This is the OG instant pot meat technique. I created this technique for instant pot bone-in chicken and it has blown up. Everyone now has copied this post and for good reasons. Literally the best sticky, fall-off-the-bone instant pot chicken you will ever try! It's tender, moist and full of flavor. It cooks up fast and easy but the last step is what takes this pressure cooker bone-in chicken up another level!
This meal is over the top amazing!! Seriously good. It's one of those simple meals that I come back to time and again for busy weeknights! Pressure cooking chicken means I can easily make one of our family's comfort food classics any day of the week.
Add on a few easy sides and you've got a great meal everyone will love! It tastes amazing with mashed potatoes and apple gorgonzola salad.
If you love this recipe, I think you will also enjoy this smoked turkey breast, another one of my family's favorites. If you find pressure cooking an easy way to prepare meals, try cooking frozen roast beef or bbq ribs.
Why Make Pressure Cooker Bone-in Chicken?
Bone-in bbq chicken is seriously my childrens' favorite meal. Here are some reasons why it is the best.
- Bone-in chicken breast, legs and thighs are very inexpensive!
- Bone-in chicken has so much more flavor.
- It's fast and easy to make.
- Requires only a few ingredients.
Ingredients
It doesn't get any easier than this 3-ingredient recipe for chicken pieces in the pressure cooker!! Here's what you need:
- BBQ sauce: Pick your favorite bottle at the store or make your own to make this recipe.
- Bone-in chicken: Chicken legs, thighs, and breasts work just great! You can even do a mix of chicken parts if everyone in the family likes something?
- Water: Just a bit to help the pressure cooker function properly.
What Kind of Bone-in Chicken Do I Use?
For this recipe, you can use any of your favorite bone-in chicken cuts. I love making it with a combination of bone in chicken breast, chicken thighs, and my kids LOVE chicken legs.
I always grab a packet of legs and thighs, bone-in. You definitely need bone-in chicken to create this recipe and chicken with this sticky bbq flavor and texture.
Bone-in chicken is so inexpensive but undeniably the best kind of chicken meat.
Do I Leave the Chicken Skin On Bone-In Chicken?
I like to leave the skin on to pressure cook chicken because it helps hold the juicy, tender meat together, but sometimes the chicken comes with way too much skin.
Feel free to trim down the skin. If you prefer it trimmed all off that's ok! Just be delicate pulling them out of the pressure cooker.
It will crisp up in the final step of the cooking process making it incredibly tasty!
How to Cook Bone-in Chicken in the Pressure Cooker
It's so easy! You will do this in layers.
- Add 1 cup of water to your instant pot. You can also use chicken broth or stock for a little extra flavor.
- Lay down 3-4 chicken pieces. Top with your favorite BBQ sauce.
- Lay down 3-4 more bone-in chicken thighs, legs or breasts. Add BBQ sauce
- Continue layering this way. I can fit about 10-12 pieces in my 6-qt instant pot.
- Seal and cook on poultry setting, or high pressure for 20 minutes. I always use natural release when cooking my meat to ensure that it will be nice and tender.
How to Get the Sticky Melt in Your Mouth Flavor
The trick to making the bone in chicken breasts, legs, and thighs cooked in a pressure cooker taste amazing is in this next step!
Step 1. Pull the bone-in chicken out of the pressure cooker and place it on a lined cookie sheet.
Step 2. Slather a thick coat of more BBQ sauce.
Step 3. Broil it high in the oven for about 5 minutes.
Hint: The second layer of BBQ sauce and Broil step is a MUST. It creates a beautiful sticky crust with moist, tender pull apart chicken underneath. As long as you don't broil the chicken for too long it will not dry out.
Plate these bad boys and serve immediately while they are still piping hot! Serve pressure cooker chicken with any of these delicious sides.
Like making meat in the instant pot too? Try these recipes!
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Don't skip the final step of finishing the bone-in chicken breast, thigh, and leg pieces in the oven. It's what makes this dish so incredibly delicious!
