This one is a quick dump and go recipe with only a few minutes of hands-on time.
I’ve never been a lover of pulled pork (I realize that I am in the minority here). My problem with it was that the pork was usually drowning in too much sauce. BBQ sauce isn’t always the gentlest on the digestive system. Additionally, poor quality sauces can give the meat an artificial/ hot dog sort of note.
This version starts with seasoned chicken and only a hint of sauce. Once the chicken is shredded, a little bit of sauce goes a long way. It ends up having a ton of flavor. You can enjoy as much chicken as you want without worrying about heartburn creeping in on you later on.
You can probably do this with pork as well, if you prefer.
The barbecue sauce brand definitely matters here as that will be the dominant flavor. If you have a brand you like already, then you can probably just go with that. If you don’t have a favorite, Stubb’s is great.
Pulled BBQ Chicken is versatile. It works in a bowl, on pizza, and in salads. It goes beautifully with rolls (potato rolls and butter bread in particular) and topped with some coleslaw. You can follow the same method with the slaw dressing as the barbecue sauce – just a little dab will do just fine.
You can also make this in the slow cooker. On high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-6 should work nicely.
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp Adobo
- salt
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup barbecue sauce, divided Stubb's Original is amazing
Instructions
- Pour the chicken broth into the instant pot.
- Add the chicken breast and the chicken thighs. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, adobo, and salt.
- Top with 1/4 cup of Barbecue sauce.
- Pressure cook on high for 22 minutes. Quick release.
- Shred the chicken in the pot with two forks.
- Drain *most* of the liquid off of the chicken by pouring it into a bowl (make sure you use potholders as the instant pot will be hot). Leave around 1/4-1/2 cup of liquid in the pot.
- Add more barbecue sauce to the pot to your liking.
- Serve on rolls, over salad or as a bowl.
Notes
Nutrition for 1/8 of the recipe (not including buns, coleslaw, etc)
250 calories – 8 fat – 7 carbs – 33 protein