Instant Pot Whole Chicken Recipe (2024)

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Instant pot whole chicken recipe is so fast and the chicken is tender and flavorful. Each bite is juicy on the inside and the outside is coated with the best seasoning.

Instant pot whole chicken recipe

I’m always tempted to buy those whole rotisserie chickens at the grocery store. They always smell so good and make for an easy dinner. I wanted to try making a whole chicken at home to save money and I like the idea of being able to monitor the seasonings being used and such.

I make a really delicious Crockpot Whole Chicken. It is simply amazing but sometimes you need something a little faster. Anyone else have days they just don’t plan dinner early enough? For those days, this Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe is a quick and tasty solution.

We stock up on whole chickens when they go on sale at the grocery store. This helps us save a lot of money by buying when prices are the lowest. Plus, it is nice to just grab what you need out of the freezer.

Let’s get started. Make sure you have an instant pot. We have a 6 quart pressure cooker and love it.

Ingredients:

whole chicken– I use the 4-6 lb size chicken.
Chicken Broth
olive oil
paprika
Italian seasoning
garlic powder
salt and pepper

How to make Instant pot Whole Chicken:

First, put the trivet rack that comes with the instant pot inside the pot. You need this so the chicken is not sitting in the broth and juice.

Second, pour the chicken broth in the pot.

Next, add the whole chicken on top of the trivet. Place it so the breast is racing up.

If you have a basting brush, rub the olive oil all over the skin of the chicken.

Get a small bowl and mix the seasonings together. Take the seasoning mixture and sprinkle it all over the chicken.

You can use the basting brush to help coat the chicken. Make sure to get the seasoning all over.

Finally, seal the instant pot and cook on high pressure. Do this for 6 minutes per pound of the whole chicken you use for this recipe with a 15 minutes natural release.

For example, the chicken I used was 5 pounds so I cooked my chicken on high pressure for 30 minutes with a 15 minute natural release.

Once finished, let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Slice and enjoy! Then slice and serve. Enjoy!

Side ideas:

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
green beans
Instant Pot Twice Baked Potatoes Casserole Recipe
Parmesan Pasta
Instant pot white rice
Steamed Broccoli – This is so fast and easy in the microwave.
Baby Carrots – you will love the glaze on these carrots. Even my kiddos that don’t care for carrots will eat these.

These are just a few of our favorites. Any of these side dish ideas would be amazing and they are all so quick and easy. Check out 28 Best Rotisserie Chicken Sides.

Instant pot whole chicken leftover ideas:

The chicken is perfect to use in other recipes. We look forward to having leftovers so we make new meals out of the chicken.

chicken noodle soup– Shred the chicken and use it for soup.
Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole– Make this easy casserole with leftover chicken
Chicken Salad – Add it to your salads for a delicious chicken salad.
Make chicken and cheese quesadillas
Make chicken burritos
Add it to make a quickchicken tortilla soup
Make Crock Pot Chicken Stock with the Chicken Carcass.

Save money and make pressure cooker whole chicken!

This rotisserie style chicken is really simple to make. I think your family will love it. The electric pressure cooker makes dinner so quick and easy.

More Whole Chicken Recipes

Crockpot Whole Chicken Recipe
How to Roast a Chicken
How to Make Rotisserie Chicken Recipe

Print this Pressure cooker whole chicken recipe:

Review

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Instant pot whole chicken

4.89 from 9 votes

Instant pot whole chicken recipe is easy and the chicken is tender and flavorful. Each bite is juicy on the inside and the outside is crispy.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Natural Release 15 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings 8

Cuisine American

Course Main Course

Calories 327

Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

▢ 1 whole chicken 4-6 lbs
▢ 1 cup Chicken Broth
▢ 2 tbsp olive oil
▢ 1/2 tsp paprika
▢ 1 tsp Italian seasoning
▢ 1/4 tsp garlic powder
▢ 1 tsp salt
▢ 1 tsp pepper

