Easy Dairy-Free Instant Pot BBQ Shredded Chicken Freezer Meal!
The Budget-Friendly Dump-and-Go Freezer Dinner Every Busy Family Needs
“Some of the best dairy-free family meals aren’t complicated at all. This easy Instant Pot BBQ shredded chicken freezer meal uses affordable commissary ingredients, cooks straight from frozen, and makes those hectic summer evenings so much easier!” – Julie, Our Beautiful Choas.
Hi! I’m Julie, a military spouse, mom of three, and the blogger behind Our Beautiful Chaos.
If you’ve been here a while, you’ll know that most of what I share comes from real life in our home. Busy days, military family life, feeding my boys safely, and finding ways to still put good, comforting food on the table without spending my whole day in the kitchen.
In our family, dairy-free living isn’t a choice or a trend. It’s something we navigate every single day because one of my boys has a life-threatening dairy allergy. That means everything I make has to be safe, but it also has to feel normal, filling, and something everyone actually enjoys eating!
That’s why I care so much about recipes like this one. They make it possible for all of us to enjoy the same food together, without worry.
Today was a little different because I wasn’t stocking my own freezer alone. My friend and fellow military spouse and blogger Mona from Far From The Farm came over and we spent the afternoon putting together freezer meals together.
Since her household is much smaller than ours, the freezer bags you’ll see in some of these photos only contain three frozen chicken breasts. The recipe I’m sharing is the full family-sized version that I make at home using four chicken breasts, which comfortably feeds our family with leftovers if we’re lucky!
I absolutely love having a few freezer meals tucked away because life has a habit of getting busy when you least expect it. Between homeschooling, military life, church, appointments, sports, grocery shopping, and everything else that comes with raising three boys, there are plenty of evenings when I need dinner to be simple without sacrificing a homemade meal.
This BBQ shredded chicken has become one of those recipes I make again and again because it really couldn’t be much easier. Everything goes into a freezer bag in just a few minutes, then on cooking day it goes straight from the freezer into the Instant Pot. There’s no thawing, no standing over the stove, and no wondering what to make after a long day.
One thing I’ve really come to appreciate over the years is that freezer meals don’t need to be complicated to be helpful. Some recipes call for a huge list of ingredients and hours of prep work, but those aren’t usually the ones I come back to. The recipes that earn a permanent place in my freezer are the ones made with simple pantry staples that I almost always have on hand.
I also love how budget-friendly this meal is. Frozen chicken breasts have been one of the best values at our commissary lately, so whenever I see them on sale I grab a bag knowing several easy dinners are already taken care of. Combined with a few seasonings and your favorite dairy-free barbecue sauce, it’s an affordable meal that stretches well and keeps everyone happy.
Because one of my boys has a life-threatening dairy allergy, meals like this make life so much easier. Most barbecue sauces are naturally dairy-free, although I always recommend checking the label just to be safe. That means everyone at our table gets exactly the same dinner without me having to cook separate meals, and that’s always a win in my book.
We usually pile this shredded BBQ chicken into soft hamburger buns with an extra drizzle of barbecue sauce, but it’s just as delicious over baked potatoes, stuffed into wraps, or served alongside coleslaw and corn on the cob during the summer months.
If you’re looking for an easy freezer meal that uses affordable ingredients, takes almost no prep, and helps make busy evenings feel a little less stressful, I think you’re going to love this one. Now let’s head into the kitchen and put it together!
Our Beautiful Chaos – Recipe Disclaimer
All recipes are shared as a guide based on what works in my home kitchen. Results may vary.
It is your responsibility to check all ingredients for allergies, intolerances, or dietary needs before cooking. Our Beautiful Chaos is not responsible for any reactions or outcomes from the use of these recipes.
Nutritional information is an estimate only.
