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Use your Slow Cooker or Instant Pot to make this recipe for smoky BBQ pulled chicken using skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Seasoned with my healthy homemade BBQ sauce, this versatile shredded chicken base recipe is great for enchiladas, in wraps, sandwiches, and much more. Skip the jarred BBQ sauce once, and you won’t go back! Slow cooker and Instant Pot cooking instructions listed below.

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This image presents a top-down view of a bowl filled with healthy BBQ pulled chicken, accompanied by a fresh salad. The chicken, shredded and coated in a vibrant red BBQ sauce, takes up the right side of the bowl, garnished with sliced green onions. A fork is partially visible, digging into the chicken. The left side of the bowl features a salad of arugula, shredded cabbage, and chopped red bell peppers. The bowl itself has a dark grey speckled exterior and sits on a light brown wooden cutting board against a bright white background.

I am here with more healthy chicken dinner recipes for the win! We’re in the midst of another busy busy season in our house. Such is life, right?!?! It feels like we are rarely home to enjoy a lengthy home cooked meal. I tend to gravitate toward an easy weeknight chicken dinner that can also serve as meal prep! I do love Instant Pot shredded chicken recipes like my Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore or Instant Pot Pulled Chicken Tinga.

As a nutritionist, I love to create easy shredded chicken for meal prep. It’s such a versatile way to add protein to lunch or dinner recipes. This BBQ slow cooker shredded chicken is not only perfect for healthy meal prep, but it’s also delicious!

We love BBQ everything. My family is especially big on BBQ pulled pork and chicken. What is so amazing about this recipe, is that the sauce can be whisked up in just a few minutes! No need to cook and let the flavors meld, all that magic will happen in the Slow Cooker or Instant Pot. We’ll get perfectly shredded chicken for meal prep or for dinner, and then a smoky, tangy, and chipotle flavored BBQ sauce without the junk ingredients!

How to make Healthy BBQ Sauce

Here are the ingredients you need to make BBQ Sauce:

  • Chicken broth
  • Tomato paste
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Honey
  • Coconut aminos (you can also use soy sauce)
  • Dijon mustard
  • Smoked paprika
  • Onion powder
  • Liquid smoke
  • Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • Adobo sauce

This BBQ sauce couldn’t be easier! All you do is whisk together the ingredients, and then we will pour the BBQ sauce into the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker to let the chicken braise and shred.

A flat lay image of ingredients. The layout includes all ingredients such as chicken broth in a red carton, honey, apple cider vinegar in a clear bottle, tomato paste, garlic in a brown dish, organic mustard pickles, coconut aminos in a dark bottle, liquid smoke, red spices in a white bowl.
A close-up, top-down shot of a metal bowl containing a reddish-brown BBQ sauce mixture. A stainless steel whisk is partially submerged in the sauce, aerating and combining the ingredients. The sauce appears smooth, with slight texture, suggesting it is freshly mixed.
A top-down view shows Chicken In Slow Cooker or Instant Pot with broth, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, honey, coconut aminos, mustard, paprika, onion powder, garlic, liquid smoke, chipotles, and adobo sauce . The background is a plain white surface.

Serving and Storing BBQ Chicken

So how do you serve this tasty chicken? I love to serve over greens, with a delicious Mexican Slaw recipe in a wrap, or over a bowl of cauliflower rice. My kids love this as a sandwich, or in a tortilla. This makes for a perfect lunch option all week! My husband will prep this on the weekend and have an entire week’s worth of chicken for lunch. So many great reasons to make this!

You can store this shredded chicken for meal prep for up to 7 days in the fridge.

A top-down view shows a dark bowl filled with shredded chicken coated in a reddish-brown BBQ sauce. A gold-colored fork rests in the bowl, slightly submerged in the chicken. The chicken has a slightly stringy texture and appears moist. The background is a plain white surface.
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Healthy BBQ Pulled Chicken (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)

By Amy Rains
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6
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An easy chipotle BBQ pulled chicken recipe seasoned with homemade BBQ sauce! The shredded chicken can be cooked in an Instant Pot or Slow Cooker.
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Ingredients 

  • 3 lbs Chicken Breasts*
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos, or soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown mustard
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 large garlic clove, crushed
  • 2 tbsp liquid smoke
  • 2 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped
  • 2 tbsp adobo sauce

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, mix together broth, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, honey, coconut aminos, mustard, paprika, onion powder, garlic, liquid smoke, chipotles, and adobo sauce.
  • For the Slow Cooker:
  • Place your chicken at the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour sauce on top. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, or until chicken can easily be shredded with a fork.
  • Remove from heat and serve.
  • For the Instant Pot:
  • Place your chicken in the bottom of your Instant Pot. Pour sauce on top. Select the manual function. Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
  • Use a natural release. Remove the lid, and shred the chicken with a fork of knife.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

This is a very saucy recipe, you can use up to 4lbs of chicken and have plenty to last for leftovers or lunches.
Tried this recipe?Mention @wholesomelicious or tag #wholesomelicious!

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6 Comments

  1. Eric says:

    Can you replace the chicken with pork in this recipe? Any tips to do so?

    Reply
    1. Amy says:

      Yes!!! Cook time would be the same. Use a pork tenderloin, about 3 lbs.

      Reply
  2. Stacy Chatterton says:

    Just FYI this isn’t Whole30 compliant because it has honey and liquid smoke in it! Also not sure about the adobo sauce. Otherwise it looks delicious! But might want to suggest to leave these ingredients out for those following the Whole30. Thanks!

    Reply
    1. Amy says:

      Hi Stacy! You’re right, not Whole30 compliant! But, it’s not listed or categorized as Whole30 on my site or anywhere in the recipe, only Paleo. But perfect to try when not on Whole30!

      Reply
  3. Cindy says:

    Directions say 2 chiptoles. 2 what? 2 cans? 2 peppers? 2 Tbsp?

    Reply
    1. amy@wholesomelicious.com says:

      Hi Cindy, it’s 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Sorry for the confusion!

      Reply