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Quick & Tender Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken (Perfect for Sandwiches)

Close-up of four Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches piled high with shredded chicken and sauce on soft buns.
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Make tender, flavorful BBQ pulled chicken quickly using your Instant Pot. This recipe is simple and ideal for easy weeknight sandwiches.

Ingredients

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  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce (divided)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken breasts or thighs into the inner pot of the Instant Pot.
  2. Pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle this seasoning mix evenly over the chicken.
  4. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to sealing.
  5. Cook on High Pressure (Manual/Pressure Cook) for 10 minutes.
  6. When the cooking cycle finishes, allow a Natural Pressure Release (NPR) for 5 minutes, then carefully move the valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.
  7. Remove the chicken from the pot and place it in a large bowl. Shred the chicken using two forks.
  8. Stir 3/4 cup of the BBQ sauce and the apple cider vinegar into the shredded chicken until it is well coated.
  9. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce into the pot and let it simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  10. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and toss it with the simmering sauce for 1 minute to heat through and absorb flavor.
  11. Serve the pulled chicken immediately on hamburger buns.

Notes

  • For extra flavor, you can use half BBQ sauce and half your favorite dry rub ingredients in the initial cooking phase.
  • If you prefer thicker sauce, skip simmering the remaining sauce in step 6 and simply mix all the sauce in with the shredded chicken.
  • Use sturdy buns, as the saucy chicken can make soft buns soggy quickly.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastytribune.com/instant-pot-bbq-pulled-chicken-sandwiches/