– Julie from Our Beautiful Chaos
Equipment
Available on Amazon.com [ad]
- 1 gallon zip-top freezer bag
- Sharpie permanent marker
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Liquid measuring jug
- Instant Pot (6 or 8 Quart)
- Two forks for shredding
- Hamburger buns (for serving)
Ingredients
Serves 4–6
For the Freezer Bag
- 4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
On Cooking Day
- 1½ cups dairy-free BBQ sauce
- ¼ cup water
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Assemble the Freezer Meal
Lay a gallon freezer bag flat on your work surface.
Add the frozen chicken breasts directly into the bag.
Sprinkle over the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, then gently shake everything together until the chicken is evenly coated with the seasonings.
Write the recipe name and cooking instructions on the outside of the freezer bag with a permanent marker before placing it into the freezer.
Step 2: Freeze
Lay the freezer bag flat in the freezer.
Freezing it flat makes it much easier to stack several freezer meals together and also helps the chicken freeze evenly.
The meal can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Step 3: Cook Straight From Frozen
When you’re ready to make dinner, remove the freezer bag from the freezer.
There’s absolutely no need to thaw anything first.
Simply empty the entire contents of the freezer bag straight into your Instant Pot.
One of the reasons I love this recipe so much is because there’s no planning ahead. If I forgot to take meat out that morning, dinner is still completely doable.
Step 4: Mix the BBQ Sauce
In a measuring jug, whisk together the dairy-free BBQ sauce and water.
Pour the mixture over the frozen chicken inside the Instant Pot.
The little bit of water helps the Instant Pot come to pressure while still giving you plenty of rich barbecue flavor.
Step 5: Pressure Cook
Secure the lid on the Instant Pot.
Make sure the steam release valve is set to SEAL, not VENT.
Cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.
When the cooking time finishes, carefully perform a Quick Release.
Once the pressure pin has dropped, remove the lid.
Step 6: Shred the Chicken
Using two forks, shred the chicken directly inside the Instant Pot.
Stir everything together so the shredded chicken becomes coated in all that delicious BBQ sauce.
If you’d like the chicken even saucier, stir through another splash of your favorite dairy-free barbecue sauce before serving.
Step 7: Serve
Pile the BBQ shredded chicken into soft hamburger buns.
Add a little extra BBQ sauce over the top if you’d like.
We love serving ours with coleslaw, corn on the cob, potato chips, or watermelon during the summer.
This is one of those dinners that somehow disappears almost as quickly as I can put it on the table!
Notes and Troubleshooting
Notes
- This recipe is designed to be assembled with frozen chicken breasts, so there’s no need to thaw them before making your freezer meal.
- Always check your BBQ sauce label to make sure it’s dairy-free, as ingredients can vary between brands.
- Shredding the chicken directly in the Instant Pot helps it soak up all of the flavorful cooking juices.
- If your family loves extra saucy BBQ chicken, stir in a little additional BBQ sauce after shredding.
- Labeling freezer meals with the cooking instructions saves you from guessing a few months later!
Troubleshooting
Chicken isn’t shredding easily?
The chicken probably needs a little more time. Lock the lid back on and cook for another 3–5 minutes on High Pressure before performing another Quick Release.
The BBQ sauce seems a little thin.
After shredding the chicken, turn the Instant Pot to Sauté for 3–5 minutes and stir occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly.
Want a stronger BBQ flavor?
Stir through another few tablespoons of your favorite dairy-free BBQ sauce after shredding.
Forgot to label the freezer bag?
I’ve done that before too! I highly recommend writing both the recipe name and cooking instructions on every freezer meal before it goes into the freezer.
Storage
Freezer Meal
- Store the assembled freezer meal flat in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Cooked Chicken
- Store leftover BBQ shredded chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through.
- Leftover cooked chicken can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Serving Ideas
- Hamburger buns
- Brioche buns
- Dairy-free coleslaw
- Corn on the cob
- Potato chips
- Watermelon slices
- Sweet potato fries
- Baked potatoes
- Wraps
- Rice bowls
- Side salad
Why You’ll Love This Recipe?!
- Completely dairy-free
- Freezer-friendly
- Cooks straight from frozen
- Perfect for busy weeknights
- Budget-friendly
- Great for military families – all ingredients came from the commissary!
