These meal prep shredded bbq chicken bowls are a light and fresh weekly meal idea. Easy shredded bbq chicken, pineapple salsa, rice, and avocado. Making shredded chicken in the instant means hands free cooking and easy clean up. Even better the chicken is just two ingredients, and these bowls can be easily customized. Leftover chicken can be used on pizza, in quesadillas, or as a shredded chicken sandwich!
Highlights of the BBQ chicken bowls:
- Balanced meal prep
- Hands free cooking in the pressure cooker
- Light & fresh
- Good all week
- Makes a good lunch or dinner
- Filling
Tools I used for this recipe:
- Glasslock Glass Food Storage Containers – the square containers are the perfect size for lunches, stain proof, and they are dishwasher safe
- Tongs – a must have kitchen tool!
- Instant Pot – A versatile counter top appliance perfect for quickly cooking this BBQ chicken! My favorite electric pressure cooker.
If you like these Meal Prep Shredded BBQ Chicken Bowls, you’ll love these other easy meal prep ideas…
Carnitas Bowls with Mango Salsa
Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Orzo
Grocery List:
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
- BBQ sauce, homemade or store-bought
- Rice, white or brown (could substitute cauliflower rice)
- Fresh pineapple
- Red onion
- Jalapeños
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Avocados
- Kosher Salt
Cooking chicken in the instant is quick and easy! You get tender shredded chicken every time!
Cost breakdown:
- Chicken – $4.74
- BBQ sauce – $1.38
- Rice – $.94
- Pineapple – $1.97
- Jalapeno – $.28
- Cilantro – $.99
- Lime – $.70
- Red onion – $.48
- Seasoning – $.15
- Avocado – $1.25
Total: $12.88
Per serving (5 servings): $2.58
Shredded BBQ chicken is so easy and versatile, serve in a rice bowl, as a sandwich, or on pizza!
Instructions for the Meal Prep Shredded BBQ Chicken Bowls:
BBQ chicken:
- In the base of an instant pot or pressure cooker, combine the chicken and BBQ sauce. Make sure the chicken is coated well.
- Secure the lid onto the pressure cooker. Turn on instant pot, select “Pressure Cook” setting, set to “high pressure” for 25-30 minutes*, and start. Once the timer has expired and the chicken has finished cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally. The chicken should temp at 165 degrees F. once done.
- Remove from the bowl and shred using two forks. Place the shredded chicken back into the bowl of the pressure cooker to soak up the remaining sauce.
Por the pineapple salsa:
- In a large bowl combine pineapple, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, lime, and salt. Stir to combine, set aside.
Rice:
- In a large sauce pan combine the rice and water, stir well. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling cover and reduce heat to low. Cook on low for 30 minutes. Remove lid, and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool.
- Evenly divide rice between 5 containers, top with shredded chicken, pineapple salsa, fresh avocado slices, lime, and extra cilantro. Seal and store for the week.
Notes:
*Cooking time may change due to the thickness of the chicken breast, for quicker cooking, pound the chicken breasts.
Meal Prep Shredded BBQ Chicken Bowls
Simple, tender shredded BBQ chicken bowls with pineapple salsa, avocado, and rice
Equipment
- Instant pot or pressure cooker
Ingredients
- Avocados, sliced
- Fresh lime and cilantro, for garnish
For the BBQ chicken:
- 1 1/2 lbs. Boneless skinless chicken breast (about 3 large chicken breasts)
- 1, 18 oz. Bottle of BBQ sauce, any kind
For the pineapple salsa:
- 1 fresh Pineapple, diced small
- 1-2 Jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
- 1 small Red onion, finely diced
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Fresh Lime juice and zest
- Salt, to taste
For the rice:
- 2 cups Dry brown rice, rinsed
- 4 cups Water
Instructions
For the BBQ chicken:
- In the base of an instant pot or pressure cooker, combine the chicken and BBQ sauce. Make sure the chicken is coated well.
- Secure the lid onto the pressure cooker. Turn on instant pot, select "Pressure Cook" setting, set to "high pressure" for 25-30 minutes*, and start. Once the timer has expired and the chicken has finished cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally. The chicken should temp at 165 degrees F. once done.
- Remove from the bowl and shred using two forks. Place the shredded chicken back into the bowl of the pressure cooker to soak up the remaining sauce.
For the pineapple salsa:
- In a large bowl combine pineapple, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, lime, and salt. Stir to combine, set aside.
For the Rice:
- In a large sauce pan combine the rice and water, stir well. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling cover and reduce heat to low. Cook on low for 30 minutes. Remove lid, and fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool.
- Evenly divide rice between 5 containers, top with shredded chicken, pineapple salsa, fresh avocado slices, lime, and extra cilantro. Seal and store for the week.
Notes
*Cooking time may change due to the thickness of the chicken breast, for quicker cooking, pound the chicken breasts.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 625kcalCarbohydrates: 104gProtein: 36gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 1281mgPotassium: 996mgFiber: 4gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 313IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 3mg
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