Instant Pot Whole Chicken

This recipe originally appeared on A Food Lover’s Kitchen.

Cooking a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot is a breeze – way faster than cooking it in the oven – and it turns out perfectly plump and juicy. Give this Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe a try and you’ll see why it’s so popular.

One of the things I used to make the most in the oven was a whole roasted chicken. But it takes quite a while to cook a whole chicken in the oven. So when I got my Instant Pot, a whole chicken was one of the first things I made.

Whole chicken not only provides a delicious meal, it also ensures we have left over chicken for sandwiches and salads throughout the week.

You will likely be very surprised by how little time it takes to make a whole chicken in the Instant Pot. The first time I did it, I was more than a little skeptical that it would actually get cooked all the way through in such a short time. But it worked a charm.

Why You’ll Love It

• Easy Cooking: Cooking a whole chicken in the Instant Pot is simple and straightforward. Just season the chicken, place it in the pot, and let the Instant Pot do the cooking for you. It’s a hassle-free way to enjoy a delicious homemade meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
• Tender and Juicy: The Instant Pot’s pressure cooking function locks in moisture, resulting in a tender and juicy whole chicken. Whether you’re cooking fresh or frozen chicken, you can expect flavorful and succulent meat every time.
• Versatile Meals: Once you’ve cooked your whole chicken in the Instant Pot, you can use the meat in a variety of dishes. From salads to sandwiches to soups, the possibilities are endless. Plus, you can use the bones to make homemade chicken broth, adding even more value to your meal.

Cassie Knoll says: It’s now my go-to method for cooking a whole chicken!

Tam says: The chicken was moist, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. I can’t wait to make it again!

» See more Chicken Dishes to make in the Instant Pot.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For this recipe, you’ll need the chicken plus a few spices to season it and as always you’ll need water to put in the bottom of the pot.

• 2.5-5 pound whole chicken – Be mindful of the size of your Instant Pot when purchasing a chicken. Typically a 3-pound chicken will fill a 6-quart IP. For a larger chicken, you’ll need an 8+-quart Instant Pot.
• Olive Oil or melted butter – You’ll mix this with the spices to make a wet rub to put on the chicken.
• Seasonings – salt, paprika, garlic powder dried rosemary, ground black pepper
• Water – 1 cup for a 6-quart, 1.5 cups for an 8 quart

Helpful Tips

• You should cook the chicken for 6 minutes per pound, so if you have a chicken that’s larger than 3lbs, be sure to set the temp properly.
• If your chicken is frozen, cook for 8.5 minutes per pound and always check that it’s up to the proper temp after cooking.
• Rest the chicken for 10-20 minutes before slicing.
• You can crisp up the skin of the chicken under the broiler for 5 minutes.

Timings (Fresh & Frozen)

For a fresh chicken that is not frozen, it takes approximately 6 minutes per pound to cook. I usually cook a 3 pound chicken, so it’s a total of 18 minutes. Be sure to check the weight of your chicken before setting the timer.

18 minutes! That’s a HUGE time savings over roasting a chicken in the oven, which takes at least 45 minutes. Here are some typical times for sizes. Be sure to weigh your chicken so you know how long to cook it.

• 2 pound chicken = 12 minutes
• 2.5 pound chicken = 15 minutes
• 3 pound chicken = 18 minutes
• 3.5 pound chicken = 21 minutes
• 5 pound chicken = 30 minutes (usually only fits in an 8-quart size IP)

For a frozen chicken, it will take around 8.5 minutes per pound. That means if you have a typically sized 3 pound chicken, it will only need to cook for 26 minutes in the Instant Pot.

• 2 pound frozen chicken = 17 minutes
• 2.5 pound frozen chicken = @ 22 minutes
• 3 pound frozen chicken = @ 26 minutes
• 3.5 pound frozen chicken = 30 minutes
• 5 pound frozen chicken = 43 minutes

How to Cook Instant Pot Whole Chicken

There are three steps to making a whole chicken in the Instant Pot. It’s actually very, very simple. It consists of seasoning the chicken, putting it into the Instant Pot, turning it on, and removing it to slice and eat. See? Super simple.

Step 1: Prep the chicken

Before you begin, make sure that your chicken fits in your Instant Pot. As you know, Instant Pots come in different sizes. If you have the smallest one – the 3qt version – you will only be able to fit a very small chicken in the pot.

With the largest version – an 8-qt – you can likely fit a chicken up to 6 or 7 pounds. A 6-quart Instant Pot, like the one I have, can fit up to a 5-lb chicken, as long as it’s more plump than long.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Mix up your wet rub and brush it all over the chicken’s exterior, making sure to get inside the leg and wings.

Step 2: Prep the Instant Pot

The Instant Pot comes with a metal trivet that you can place at the bottom of the metal pot to raise the food up off the bottom. This is an occasion where you will want to use the trivet. Place it in the bottom of the pot.

Pour one cup of water into the bottom of the pot. You may need to use 1.5 or 2 cups if you have an 8-quart pot. The water should just come up to the top of the trivet.

Place the seasoned chicken on top of the trivet and close the lid of the Instant Pot. Make sure the valve is on seal. Set the pressure cooker to the appropriate number of minutes needed for your size of chicken. (See above)

Step 3: Finish

When the cooking time is over, the pressure cooker will still need around 15 – 30 minutes to depressurize. It’s best to allow the pressure to release naturally. This will help seal in the juices and make the chicken super tender and delicious.

The whole process should take around 40 minutes, for an average size chicken. Once you’ve opened up the pot, check the chicken with a meat thermometer, like the instant-read Thermapen, to be sure it’s reached the proper internal temperature of 165° F(75°C).

If your chicken did not reach the right temperature, you’ll need to put it back on for a few minutes. 2-3 minutes should be enough. You may also wish to finish its cooking process in the oven – especially if you intend to crispy up the skin in the oven anyway.

Finish the chicken by allowing it to rest on a cutting board for 10-20 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the chicken, which will make sure it’s perfectly juicy and fully cooked through to the bone. Don’t skip the resting!

Will the Chicken Have Crispy Skin?

When you take the chicken out of the Instant Pot, it won’t have crispy skin. The skin will be thin and translucent. If you really want a crispy exterior, you should roast the chicken in the oven instead of the Instant Pot.

However, you can add a bit of crispiness and color to the top of the chicken by putting it in the oven on broil for around 8 minutes. Watch it closely so you don’t over do it. Take it out as soon as color begins to form.

If you like crispy skin chicken, you should consider making air fryer whole chicken. We also like making frozen chicken wings in the air fryer. They turn out with perfect crispy skin.

What If the Chicken is Frozen?

It’s absolutely possible to cook a frozen chicken in the Instant Pot. It just takes a bit more time. You can even still apply the wet rub seasoning to a frozen chicken.

Just make sure the chicken has already been properly cleaned, with the gizzards removed, before you put it in the Instant Pot. If it happens to have anything stuffed into the cavity – some come with a bag of seasoning stuffed inside – you can’t cook it.

Cook times differ for frozen chicken. Instead of 6 minutes, it will take 8.5 minutes per pound.

» Check out this information for cooking frozen chicken thighs in the Instant Pot.

Side Dishes to Serve With A Whole Chicken

Questions About the Recipe

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