Made with chicken breasts or thighs, this easy and low carb Instant Pot BBQ shredded chicken is flavored with a homemade no sugar BBQ sauce that you’ll want to slather on everything!

Shredded chicken topped with a drizzle of bbq sauce
Juicy shredded chicken with the help of the Instant Pot

How to make BBQ chicken in the Instant Pot

We kept this recipe as simple as possible with only 10 ingredients and a BBQ sauce that you simply whisk together in a bowl or jar. Here’s what you’ll do:

  • Mix up the simple no sugar BBQ sauce
  • Dump the chicken and 1/2 of the sauce in the Instant Pot
  • Sit back and relax while the Instant Pot does all the work 🙂
  • Shred the chicken and serve it with more of the savory BBQ sauce
Slather your shredded BBQ chicken with more BBQ sauce after cooking

BBQ chicken breasts or thighs in the Instant Pot

We love this recipe because you can use either chicken breast or thighs! We personally prefer using thighs because they have a little more fat and flavor but it’s totally up to you. Either way you’ll end up with juicy, shreddable chicken smothered in delicious BBQ sauce.

Overhead image of chicken in a bowl with bbq sauce on the side

An easy low-carb BBQ sauce

We love making our own sauces at home with simple, everyday ingredients. You’ll love the savory and tangy homemade BBQ sauce in this recipe. With beef broth and tomato paste as a base, it’s flavored with just a little vinegar and some simple seasonings. Of course, if you aren’t eating low-carb you could always add a little sugar or maple syrup to sweeten it up.

Shredded chicken in a bowl with a spoon pouring BBQ sauce on top
A tangy and savory low-carb BBQ sauce

Some other healthy sauces

Hand holding a ramekin filled with BBQ sauce and a bowl of shredded chicken next to it

Your turn to try this easy BBQ chicken in the pressure cooker or slow cooker

We’ve provided instructions for both, so you can cook it either way! We know you’ll love this easy shredded BBQ chicken that you can serve in so many ways. If you try it be sure to leave a comment to let us know how it goes and take a pic to share on Instagram. Tag us @realsimplegood, we love to see what you’re making!


Instant pot bbq shredded chicken in a bowl with sauce pouring in from a spoon

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Split image with text in middle. Overhead image of shredded chicken in a bowl on top and close up image of chicken covered in bbq sauce on the bottom

Instant pot BBQ shredded chicken in a bowl with a spoon pouring BBQ sauce on top
4.82 from 16 ratings
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Easy, Healthy Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

Made with chicken breasts or thighs, this easy and low carb BBQ shredded chicken is flavored with a homemade no sugar BBQ sauce that you'll want to slather on everything!

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs (1.81 kg) chicken thighs, (or sub breasts, the cooking time will be the same)

For the BBQ sauce:

  • 1 cup (240 g) beef broth
  • 1/2 cup (131 g) tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup (63.75 g) balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) chili powder
  • 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) mustard
  • 2 tsp (2 tsp) garlic powder
  • 2 tsp (2 tsp) onion powder
  • 2 tsp (2 tsp) cumin
  • 1 tsp (1 tsp) chipotle powder, (spicy, adjust to taste)

Instructions
 

  • 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.
  • Press the “manual” button (or “pressure cook” button) and set the time to cook for 20 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 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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Notes

Nutrition facts are per serving and an estimate provided for those following a Ketogenic or low-carb diet. See our full nutrition information disclosure here
Calories: 532kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Fiber: 1g
Did you make this recipe?Tag @realsimplegood with hashtag #realsimplegood on Instagram. We love to see what you make!
Easy, Healthy Instant Pot BBQ ChickenEasy, Healthy Instant Pot BBQ Chicken