There’s nothing like a good plate of BBQ pulled chicken, smoky, tender, falling apart at the fork. The problem is, most versions at your summer barbecues are loaded with sugar-laden sauce and questionable meat. So I set out to fix that.

My BBQ Pulled Chicken uses your Instant Pot to get that fall-apart texture in under an hour, no smoker required.

Want to skip the meat altogether? Canned (in brine) or frozen jackfruit shreds beautifully and soaks up the same smoky barbecue flavor; it’s one of my favorite plant-based stand-ins. Just steer clear of fresh jackfruit; the prep involved isn’t worth the hassle.

Either way you make it, this one’s a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Pulled Chicken

• 1½ pounds of chicken
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 3 cups Almost Classic BBQ Sauce 

Almost Classic BBQ Sauce

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 sweet onion, finely diced
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• ¼ cup Lectin-Light Ketchup 
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon fresh, grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos, or fish sauce

Directions

Almost Classic BBQ Sauce

1. Set your Instant Pot to sauté, and heat the oil.
2. Add the onion, and stir until caramelized.
3. Add the mustard, vinegar, pomegranate molasses, ketchup, turmeric, garlic, ginger, and coconut aminos, then switch to pressure cook. Cook for 10 minutes on high pressure, then manually release the pressure.
4. Switch the pot back to sauté, and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. For chunky barbecue sauce, use as is; for a smooth sauce, blend for 30 seconds. That’s it!

Pulled Chicken

1. Cut the chicken so it fits easily into your Instant Pot.
2. In a small bowl, combine the salt, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and cinnamon.
3. Rub the chicken with the seasoning mix, then transfer to your Instant Pot along with the onions and barbecue sauce.
4. Cook for 45 minutes for chicken (6 minutes for jackfruit).
5. Serve with sides of your choice, and enjoy.