Easy Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken

With just a handful of ingredients and only 35 minutes let’s get dinner on the table fast. Enjoy tender, moist, juicy chicken legs in mere minutes! That's right, you heard me. Easy Instant Pot Barbecue Chicken is a simple yet delicious meal, sure to be your new family favorite.

Instant Pot Magic

Ready for some truth? You have enough going on in your life, you do not have the time to stand outside over the grill making dinner. Trust me when I say, that you need to let your Instant Pot or pressure cooker do all the hard work for you. This really is the easiest way to cook chicken.

Drumsticks and Thighs

There is just something about getting messy when you eat that almost makes food taste better. You know what I'm talking about right!? That has got to be part of what makes this chicken recipe so good.

In this recipe we like to use drumsticks and thighs but you could totally switch it out for wings or chicken breasts if preferred. I'd suggest keeping the same timing on the cook for wings and decreasing the cook time to 8-10 minutes if working with chicken breasts instead.

But can you really call it Barbecue?

Now, is it really barbecue if it wasn't cooked on a grill? Don't worry I was skeptical too. I mean really how can this chicken still have that crispy bite or smoky flavor you achieve only from cooking on a grill? Don't sweat it. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve so that no one will suspect you weren't slaving over a hot grill for this meal.

Smoky Flavors

To get that authentic, smoky flavor all you need to do is add a teaspoon of liquid smoke to your pressure cooker before cooking. Simple an easy as that.

Crispy Caramelized Skin

And to achieve that perfectly crispy skin we all long for? After your chicken is cooked, throw your thighs and drumsticks on the grill for 3 minutes to let the sauce caramelize. Or skip the grill and broil in the oven after slathering with your favorite barbecue sauce. Either way you are getting the most tender, juicy barbecue chicken!

I promise, this will become your new favorite way to "barbecue".

Pro Chef - Mom Hacks

Have you ever had a big group of family and friends over for a backyard barbecue and despite your very best efforts there becomes a backup at the grill? It seems like you just cannot get meat out fast enough? Or you dread with every piece coming off that it may not be fully cooked? I feel you. In fact, it is bringing on all kinds of levels of anxiety just thinking about it.

But not anymore! If you have ever needed to feed a crowd quickly - this is about to become your go to meal. Thanks to your Instant Pot skills, you can save yourself the stress and get everything fully cooked before any of the real fun begins.

Day Before or Several Hours Ahead

If preparing the day before or hours ahead of time, follow the recipe instructions below through step 6. After removing from pressure cooker allow your chicken to cool and then store in the fridge up to 24 hours before serving.

Hour or Two Ahead

If pressure cooking an hour or two before serving, follow through to step 6, store appropriately and use the grill or oven to re-heat your chicken once it is fired up and ready.

Either way, after pulling out your fully cooked chicken you will want to pick up where you left off on the instructions below at step 7. Generously coat each piece with barbecue sauce. Allow for a slightly longer cook time in the oven or grill as you will need to reheat the chicken in addition to crisping the skin and caramelizing the sauce.

An easy-peasy way to have the masses fed in minutes. No one waiting around to eat and no fearing you are serving raw chicken to your guests. Sounds like a perfect party to me!

📖 Recipe

Barbecue Chicken - Instant Pot

Yield: 6 - 1 drumstick and thigh per serving

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 33 minutes

Let's make tender, moist chicken legs in minutes! Perfectly juicy barbecue chicken smothered in tangy sauce, with just enough crisp to the skin, this is sure to be a new family favorite meal.

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Ingredients

• 6 chicken thighs
• 6 chicken drumsticks
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried onion
• 1½ cups chicken stock
• ½ cup barbecue sauce

Instructions

1. Mix paprika, garlic poweder, salt, pepper and dried onion to make seasoning for chicken.
2. Lay drumsticks and thighs on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil. Apply your seasoning mix liberally to the chicken, rotating to coat all sides.
3. Place the thighs and drumsticks directly into your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker, no trivet needed.
4. Pour your chicken stock into the Instant Pot.
5. Place lid on top and seal the Pressure Cooker. Turn valve to sealed position and set to Manual Pressure Cook for 10 minutes (12-15 minutes if chicken is frozen).
6. When timer has gone off allow to naturaully pressure release for an additional 10-15 minutes. Release the valve allowing any remaining steam to escape and remove the lid once pin has dropped.
7. Remove fully cooked chicken from pot and place on a cookie sheet. Generously coat each piece of chicken with your preferred barbeque sauce.
8. To carmalize the sauce you can either broil the chicken for 3-4 minutes in the oven or until you notice the skin beggining to crisp or place the chicken directly on your grill and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.

Notes

• Feel free to substitute the drumsticks and thighs for chicken wings or breasts. Cook time should remain the same for wings and if using breasts decrease cook time to 8-10 minutes depending on size.
• For a more smokey or grilled flavor add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the chicken stock before adding to the Instant Pot.
• Cook the chicken in its skin to retain all the juiciness and flavor, then feel free to remove the skin once cooked to avoid added calories and fat.
• If desiring a faster meal prep turn your Instant Pot to sauté mode prior to starting Step 1 of the instructions. This will allow your Pressure Cooker to pre-heat thus lessening the time for it to come to pressure and begin cooking.
• If cooking the chicken ahead of time stop at step 6. Allow to cool and store in fridge up to 24 hours before serving. When ready to serve skip to step 7 allowing for a slightly longer cook time in the oven or grill as you will need to reheat the chicken in addition to crisping the skin and caramelizing the sauce.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 511Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 284mgSodium: 996mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 9gProtein: 54g

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Perfectly Paired Suggestions

Looking for the perfect side dish or dessert for your barbecue main entree? Have no fear. I am here to make your life simple. Give our decadent Cheesy Hashbrown casserole a try. Or go light and fresh by pairing with our zesty Key Lime Pie for a sweet treat. Really you can't go wrong.