If you love tacos, you’ll enjoy these Shredded BBQ Chicken Tacos. They’re flavorful, kid-friendly, filling, and can be ready in under 30 minutes.
How to make the shredded BBQ chicken tacos
For this recipe I used 2 large chicken breasts (about 2 lbs). Shredded, they yield plenty of filling — enough for multiple rounds. If your breasts are smaller or you have big appetites at the table, add one or two more and increase the other ingredients proportionally.
Preparing the shredded BBQ chicken
I lightly seasoned the chicken with salt, black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. I seared the breasts in the Instant Pot on sauté with a little vegetable oil for about 2 minutes per side to develop color. Then I added 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1 1/2 cups of a sweet BBQ sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ, but any sweet variety works).
Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, release the pressure, open the pot, and shred the chicken. Toss the shredded chicken in the pan juices and additional BBQ sauce to taste. Serve in warmed tortillas with your favorite toppings.
I like to serve these tacos with a fresh salsa. Good options include pico de gallo, avocado-mango salsa, or the pineapple salsa shown in the photos. Below you’ll find the ingredient list and simple instructions for both the tacos and an optional pineapple salsa.
Other recipes you may like
Southwest Chicken Tacos
Chili Lime Shrimp Taco
Sriracha Garlic Shrimp Sheet Pan
Shredded BBQ Chicken Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts (about 2 lbs)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1 1/2 cups Honey BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- 6 medium tortillas
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage (optional)
Pineapple salsa (optional)
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
- 2 tbsp purple onion, finely diced
- 1/3 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 lime (or 2 tsp lime juice)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with half the salt, the black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Heat the oil in the Instant Pot on sauté and pan-sear the chicken about 2 minutes per side to brown.
- Add the water, the remaining salt, Worcestershire sauce, and BBQ sauce.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Release the pressure, open the pot, and shred the chicken. Mix with the sauce and serve in warmed tortillas with cabbage and salsa as desired.
Notes
- I recommend a sweet BBQ sauce—Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ is my favorite for this recipe, but any sweet variety will work.
- Two large chicken breasts produce plenty of shredded chicken. If yours are small or you have big eaters, add another breast or two and scale the ingredients accordingly.
- Warm tortillas in the oven or microwave before filling so they are soft and easy to fold.
Nutrition
Calories: 304 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 41 g |
Protein: 15 g |
Fat: 9 g |
Sugar: 22 g