Are you guys as BBQ obsessed as us?? This Paleo + Whole30 BBQ pulled chicken pretty much always sounds good, and we love it so much we give you Slow Cooker and Instant Pot instructions! Make pulled chicken tacos, a pulled chicken sandwich with lettuce buns, a bowl, throw it on a pizza…seriously there are so many ways to love this BBQ pulled chicken!

Horizontal overhead image of BBQ pulled chicken in bowl with extra sauced drizzled everywhere. Topped with chopped green onion.

The Best BBQ Sauce

We don’t say “The Best” about things very often because let’s be real…there are TONS of options out there on the web and it’s a pretty big claim. BUT…Justin deserves kudos for this BBQ sauce because it really is THE BEST! There is no added sugar at all and it’s the perfect combo of savory, smoky, tangy and sweet!

Perfect For Meal Prep

You will love this BBQ pulled chicken recipe for meal prep. It’s super easy to make and takes little active cooking since the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker really does most of the work. You’ll probably wish you made a double batch because you can eat the leftovers so many different ways that you’ll never get bored of this shredded chicken!

Angled vertical image of holding bowl of BBQ pulled chicken with chopped green onion on top.

Versatile Protein

We love this meal prep protein because you can use up the leftovers in a variety of ways that make it feel a little different every time! Some ideas to get you started are to make tacos with Siete tortillas or with lettuce shells, make a bowl with cauliflower rice and greens, stuff a baked sweet potato with the shredded chicken, throw it on top of a pizza or make a breakfast casserole with the chicken in it. Of course tortillas and pizza aren’t Whole30, but you do you. I’m sure the list goes on and on…where will you start?

Angled vertical image of BBQ pulled chicken in a bowl with lots of extra sauce drizzled everywhere and topped with chopped green onion.

Other Great Meal Prep Recipes

Your Turn To Try Our BBQ Pulled Chicken

Get your meal prep on this coming weekend, and make this BBQ pulled chicken. We bet you’ll be adding it to your regular rotation! Leave a comment below and let us know how it goes. Also, take a pic to share on Instagram. Tag us @realsimplegood so we can see and maybe even share on our account. Make sure you give us a follow if you don’t already. We’d love to stay connected!


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Two images with text overlay in the middle for pinterest. Top image of BBQ pulled chicken in a bowl with lots of extra sauce drizzled everywhere and topped with chopped green onion. Bottom image of BBQ pulled chicken in a bowl with lots of extra sauce drizzled and more chopped green onion. Shot overhead.

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BBQ Pulled Chicken – Slow Cooker or Instant Pot (Paleo + Whole30)

This Paleo + Whole30 BBQ pulled chicken is a versatile meal prep recipe, and we give you Slow Cooker + Instant Pot instructions! It’s a family favorite and an easy, healthy recipe with no added sugar! 

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs chicken thighs
  • 1 onion, diced

For the BBQ sauce:

  • 1 cup coconut aminos
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp mustard
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika

Instructions
 

  • Chop onion as noted.
  • To make the BBQ sauce, pace all of the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk well to incorporate. Place 1/2 of the sauce in a container and refrigerate, you’ll it use after the chicken is cooked.
  • Pour the other half of the sauce into the instant pot. Add the chicken thighs in on top of the sauce and the onions on top of the thighs.
  • Press the “manual” button (or “pressure cook” button) and set the time to cook for 25 minutes at high pressure. Once the time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.  Remove the lid and shred the chicken in the Instant Pot with two forks, mixing it with the juices.
  • Serve topped with additional BBQ sauce as desired.

For the slow cooker:

  • Follow steps 1 & 2 above.
  • Place the chicken and onions in the slow cooker. Pour 1/2 of the sauce over the chicken.
  • Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
  • Shred the chicken in the slow cooker with two forks, mixing it with the juices.
  • Serve topped with additional BBQ sauce as desired.

Last Step:

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BBQ Pulled Chicken - Slow Cooker or Instant Pot (Paleo + Whole30)