- Kid-approved
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Minimal prep work
- Perfect for summer when you don’t want to heat the kitchen
FAQ’s
Yes! If you’re using fresh chicken breasts, reduce the pressure cooking time to about 12–15 minutes, depending on their size.
Absolutely. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work just as well and stay wonderfully juicy.
Yes, as long as your Instant Pot isn’t filled above the maximum fill line.
Yes! I have the slow cooker version of the recipe HERE!
Many popular barbecue sauces are naturally dairy-free, but ingredients can change, so always read the label before buying if you’re cooking for someone with a dairy allergy.
Easy Dairy-Free Instant Pot BBQ Shredded Chicken Freezer Meal!
Equipment
- gallon zip-top freezer bag
- Sharpie permanent marker for labelling the bag
- Measuring jug, cups and spoons
- Instant Pot pressure cooker needs to have at least 6 or 8 quarts capacity
- Two forks for shredding or you can use a hand mixer / stand mixer for ease
Ingredients
Assemble the freezer meal bag
- 4 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Additional ingredients on day of cooking
- 1 1/2 cups dairy-free BBQ sauce
- 1/4 cup water thins the BBQ sauce out so that the Instant Pot comes to pressure
Instructions
Assemble the freezer meal bag
- Place the frozen chicken breasts into a gallon freezer bag.
- Add the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Seal the bag, remove as much air as possible, and gently shake to coat the chicken.
- Label the freezer bag with the recipe name and cooking instructions before freezing.
- Freeze flat for up to 3 months.
Cooking the freezer meal
- When ready to cook, empty the frozen contents into the Instant Pot. No need to thaw.
- Mix the BBQ sauce and water together in a measuring jug.
- Pour over the frozen chicken.
- Secure the lid and make sure the valve is set to SEAL.
- Cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes.
- Perform a Quick Release once cooking has finished.
- Shred the chicken using two forks directly in the Instant Pot.
- Stir the shredded chicken into the BBQ sauce.
- Serve on hamburger buns with extra BBQ sauce if desired.
Notes
- This recipe is designed to cook from frozen.
- Always double-check that your BBQ sauce is dairy-free.
- Stir in a little extra BBQ sauce after shredding if you like your sandwiches extra saucy.
- Label your freezer bag before freezing so future you doesn’t have to guess what’s inside!
Storage
- Freezer Meal – Freeze assembled bags for up to 3 months.
- Cooked Chicken – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze cooked shredded chicken for up to 3 months.
Related Recipes
- Easy Dairy-Free Honey Garlic Slow Cooker Freezer Meal Recipe!
- Homemade Creamy Dairy-Free Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg Noodles!
- Easy Dairy-Free Chicken and Gravy Recipe!
Join our community!
It’s so important to be part of a community that not only understands you but that champions you, encourages, challenges and cheers you on. We couldn’t find one – so we created it instead!
Join the Side Hustle Homemaker’s team Sam, Mona and I over at the Recipes, Homesteading & More! Facebook group for Food Blogging Tips, Homesteading and Homemaking content and encouragement!
We’re 3 very different US/UK military families who met and became instant forever friends.
We created the group to share real life around recipes, food blogging, homemaking, military life, homesteading and more. Head on over, say Hi, share your recipes, homemaking tips and gain some friends and knowledge along the way!
The Takeaway
Freezer meals don’t have to be complicated to make a real difference.
This dairy-free BBQ shredded chicken is one of those recipes I find myself making again and again because it takes just a few minutes to put together, uses ingredients we almost always have on hand, and gives us an easy homemade dinner on the nights when life is especially busy.
Being able to pull a freezer bag straight from the freezer, tip everything into the Instant Pot, and have dinner practically cook itself feels like a gift to my future self every single time. And when everyone happily sits down to the same dairy-free meal together, I know those few minutes of meal prep were well worth it!
What Dairy-Free Recipe To Make Next?!
Share & Rate This Recipe!
If you tried this freezer meal, I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a quick star rating and comment below to let me know how your family enjoyed it.
