Name: instant pot pulled chicken bowl with spicy slaw
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 2 tbsp. BBQ rub; 1/2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt; 1/2 tsp. black pepper; 3/4 cup BBQ sauce (preferably Whole30 approved or sugar-free like Primal Foods); 14 oz. (bag) shredded coleslaw mix*; 1/4 cup mayonnaise (like Primal foods); 3 tbsp. coconut aminos; 1 1/2 tbsp. white apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar; 1/4 tsp. Kosher or sea salt (or more to taste); 2 tbsp. chopped pickled jalapeños or fresh jalapeños; 1/2 red onion, sliced thin; 4 sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4-1 -inch wedges; 2 tbsp. avocado or refined coconut oil (or oil of choice); 2 tsp. chili powder; 3/4 tsp. Kosher or sea salt, ore to taste; Kosher dill pickles, sliced; fresh chives, parsley or dill to garnish (optional); a squeeze of lime to finish off the bowl (optional)

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It may be February but I’m ready for BBQ season! If you make this recipe, please promise me you’ll take a bite with everything on your fork at once—the BBQ pulled chicken, sweet potato, slaw, and a little bit of dill pickle. You won’t be disappointed—the flavors go SO freakin’ well together!

overhead shot of bbq pulled chicken bowl

I’ve become a huge fan of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the instant pot, like my buffalo chicken tacos with lime ranch (instant pot)! It makes dinner so easy!

Basically, throw them in with some seasoning. That’s it. You don’t even have to sear them first. Often times I will finish the pulled chicken off under the broiler to get it nice & crispy!

bbq chicken bowl with slaw and sweet potatoes

how to make instant pot pulled chicken

I love how easy it is to make this chicken. Season boneless, skinless chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and BBQ rub. You can use any BBQ rub you like. I used Stubb’s.

Next lay the thighs in the instant pot and pour BBQ sauce on top. Depending on the size of your instant pot, you may need multiple layers so pour the sauce in between.

Cook high pressure for 15 mins. and then slow release for 5-10 minutes. Take it out of the instant pot, place it on a sheet tray and broil for 8-10 minutes until crispy.

angle shot of bbq chicken bowl with fork

spicy slaw

The slaw can be ahead of time and stored in the fridge. You can shred cabbage or pick up a bag of shredded coleslaw mix to make it even easier on yourself!

Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix. The recipe recommends Primal Kitchen mayo because it’s made with avocado oil but you can use what you have on hand. You can substitute the mayo with a dairy or dairy-free plain greek yogurt.

sweet potato wedges

Cut the sweet potatoes into 3/4 to 1-inch wedges and place in a bowl. Add salt, chili powder, and avocado oil (or whatever oil you have) and mix well. Place on a sheet tray and make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan (use a 2nd tray if necessary).

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes and then check them. Stir and put them back in for 10-15 minutes or until they’re crispy on the outside and fork-tender on the inside.

can I use chicken breasts for pulled chicken?

Stick to thighs if you can because the white meat from the breasts tends to dry out. I’ve done a mix of thighs and breasts before and that turned out well.

If you do use breasts, cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, instead of 15 minutes. Quick-release when time is up then shred chicken breasts with two forks and place under the broiler.

how to make pulled chicken in the crock pot

If you don’t have an instant pot, you can make these in the crockpot. Place your seasoned thighs and BBQ sauce in the crockpot and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Once it’s fork-tender, shred the chicken and then place it on a sheet tray to broil (see instructions).

how to serve these pulled chicken bowls

Take four bowls and add the BBQ pulled chicken, coleslaw, sweet potato wedges and slicked dill pickles. Add chopped fresh chives and a squeeze of lime to garnish. Make sure you include everything in your bowl because all of these flavors bring out the best in each other!

other easy chicken dinners you’ll enjoy

instant pot pulled chicken bowl with spicy slaw

5 from 9 votes

Recipe by Karen Course: Dinner, LunchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

449

kcal

Bring on summer BBQ weather with this instant pot bbq pulled chicken, spicy slaw, and sweet potato wedges! Don’t forget the dill pickles! This makes a super easy, fun weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Shredded chicken
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp. BBQ rub
1/2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 cup BBQ sauce (preferably Whole30 approved or sugar-free like Primal Foods)
Spicy slaw
14 oz. (bag) shredded coleslaw mix*
1/4 cup mayonnaise (like Primal foods)
3 tbsp. coconut aminos
1 1/2 tbsp. white apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. Kosher or sea salt (or more to taste)
2 tbsp. chopped pickled jalapeños or fresh jalapeños
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
Sweet potato wedges
4 sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4-1 -inch wedges
2 tbsp. avocado or refined coconut oil (or oil of choice)
2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. Kosher or sea salt, ore to taste
Kosher dill pickles, sliced
fresh chives, parsley or dill to garnish (optional)
a squeeze of lime to finish off the bowl (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425º F. Make sweet potatoes: On a baking sheet, toss all ingredients and roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, stir well, then return to oven. Bake another 10-15 minutes or until browning on edges but not too crunchy or crisp.
To make the chicken, rub each thigh with BBQ rub, salt and pepper on both sides. Add thighs to instant pot and pour in BBQ sauce. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes then natural release for 5-10 minutes. Shred the chicken with 2 forks when it is done. Transfer the shredded chicken and sauce to a baking sheet. Broil for 10-15 minutes until it is brown & crispy.
To make the coleslaw, add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until well-combined. Store in fridge until ready to use.

Recipe Video

Notes

Nutrition facts below are based on Primal foods mayo & BBQ sauce.

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Nutrition Facts

4 servings per container

Amount Per ServingCalories449
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 22g 34%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 12%
- Dietary Fiber 7g 29%
- Sugars 2g
Protein 30g 60%

* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

bring on summer with this easy instant pot BBQ pulled chicken with spicy slaw