Instructions

Place trivet rack that comes with the instant pot inside the pot and pour in the chicken broth.
Then put the whole chicken into the instant pot on top of the trivet breast side up.
Use a basting brush to rub the olive oil all over the skin of the chicken.
Mix all the seasonings together in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken and use the basting brush to coat the chicken with the seasonings.
Seal the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes per pound of the whole chicken you use for this recipe with a 15 minutes natural release. The chicken I used for this recipe was 5 pounds so I cooked my chicken on high pressure for 30 minutes with a 15 minute natural release.
Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Then slice and serve. Enjoy!
Refrigerate the leftovers in an air tight container for up to 5-7 days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 327kcal, Carbohydrates 1g, Protein 26g, Fat 24g, Saturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 102mg, Sodium 494mg, Potassium 291mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 1g, Vitamin A 258IU, Vitamin C 4mg, Calcium 22mg, Iron 1mg

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More easy Instant pot chicken recipes:

Instant Pot Chicken Tacos Recipe
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Instant Pot Chicken Fajita Pasta Recipe

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

About Carrie Page

FAQs

Why does my Instant Pot chicken taste rubbery? ›

If your boneless chicken breast winds up with a weird, rubbery texture, it probably means that you need to cook it longer. In general, the Instant Pot does better with longer cook times for meat.

Learn More Now ›

Do you need to add water when cooking chicken in an Instant Pot? ›

Add the chicken to the Instant Pot: Arrange the chicken in a single, even layer in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Add the water, then sprinkle with salt.

See Details ›

Is it possible to overcook chicken in Instant Pot? ›

While all cuts of chicken are fair game for the Instant Pot, thighs are the most forgiving. Because chicken breast is so lean, just a couple of extra minutes of cook time turns them from juicy to overcooked and dry.

Read The Full Story ›

Do you have to use a trivet in Instant Pot for chicken? ›

Use the Trivet or Steamer Basket

We're not boiling these breasts, but rather pressure steaming them to ensure they are juicy, so you want the breasts to sit above the cooking liquid. I've used both the trivet that comes with the pot and a folding steamer basket with the same great results.

Know More ›

Why is chicken tough in pressure cooker? ›

Chicken can get a rubbery texture in the instant pot when over cooked. To avoid this, try not to over cook your chicken. Storing the chicken in chicken broth can help rehydrate the chicken and make it less rubbery.

Learn More Now ›

Does pressure cooked chicken make it tender? ›

By placing cooking liquid in the bottom of the pressure cooker and placing the chicken in the steamer basket above the liquid, you are guaranteed tender, moist chicken every time.

Read The Full Story ›

Is it better to slow cook or pressure cook chicken breast? ›

Ultimately, slow cooking allowed our chicken to be perfectly seasoned without compromising the meat texture, a luxury pressure cooking can't afford.

Read The Full Story ›

How long do you can chicken in a pressure cooker? ›

Once you're getting 4 “jiggles” per minute, or your dial gauge has come up to pressure, start your timer and process the chicken. If you're canning pint jars, you will process them for 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes). If you're using quart jars, you will process for 1 hour 30 minutes (90 minutes).

Get More Info Here ›

Can pressure cooker soften chicken bones? ›

You use quite a bit of water in the pressure cooker so you can cook the bones for enough time so the bones become soft. Then you can grind them up easily with this grinder. Chicken bones, cooked at high pressure in a pressure cooker, take about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.

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How do you not overcook a whole chicken? ›

Start hot, then cool down. High oven temperatures will cause browning but can also lead to overcooking. To prevent this, start your chicken in a hot oven. Once the chicken starts to brown, turn down the heat to maintain the perfect temperature.

Why does my chicken look cooked but taste rubbery? ›

Overcooking might play a role in your chicken's tire-like texture. Leaving chicken in a pan, oven, or grill for just a little too long can suck the moisture right out and leave you with a dry, rubbery bird. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

Does chicken get more tender the longer you slow cook it? ›

That is why tough meats become “fork tender” in the slow cooker. Chicken breasts have very little connective tissue; that means they can be cooked quickly because the long cooking time needed to soften connective tissue isn't necessary. They also have little fat, which means they can become dry if cooked too long.

Find Out More ›

Does chicken get more tender the longer you cook it? ›

Unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs and drumsticks actually become more tender the longer they cook. That's because of their makeup. Dark meat has an abundant amount of connective tissue, which dissolves into gelatin as the meat cooks, rendering it juicy and tender.

Get More Info ›

Why is my cooked meat rubbery? ›

Yup, cooking most meat too long is a bad thing. Cooking lamb too long like that will result in rubber. Its also possible that you accidentally cut with the grain instead of against it - which would result in a very chewy, rubber like texture. You end up with long proteins that are harder to chew.

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