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A roasted BBQ chicken ready in 20 minutes in the Instant Pot is everything you want to hear after a busy workday! Moist, tender, and delicious, this perfect whole chicken recipe is on repeat in our house.
Without a doubt, making an Instant Pot chicken is an amazing option as you can use the leftovers to make soup, a quick patty for the kids' lunch, or some yummy quesadillas.
Forget the rotisserie chicken from the store, a few ingredients thrown together with the barbecue sauce, a whole chicken and your pressure cooker are certainly your winning combo.
How To Prepare Chicken Bbq In An Instant Pot
Undoubtably, it is so easy you won't believe it! Get a juicy, garlicky-smoky flavoured chicken in no time.
First, if you are using a frozen chicken, you'll need to make sure it is thawed out completely before. Pat dry your whole chicken. Set aside.
Next, in a small bowl, combine the bbq sauce, some minced garlic or garlic powder if you prefer, and some salt. Using a brush, spread half of the preparation on the chicken.
Set up your Instant Pot (IP): place the stainless steam rack that sits at the bottom of the pressure cooker. Pour a ¼ cup of water, or chicken stock if you wish. The metal trivet allows elevating the food from the liquid.
Press the button pressure cook, select 'high' for pressure level, and programme the cooking time according to the size of your chicken. The cooking guide from Instant Pot says 8 minutes per pound.
Now, the Instant Pot bbq chicken is being cooked according to the recommended time. The cooking time starts once the pressure has been reached. When the time you have programmed is up, your IP will beep.
Finally, you can do a quick pressure release by pressing the quick release button and the steam will come out of the valve. It is really hot, be careful.
If you don't do this right away, your IP will go on 'keep warm' mode and start a natural pressure release. It takes longer but if you are doing something else, it is doing the job for you.
Lastly, turn your oven on broil and let it warm up. Using the steaming rack handles, take the chicken out and place it on an oven dish or baking sheet. Cover the chicken with the rest of the bbq sauce. Place your bird in the middle of the oven and broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until the skin is crisp.
DONE! Your 2-ingredient instant pot bbq chicken is ready.
How to serve the Instant pot Barbecue chicken?
What I love about this recipe is how versatile it is!
- Eat it as it, cut a piece, and enjoy with a nice side dish
- Shred-it and serve it with a burger or hot dog bun (shred chicken in your Kitchenaid bowl! Major life hack!)
- Make it a taco as this is falling off the bone like pulled chicken.
Delicious Side Dishes For Bbq Chicken Instant Pot
- Make these delicious roasted carrots and potatoes
- Quinoa fried 'rice'
- One-pot French ratatouille while the chicken cooks
- You can go for a salad on the side: how about a chopped Caprese salad or a roasted veggie salad
What To Do With Leftovers?
The beauty of this recipe is to have it ready in 20 minutes and, on top of it, you have potentially leftovers for the next day! WINNING!
- quick patty for the kids' lunch
- yummy quesadillas, perfect with a salad
What about the carcass? Make your own bone broth in the Instant Pot. It is so easy and nutritious.
Helpful Q&A for the Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
Can I use homemade bbq sauce for this recipe?
Absolutely, I used pre-made sauce here for convenience purposes. Rhian from Rhian's recipe has a homemade bbq recipe here.
Does BBQ Sauce count as liquid in the Instant Pot?
No, you should put some water or broth at the bottom of your Instant Pot, the barbecue sauce should not be touching the bottom of the IP (dry) as it would caramelize and burn.
How long do you cook chicken in the Instant Pot?
For a whole chicken, you should cook it for 8 minutes per pound. If you are doing this recipe with chicken breasts, cook them 6 to 8 minutes per pound.
Can you put raw chicken in the Instant Pot?
Absolutely, this is how the recipe goes. Raw chicken in the IP to be cooked to a moist, tender, and juicy perfection.
I don't have an Instant Pot, can I make the same recipe in a slow cooker?
Aimee from Shugary Sweets has a version for you, go check it out here.
The Easiest Instant Pot Bbq Chicken
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken 3 pounds
- 2 cloves garlic big, or 3 small
- 4 tablespoon BBQ sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Pat dry your whole chicken. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine the bbq sauce, some minced garlic or garlic powder if you prefer, and some salt. Using a brush, spread half of the preparation on the chicken.
- Set up your Instant Pot (IP): place the stainless steam rack that sits at the bottom of the pressure cooker. Pour a ¼ cup of water, or chicken stock if you wish.
- Press the button pressure cook, select ‘high’ for pressure level and programme the cooking time according to the size of your chicken. The cooking guide from Instant Pot says 8 minutes per pound.
- The Instant Pot bbq chicken is being cooked according to the recommended time. The cooking time starts once the pressure has been reached. When the time you have programmed is up, your IP will beep.Now, you can do a quick pressure release by pressing the quick release button and the steam will come out of the valve. It is really hot, be careful.
- Turn your oven on broil and let it warm up. Using the steaming rack handles, take the chicken out and place it on an oven dish or baking sheet. Cover the chicken with the rest of the bbq sauce. Place your bird in the middle of the oven and broil for 3 to 5 minutes or until the skin is crisp.
- Serve and enjoy!
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