- Layer the chicken and sauce in the pot. This ensures that all the chicken gets cooked with the bbq sauce infusing it with more flavor.
- Use bone-in chicken. The cut doesn't matter but don't skip bone-in chicken because It has more flavor and cooks up juicier and tastier than boneless.
- Don't skip the one cup of liquid. The instant pot or electric pressure cooker needs it to function.
Yes, just pop any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container.
Yes, follow the same steps!
Absolutely! You can place many many pieces of chicken in an instant pot, depending on the cut. Just remember even though you will still cook for 20 minutes it will take longer for your instant pot to come to pressure.
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Pressure Cooker Bone-In Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 bottle favorite BBQ sauce
- bone-in chicken
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- In your pressure cooker add 1 cup water. Layer 3-4 pieces of bone-in chicken. Brush BBQ sauce over chicken.
- Add another 3-4 pieces of chicken and brush sauce over. Continue layering until your chicken is done or pot is full. I can fit about 10-12 drumsticks and thighs.
- Cook on poultry setting and slow release. (or high for 20 minutes slow release)
- Once chicken is done, remove from instant pot to a foil lined sheet pan.
- Remove skins (if desired). Brush a thick layer BBQ sauce over chicken. Place in pre-heated oven on broil for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Katie Lane says
Hi, I’m trying this tonight and I’m very new to instapot, do I need to put the rack in the bottom before layering the chicken?
Desarae says
Hi Katie! yes! honestly lately I dont even use the rack!!
Pam O says
Found this recipe this afternoon while looking for ways to cook some leg quarters. Turned out great. I extended the time because they were frozen and seasoned the chicken but followed everything as directed. Will definitely be making again.
Soul says
Where. Is. The. Seasoning?
Desarae says
It's the BBQ sauce. You add the thick layer of sauce and broil- it caramelizes and adds loads of flavor.
Diane says
Haven't tried it yet but I will for dinner tonight. Sounds so good.
Tania says
I loved it. But my chicken didn’t come out crispy after the boiler. How much longer should I put it in the boiler for?
Desarae says
Your chicken probably needs to be closer to the broiler and make sure your oven is on a high broil. If the chicken has a lot of liquid on the pan from the instant pot it might take a little longer. But not too much longer.
BJ says
hello, this chicken is awesome. If I add more then 12 pieces of chicken do I have to add more water?
Thank you
Desarae says
No, you only need one cup of liquid regardless of how much meat you are cooking :)
Joy says
This is my go-to instant pot barbecue recipe! Simple and delicious. Two things I do a bit differently - (1) season the chicken before it goes into the pot and (2) I brush the bbq sauce on after the pot and broil on both sides. The skin comes out a bit crispy, but the meat is still falling off the phone.
Queenie says
The chicken turned out so tender and I did put it under the broiler for 5 mins too. Soooo good. I added a little mango habanero sauce along with the BBQ sauce. Ill be making this again for sure .thank you so for this wonderful recipe.
Courtney says
Hi! I’m thinking of making this recipe tonight, but I only have three bone-in breasts. Twenty minutes seems like a long time for this amount of chicken, should I reduce the time? Thanks!
Desarae says
Hi Courtney, the pressure cooer will cook faster with less chicken because it will come to pressure faster, cook for 20 minutes, if there were several breasts in the cooker it would take longer to come to pressure... If your pressure cooker has a "poultry" setting or button on it you can use that as a gauge for how long your pressure cooker needs to cook chicken. And really, one thing we have noticed is not all pressure cookers cook the same so if you feel yours cooks hot and fast you are welcome to adjust the time!
Anna Provost says
Prepared this last night and the chicken was falling off the bone. Don’t skip the broil and don’t worry about having lots of liquid left over in the IP (saw that mentioned in a review earlier) I simply took them out, placed on foil, added the last bit of sauce and set on broil for 5-6 min. Thinking about trying that Jerk chicken mentioned in the reviews too.
