Name: Instant Pot Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Tacos Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 37 min
Ingredients: 12 6 inch corn tortillas (for serving); fresh cilantro (optional garnish); fresh chopped pineapple (optional garnish); sliced red onion (optional garnish); 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts; 20 ounces pineapple tidbits (do not drain); 1 cup BBQ sauce; 3 Tablespoons brown sugar; 1 ½ teaspoons liquid smoke; ½ cup red onion; 2 Tablespoons diced jalapenos; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 Tablespoons yellow mustard; ½ cup water; 3 cups shredded cabbage coleslaw mix; 1 cup purple cabbage (sliced thin); ½ cup shredded carrot; ½ cup mayonnaise; 2 Tablespoons white vinegar; ½ teaspoon celery seed; 1 Tablespoon sugar; to taste salt and pepper

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Boneless skinless chicken breasts

Can of pineapple tidbits

BBQ sauce

Brown sugar

Liquid smoke

Red onion

Jalapenos (fresh or canned will work!)

Chili powder

Garlic

Yellow mustard

Shredded cabbage coleslaw mix

Purple cabbage

Shredded carrot

Mayonnaise (this can be substituted for plain Greek yogurt)

White vinegar

Celery seed

Granulated sugar

Corn tortillas

Fresh cilantro (optional)

Fresh pineapple (optional)

Cooking With Liquid Smoke

This recipe calls for liquid smoke. Have you used it in other recipes before? Do you even know what it is? Is it safe? If you have been wondering these things yourself, take a look at this very informative article on how liquid smoke is made by Epicurious.

all the hawaiian bbq chicken taco ingredients in the inner pot of the instant pot

bbq chicken taco coleslaw ingredients in a bowl before mixing

How To Make Instant Pot Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Tacos

Get out your Instant Pot and plug it in! Then place your chicken breast in the bottom of the Instant Pot.

Add literally all of the other ingredients for the chicken on top of it. Yep, that’s right dump it on. Don’t even drain the can of pineapple tidbits.

Place the lid on the Instant Pot and press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer for 12 minutes and 22 minutes if you are using frozen chicken.

When the timer is done, switch the valve on top from SEALING to VENTING also know as doing a quick release.

Once the Instant Pot has released all the pressure, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and shred them in a separate bowl or plate.

After shredding the chicken, add it back into the Instant Pot and mix it into the sauce until it is completely covered.

Now, prepare the coleslaw by taking a large mixing bowl and adding in the coleslaw mix, purple cabbage, and shredded carrots.

Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, celery seed, and sugar in a smaller mixing bowl. Mix everything until well combined.

Then, pour the mayonnaise dressing over the coleslaw mixture and toss it until it is completely covered. Season it with salt and pepper to your preferred taste.

Now, serve each taco with a tortilla with seasoned shredded chicken, coleslaw, fresh pineapple, cilantro, and onions. Enjoy!

Freezer Friendly Tips

Place chicken, pineapple, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, liquid smoke, red onion, jalapenos, chili powder, garlic, and yellow mustard in a gallon-sized freezer bag. The bag will last up to 90 days in the freezer.

When ready to use, dump the ingredients from the bag into the Instant Pot and add 1/2 cup of water along with the frozen food. Place the lid on top, move the valve to SEALING, and press the MANUAL button. Set the timer for 25 minutes. When the timer is done, do a 5-minute NATURAL RELEASE. Follow the rest of the instructions as written.

Serving Suggestions:

We recommend serving these delicious side dishes with our Instant Pot Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Tacos:

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Questions & Reviews

Kristin says:

We're having this for dinner tomorrow and I cannot wait! My mouth is watering thinking about it. I accidentally bought chicken thighs instead of breasts. Do I need to adjust the cooking time at all?? Thank you!
Nicole says:

This recipes sounds delicious. If you wanted to make this using a slow cooker, what would be the cooking time?
Leesa says:

Made this for my family of 4 last night. It was SO GOOD and came together very quickly!
Heather says:

Also interested in the slow cooker version . I noticed it was asked, but no one answered with the time conversion 😞
Momma Cyd says:

You could adapt this to the slow cooker. What you would could in the Instant Pot, will take most of the day in the slow cooker(as far as cooking the meat goes) Then just kind of follow the directions from there and adapt the recipe. Should come together pretty easily.
Rebecca says:

Excellent flavor. Next time, I would cut down on the liquid and sugar by eliminating the brown sugar and water. My chicken breasts were large and frozen, so I cooked the dish for 25 minutes.
Michelle says:

The flavor of this dish was amazing! We will definitely be making it again.
Anne says:

Do you drain the pineapple?
Momma Cyd says:

No, do not drain the pineapple.
Lyndsey A. says:

Great, unique recipe! Very tasty! I made it on the stove top as I don't have an Instant Pot. It was really watery so I'd reduce the liquid doing it there. As a vegetarian with a meat eating husband, I made two pots - one with regular chicken, one with morning star chicken. Served it with homemade guac and chips, and cilantro lime rice. My husband wasn't hungry and then after smelling it, said he had to eat. Proceeded to eat 3 tacos and said he it was so amazing, and couldn't get over the great taste. It'll be a staple in our home. Thank you!