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Instant Pot Smoky Mountain Chicken

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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: 365 Days of Slow and Pressure Cooking
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Chicken thighs in barbecue sauce topped with cheddar cheese and bacon. A simple chicken dish that tastes so good and only has a handful of ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce
  • 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup bacon crumbles
  • 2 green onions, sliced

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions:

  1. Pour 1 cup water into bottom of Instant Pot. Place a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
  2. Place chicken thighs on top of trivet. Try to lay in one layer. If that’s not possible then stagger the chicken pieces so they are not laying right on top of each other.
  3. Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 15 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
  4. (If you have an air fryer lid read note below) Place chicken in a 8×8 baking dish. Sprinkle salt and pepper and garlic powder on the the chicken. In a small bowl stir the BBQ sauce and liquid smoke together and then brush the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese and bacon over the top evenly. Place under your oven’s broiler for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle the green onions on top. Serve and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Instructions: 

  1. For the slow cooker version use 1 cup of BBQ sauce. Stir it together with the liquid smoke. Spoon half of the sauce onto the bottom of the slow cooker. Place chicken into slow cooker and brush the rest of the BBQ sauce on top of the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and garlic powder.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Remove the lid.
  3. Sprinkle cheese and bacon on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 10 more minutes until cheese is melted. 
  4. Sprinkle the green onions on top. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Step 4:  Alternately, you can do this step in your Instant Pot if you have an air fryer lid. Dump the water out of the pot and lay chicken pieces in bottom of dry pot. Sprinkle salt and pepper and garlic powder on the the chicken. In a small bowl stir the BBQ sauce and liquid smoke together and then brush the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese and bacon over the top evenly. Use the air fryer lid for about 2-3 minutes at 350° F to melt the cheese. 

To make this recipe low carb use a low sugar BBQ sauce.

  • Category: Chicken
  • Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

Find it online: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-smoky-mountain-chicken/

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