Amy says
I has some issues with the recipe and I’m not sure why. I did everything according to recipe, but when the IP was trying to come to pressure lots of water was spraying out of the venting knob. Eventually the pin went up but the timer never started. I ended up just estimating 20 minutes from that point and doing a quick release to check on the chicken(at that time I finally got a burn notice). The bottom of the pot was burned but the chicken ended up being cooked and then I broiled it and it was really tasty. My kids loved it. Has this ever happened to you? Any ideas what went wrong? I would love to give it a second try. Thanks!
Desarae says
Hey Amy, It sounds like there is an issue with your instant pot seal. It wasn't able to seal when the pot had enough to heat so it cooked all the water out and then burned. I would look at the rubber ring, and the pin. I've had to replaces a few different parts over time of different brands of pressure cookers. Is your an instant pot brand or another brand. My mom has this happen often with her pressure cooker XL. We have had to replace the pin several times.
Mikal says
I loved it! Came out perfect.
Ps. To all the users: Don’t give this recipe a lower than 5 rating if the problem is YOU or your pressure cooker is the problem. And if this is speaking to you then go back and correct your rating.
Doris Dominguez says
Delicious chicken I served it with red toasted potatoes. I followed the recipe, but before I put in the broiler I mix some honey, ginger and barbecue sauce and brush it on top , and after 5 minutes turned it over and repeated . It was so good and sticky. I put about a cup of the extra liquid in a pan and let it reduce, then poured it over the chicken and the roasted red potatoes. My family asked for seconds.
rod says
a cup of water i found to bee too much i put in 6 leg/quarters and covers with bbq sauce and had about 3 cups of fluid after it cooked and maybe set the chicken on a trivet so it isnt swimming in water
Desarae says
Hi Rod, there MUST be 1 cup of liquid in the instant pot or pressure cooker in order for the pressure cooker to come to pressure. If there is not that fluid in there it will burn.
Kelsey Ellis says
Incredibly delicious!!! And I love how easy it was!
Carolyn Nickle says
very tasty - will for sure make again
Cathy says
Making this tonight; does the chicken need to be thawed or could I cook from frozen? (I know; you’d think the pressure cooker would speed the recipe up enough for me, but not the case... Ha!)
Desarae says
Hi Cathy! Yes you can make them from frozen! Add a few minutes to the cooking time when they are frozen!
Mary says
Does it have to be bone in? Anything change if boneless?
Desarae says
I have had good success with still using dark meat and boneless- especially thighs! The type of meat is really what will help your recipe- it has a hight fat content so by pressure cooking and then broiling for a few minutes it'll stay nice and moist and not dry out. Chicken breasts don't work well with this type of cooking process, and they tend to shred too.
Jana says
I just made these for the first time. They were so good I thought my husband was going to eat them all. I loved how easy they are to make too.
Desarae says
Thank you so much!!!
christina says
EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! EXCELLENT! Thank you for sharing.
Barbara Wittick says
I improvised and replaced the BBQ sauce with a Jerk glaze and it turned out perfect! Rave reviews all around. adding sauce and putting it under the broiler at the end was a great touch. I also made the cilantro lime rice which was also delicious. I made the slaw but it was too acidic and citrus as a side dish. I might add a tad more mayo and perhaps a touch of honey. I will, however, be making it for our fish tacos.
Desarae says
Thank you Barbara!!
Keith says
Do You use the trivet to keep bottom layer of chicken out of the water?
Desarae says
I dont use a trivet, because of the steam a lot of the BBQ sauce melts off anyway, which is why I re-apply the BBQ sauce before putting it under the broiler.
Brooke says
Try making curtido (that "light coleslaw" you mention. It is a central american MUST and an old salvadoran neighbor taught me how to do it. It's one part vinegar to one part water, with mexican oregano and salt, and tossed with shredded cabbage and jalapenos. AMAZING.Let is sit in the dressing for a couple hours before eating.
Desarae says
that sounds incredible!!! I'm going to try it!
Jeannie says
my kids beg for this weekly!! The best!
Sandy Coleman says
Nice 👍