’s cooking now, so we’ll see how it goes!
I have made it in my Crock Pot For years.I would just pour in a bottle of BBQ sauce half a small can of pineapple cook on low for 8 hours
If you add a little water to your bbq sauce/pineapple mixture you won’t get the burn notice.
Outstanding!!
Dorothy and Mel,
I know it’s been over three years since you introduced this recipe, and I noticed you never responded to any of the above comments/questions, so I’m hoping this will show up in your notifications so we can all hear your thoughts and, perhaps, any new twists you’ve learned over time.
With the cost of poultry jumping to almost as much as beef now is, it’s difficult to find meals to make on a budget. How do you think the recipe for Hawaiian Chicken would work using a family-sized package (approx 15 pieces) of skinless, boneless chicken thighs?
I prefer cooking large amounts so we can portion them off to freeze and warm up on those nights we really don’t feel like cooking, or when unexpected company shows up or another family is in need of home cooked meals during times of the inability to work in the kitchen for multiple reasons.
Your consideration of and response to this request would be greatly appreciated by this new follower of both your IG accounts
Kindly…V from your northern CA neighbor living in the Gold Country.
Wow very good. Just finished two plates of it lol. Love the flavors and we used our own homemade BBQ sauce 😋
Sounds great 👍
Easy and delicious!
I added bell pepper and onion chunks. Awesome meal!
Great
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