BBQ Chicken Sandwich

A perfectly crafted BBQ chicken sandwich starts with a flavorful combination of ingredients. Pop it all in the pressure cooker for minimal effort!

Why this recipe works

This flavorful BBQ chicken sandwich begins with our easy instant pot BBQ chicken recipe. Smoky, tangy, shredded chicken sandwiched between a bun and optionally garnished with creamy coleslaw and lettuce for a touch of crunch, do sandwiches get any better than this?  

Cooking the BBQ chicken in the instant pot makes this recipe a breeze and is great for meal prepping or feeding a crowd. Let’s get started.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CHICKEN – We’re using both chicken breast and chicken thighs for this recipe. The mixture of the two goes really well together and the dark meat helps add even more moisture and flavor. You can certainly use all chicken breast if that’s what you prefer.

SAUCE – We’re partial to our Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce for this recipe, however, any bottled barbecue sauce will do.

How to Make BBQ Chicken Sandwich

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Coarsely chop onion and place into a mini chopper or food processor. Blend until until finely minced. Set aside.
2. To the Instant Pot, add chicken stock and all the chicken breasts and thighs.
3. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder and onion powder, drizzle with Worcestershire and liquid smoke.
4. Add the finely minced onion on top of everything. Sprinkle with brown sugar and top it all with the barbecue sauce.
5. Close lid and turn vent to the closed position. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Do a 10 minute natural release, then open vent to release any remaining pressure.
6. Remove lid and spoon off much of the liquid, but reserve it in cases you need to add some back in. Shred the chicken with two forks. If too dry add some of the reserved liquid back in.
   
   CHEF’S TIP – the chicken mixture may drip some of its liquid, making the bottom bun soggy. You can either drain it more and add more barbecue sauce, or line each bottom bun with lettuce before adding the chicken.
   
   
   
7. Scoop 1/2 cup of chicken onto each sandwich bun. Top with coleslaw if desired.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Serving Suggestions

Lettuce and creamy coleslaw are our go-to’s when it comes to toppings. We like to layer the bottom bun with lettuce before topping with the shredded chicken to prevent the bun from getting soggy. Top the shredded chicken with coleslaw and you have yourself a perfectly crafted BBQ chicken sandwich. Optionally toast the bun with a pat of butter in a skillet or pop them in the toaster oven. 

Serve with potato chips, french fries, baked beans, or tater tots. Enjoy!

More Related Recipes

• BBQ Chicken Sliders
• Easy BBQ Crockpot Chicken
• BBQ Chicken Tater Tot Skillet
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich
• Crispy Chicken Burger

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BBQ Chicken Sandwich

Cooking BBQ chicken in the instant pot makes this recipe a breeze and is great for meal prepping or feeding a crowd.

5 from 4 votes

IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

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Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 servings (5 cups chicken total)

1 hour hr

Calories: 377

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 medium onion
• ▢ 2 cups chicken stock
• ▢ 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ▢ 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ½ Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• ▢ 2 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
• ▢ 1 cup barbecue sauce
• ▢ 10 sandwich buns
• ▢ coleslaw and lettuce optional as toppings

Things You’ll Need

• ▢
  Food processor or mini chopper
• ▢
  Instant pot

Before You Begin

• We’re using both chicken breast and chicken thighs for this recipe. The mixture of the two goes really well together and the dark meat helps add even more moisture and flavor. You can certainly use all chicken breast if that’s what you prefer.
• We’re partial to our Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce for this recipe, however, any bottled barbecue sauce will do.

Instructions

• Coarsely chop onion and place into a mini chopper or food processor. Blend until until finely minced. Set aside.
• To the Instant Pot, add chicken stock and all the chicken breasts and thighs.
• Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder and onion powder, drizzle with Worcestershire and liquid smoke.
• Add the finely minced onion on top of everything. Sprinkle with brown sugar and top it all with the barbecue sauce.
• Close lid and turn vent to the closed position. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Do a 10 minute natural release, then open vent to release any remaining pressure.
• Remove lid and spoon off much of the liquid, but reserve it in cases you need to add some back in. Shred the chicken with two forks. If too dry add some of the reserved liquid back in.
• TIP – the chicken mixture may drip some of its liquid, making the bottom bun soggy. You can either drain it more and add more barbecue sauce, or line each bottom bun with lettuce before adding the chicken.
• Scoop 1/2 cup of chicken onto each sandwich bun. Top with coleslaw if desired.

Expert Tips & FAQs

• Store any leftover shredded chicken in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
• Freezing – Transfer the cooled chicken mixture to a gallon-sized ziptop bag or air-tight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 377cal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 800mg | Potassium: 543mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 3mg

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