Instant Pot Whole Chicken
On the table in less than an hour, this Instant Pot Whole Chicken is such an easy recipe to prepare. The result is a perfectly tender and juicy rotisserie-style chicken that can be served solo, with your choice of sides, or used throughout the week as an ingredient for other meals.
Check out a few recipes that use shredded chicken: Authentic Chicken Tortilla Soup, Easy Chicken Enchiladas Verdes, Chicken Enchilada Nachos, Southwestern Egg Rolls With Rotisserie Chicken, and Buffalo Chicken Dip
This roasted chicken recipe has a Sunday-afternoon feel to it and takes me back to a time when my grandmother would make sure everyone in the house had enough food to eat—along with anyone else who might have stopped by. It is perfect as a main entree, but can also be used in so many other recipes, from sandwiches to casseroles.
Recipes that may typically take hours have been cut down to a third of the time using the Instant Pot. And this is done without sacrificing flavor and texture. It would normally take hours to make a “low and slow” dish where the meat literally falls off the bone, but if you follow this cooking method, you will achieve the same result in less time.
Ingredients you’ll need to make Instant Pot Whole Chicken:
- The ideal size for a whole chicken in an Instant Pot depends on your appliance, but generally, a 4- to 6-pound whole chicken works best for a 6-quart model. If you have the 8-quart model, you can go up to 8 pounds.
- The whole chicken will simmer in chicken stock while releasing its own juices.
- Minced garlic or garlic paste, along with sage, will be added to the chicken stock.
- For the seasoning that will be applied to the outside of the whole chicken, you’ll need Creole seasoning, oregano, ground thyme, sea salt, and black pepper.
- You also add rosemary leaves, red pepper flakes, sage, ground thyme, onion powder, and black pepper to the inside cavity of the whole chicken.
How to make Instant Pot Whole Chicken:
Prepare the whole chicken. Allow your chicken to completely defrost, if applicable. Remove the giblets and excess fat from the chicken cavity. Once the cavity is clear, dry the outside of the chicken with a paper towel. This ensures the seasoning sticks to the skin.
Handy tip: Prepare Ahead!
The first thing you want to do is make sure your whole chicken can fit in the Instant Pot. I used a 6-pound whole chicken for this recipe because of the size of my Instant Pot (I have the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1, 6 Quart), so you will want to adjust the size of your chicken depending on the size of your pot.
Add the seasonings. Coat the entire outside of the chicken with the “external” seasonings. When the outside of the chicken is coated, add the “internal” seasonings to the chicken cavity.
Sear the whole chicken. Before adding the whole chicken to your Instant Pot, you’ll want to brown the skin. Browning chicken skin before roasting means searing the outside at high heat to develop a flavorful, golden-brown, crispy exterior while rendering fat. Of course, you could do this inside the pot itself, but I prefer to use a cast-iron skillet. Add a bit of oil to your skillet and brown the skin on each side for 4 minutes.
Add ingredients to the Instant Pot. Turn on your Instant Pot and set the pressure cooking option to “High.” Add your chicken broth, minced garlic, and sage to the pot while it’s warming, and place your metal trivet into the pot as well.
Place the whole chicken in the Instant Pot. Once the pot is warm, place your chicken into the Instant Pot with the breast side down. Place and seal your lid and roast your chicken for 30-35 minutes (6 minutes per pound), then slow-release for an additional 25 minutes.
Remove the whole chicken from the Instant Pot. You can use the metal trivet to remove the chicken, but be careful of the steam because it will still be pretty hot. Place the whole chicken on a cutting board or large platter, then allow it to rest for 10 minutes to redistribute its juices. And save the broth for other recipes and sauces! I use chicken broth in so many things.
How long should I roast my whole chicken in the Instant Pot?
The rule of thumb is to roast your whole chicken for 6 minutes per pound. When the chicken is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for an additional 25 minutes, then release the valve and remove the chicken from the pot.
This Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe is a great way to get the family together to enjoy a meal loaded with flavor. With this recipe, you can not only enjoy this chicken with sides, but also use it in other recipes.
Print
Insta Pot Whole Chicken
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Description
Instant Pot Whole Chicken will be some of the most tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken you will ever enjoy — and in less than 60 minutes!
Ingredients
- 6 lb whole chicken
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sage
External Chicken Seasonings:
- 2 tbsp Creole seasoning
- 3 tbsp oregano
- 1 tbsp ground thyme
- 3 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp black pepper
Internal Chicken Seasonings:
- 1 tbsp rosemary leaves
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp ground thyme
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
- Defrost your whole chicken (if necessary), then remove the giblets and excess fat from the inside of the chicken.
- Season the outside of the chicken with external seasonings (Creole seasoning, oregano, ground thyme, sea salt, and black pepper), then rub them into the skin. Add the internal seasonings (rosemary leaves, red pepper flakes, sage, ground thyme, onion powder, and black pepper) into the chicken cavity.
- Heat a cast iron skillet (paid link) to medium-high heat. Add a bit of oil and sear the chicken on each side for 4 minutes.
- Turn on your Instant Pot in Pressure Cooking mode. Add the chicken stock, minced garlic, and sage.
- Once the Instant Pot is warm, place the whole chicken inside the Instant Pot (on top of the metal trivet), breast side down. Cover and seal the lid.
- Pressure cook for 30-35 minutes, then slow-release for an additional 25 minutes. Open the release valve to remove additional steam. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Notes
The first thing you want to do is make sure your whole chicken can fit in the Instant Pot. I used a 6-pound whole chicken for this recipe because of the size of my Instant Pot (I have the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1, 6 Quart), so you will want to adjust the size of your chicken depending on the size of your pot.
The rule of thumb is to roast your whole chicken for 6 minutes per pound. When the chicken is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for an additional 25 minutes, then release the valve and remove the chicken from the pot.
Save the broth for other recipes and sauces!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 876
- Sugar: 0.1g
- Sodium: 1860mg
- Fat: 33.8g
- Carbohydrates: 3.4g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 131.8g
- Cholesterol: 404mg
This was a great dish. Browning the whole chicken in a skillet and adding the chicken stock was the key to a moist and savory chicken. My family ate it up for our pandemic Thanksgiving. We didn’t have an Instant Pot (Hoping for one this Christmas) so I used our dutch oven and cooked in the oven at 425 degrees- Delicious. I look forward to making many of your other dishes.
Thanks so much for leaving this feedback, Kelley!