Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Recipe - Easy Chicken Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Is barbecue sauce enough liquid for Instant Pot? ›

BBQ sauce is one of those ingredients that can trigger the Instant Pot Burn Message because of how thick it is…the sauce isn't thin enough to build the pressure properly and can burn at the bottom of the pot. One solution is to add water to BBQ Chicken recipes like this one.

Oddly enough, it can be really challenging to get the right texture when cooking boneless chicken breasts. They cook quickly in the Instant Pot, but if you don't cook them long enough they get a weird, rubber-like texture that's nearly impossible to chew, and if you cook them too long, their texture gets dry.

If your chicken breast is rubbery after cooking in the Instant Pot, you likely over-cooked it. Make sure you're only cooking it for 5 minutes at high pressure followed by a quick release of the pressure by flicking the seal valve at the top with a spoon.

This dinner staple cooks up perfectly every time in the Instant Pot. You can aim for firm but juicy chicken for cubing, or let it cook a little bit longer for tender shredded chicken.

Your Instant Pot needs liquid to work. If there's not enough, your pot won't be able to create enough steam to build pressure. About 1 cup is the minimum amount of liquid, so if you're cooking a recipe that will absorb water, like rice or beans, you'll need even more.

Just as I recommend swapping out the water in a cornstarch slurry for something with a bit more oomph, you can replace the water in Instant Pot recipes with broth (or Better Than Bouillon, which has more flavor than true broth), soy sauce, fish sauce, wine, beer, or juice. (Do not add spirits; the fumes may ignite.)

If your instant pot chicken is dry, you may have overcooked it. Don't worry – you can fix this! Stir your cooked chicken with 1/2 cup of chicken broth and store it with excess broth. The chicken will absorb the liquid and get a moist texture.

Can you overcook chicken breast in an Instant Pot? Yes, you can! Pressure Cookers don't work the same as slow cookers, where longer cooking times equal more juicy and tender meat. Too much time in a pressure cooker will create dry tough meat.

An improperly sealed lid can cause the Instant Pot to just cook and cook your contents as it attempts to reach pressure. This will lead to scorching and then a burn notice. Make sure that you're using enough liquid.

chicken requires 18 minutes of high pressure cooking. Add 6 minutes of cooking time per additional pound. Note: You can submerge your chicken directly in the cooking liquid, especially if you want to make chicken stock. However, the steamer basket method ensures crispy skin and won't wash away the seasoning.

What do you do with the liquid after cooking chicken in Instant Pot? ›

Save the liquid at the bottom of your instant pot after cooking for a yummy and flavorful homemade chicken broth! For shredded chicken: Remove the trivet after cooking, and leave about ½ cup of liquid at the bottom of your pot.

You can make up to 5 pounds of chicken breast in the Instant Pot at once, if yours is 6 quarts like mine. I usually stick to no more than 4 pounds, as 5 pounds doesn't always cook evenly.

If I want to cook a lot of chicken breasts quickly, I do them in the Instant Pot like this recipe. This gives your chicken a poached or stewed texture. If I just need 2 or 3, I turn to my air fryer. The texture from the air fryer is more like a traditional roasted chicken breast, which I prefer for most uses.

For even cooking stack your chicken breasts on top of each other cross ways. Or if possible lay the chicken in one even layer on the trivet. If you don't have a trivet you can lay your chicken directly in the bottom of the pot with the liquid. Lots of liquid releases from chicken.

Open the pot, then use a digital thermometer to check the thickest part of a piece of chicken—it should be at least 165oF. If the chicken is not quite up to temperature, put the lid back on with the vent closed and cook for another minute or two.

Can BBQ sauce count as the liquid in an Instant Pot? Unlike many slow cooker recipes, BBQ sauce will NOT work as the liquid in an Instant Pot. Due to the high sugar content in BBQ sauce, if you add it directly to the pot, it will burn. That's why this recipe first sears the thighs, then uses water to deglaze the pot.

Can BBQ Sauce Go in Your Carry-On Luggage? In general, yes, you can bring your sauce with you. However, it needs to be a small amount. All liquids and gels brought onto the plane in your carry-on luggage need to be stored in 3.4-ounce or 100 ml containers stored in a plastic bag.

Follow this tip: Unless otherwise specified in the recipe, use just enough liquid (usually water or broth) to bring the cooker to pressure. Amounts will vary between recipes, but in general, 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid is needed to get cooking.

Unless otherwise specified in the recipe, you'll need just enough liquid (usually water or broth) to bring the cooker to pressure. The Instant Pot manual suggests 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups, depending on the size of the cooker.