How to Effortlessly Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker Recipe) (2024)

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It seems like everywhere I look–from blogs to social media–people aredeclaring the praises of the Instant Pot.

How to Effortlessly Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker Recipe) (1)

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I purchased an Instant Pot a couple of years ago on the very first Amazon Prime Day. At the time, the pots were about $200+, which just seemed outrageous for an appliance that I didn’t even know how to use. But on Amazon Prime Day, the price dropped as low as $70. $70 was justifiable.

I received my Instant Pot within a couple of days (Amazon, you’ve forever spoiled me with your super fast shipping speed). I remember just looking at the box, and wondering what in the world I was going to do with this new appliance. I understood the slow cooker function, but the idea of a pressure cooker freaked me out.

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For a good two years, my Instant Pot was only used as a slow cooker. I was terrified to touch any other button. What if this thing blows up in my kitchen? What if it catches on fire? What if mini aliens are born inside my pot?

I’m obviously kidding about the alien thing, but in all seriousness, I was TERRIFIEDof what might happen if I tried the pressure cooker function. And really, who can blame me? We’ve all heard the old-fashioned pressure-cooker horror stories from our grandmothers and mothers.

How to Effortlessly Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker Recipe) (4)

A few months ago, Helen, from the Live Simply Team, approached me about an Instant Pot Salisbury Steak recipe she created in herInstant Pot, using the pressure cooker function. My heart skipped a few beats at the thought of having to make a recipeusing the pressure cooker function (to test and photograph), but despite my anxiety, I responded, “YES! Let’s do it!”

Friend, I feel like Helen deserves some type of award. Thanks to her,I’ve gained the confidenceneeded to use the pressure cooker function on the Instant Pot. In fact, if you follow me over on Instagram, then you know I’m slowly becoming an Instant Pot Guru. Okay, okay, maybe I’m not ready for the “guru” status just yet, but I’m definitely using my Instant Pot more.

And in case you’re curious, I no longer wonder if my Instant Pot is a mini alien factory. Confidence is a beautiful thing.

How to Effortlessly Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker Recipe) (5)

Today’s recipe/tutorial, which was perfectedby Helen, uses the saute and pressure functions of the Instant Pot to perfectly cook a whole chicken in under an hour. I asked Helen to develop this recipe, which is now a staple recipe in my kitchen, because I regularly cooka whole chicken and shred the meat to use throughout the week in sandwiches, salads, quesadillas, soup, and enchiladas. I know many of you do the same thing. The Instant Pot offers a very quick and easy way to do exactly that.

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Now, I absolutely love slowing down and cooking slow meals in the kitchen. I truly believe that’s something we need to get back to as a culture–even if it’s just once a week. You know, the act of using a stove to make a roasted chicken, a pot of soup, or some crusty bread.But, I also have two kids and work full-time on the blog and freelance recipe/photography projects. There are days–many days–when I just need to get dinner on the table quickly, with as little effort and mess as possible. That, my friend, is when the Instant Pot shines. Being able to cook a whole chicken in under an hour, with only one pot, is a huge blessing for this mom.

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How to Effortlessly Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker Recipe) (8)

4.78 from 9 votes

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

How to effortlessly cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot. This method results in flavorful, fall-of-the-bone chicken in under an hour.

Kristin Marr

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 1 whole chicken

Calories 1728 kcal

Ingredients

  • 3-4 lb whole chicken

Cavity of the Chicken:

  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion
  • 3 garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme

Spice Blend:*

  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp paprika see substitution ideas under “Recipe Notes”
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 TB avocado oil or olive oil

Liquid:

  • 1 cup chicken broth or water

Instructions

  • Remove the giblets and neck if they are included (save to make broth). Remove any twine or plastic that may be holding together the legs, etc.

  • Set the Instant Pot to Saute, Normal Temp.

  • Add ½ of a lemon, ½ of an onion (cut in half to fit, if needed), 3 garlic cloves, and fresh thyme, to the cavity of the chicken.

  • In a small bowl, mix together the oil and spices/seasonings.

  • Rub the oil and spice mixture over the breast of chicken, under the skin. Also rub the spice and oil blend on the outside of the skin.

  • Carefully add the chicken to the hot Instant Pot, breast side down. Carefully rub the remaining seasoning on the back side of the chicken.

  • Brown the chicken for 2-3 minutes on the breast side. Using a set of tongs or two wooden utensils, carefully flip the chicken. Let the chicken brown for 3 more minutes.

  • Press Cancelon the Instant Pot to turn off the saute mode. Add 1 cup of broth (or water) around the chicken.

  • Close and lock the lid in place, then turn on Manual/High Pressure for 25-30 minutes (30 minutes if the bird is large and on the 4lb side). As a general rule, you need to cook the chicken 6 minutes per pound. The valve on top should be set to Sealed.

  • Let the pressure release naturally. This is important to avoid DRY chicken. Once the pressure has released you'll be able to open the lid–the lid won't open when there's pressure still in the pot.

  • Carefully remove the chicken from the Instant Pot. The chicken may fall apart. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle (a few minutes), shred or cut the chicken.

If you used broth and want to make a jus…

  • While the chicken rests, turn the pot back on to Saute, normal and add a pat of butter to make pan sauce. Saute to desired thickness as au jus (a thin gravy). Serve the jus/gravy over the chicken, if serving as a meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 1728kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 124gFat: 127gSaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 489mgSodium: 5975mgPotassium: 1665mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2140IUVitamin C: 65.6mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 7.5mg

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

How to Effortlessly Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker Recipe) (9)

How to Effortlessly Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker Recipe) (10)

Kristin Marr

Kristin is the creator and editor-in-chief of Live Simply. Kristin is married to her high school sweetheart, Dustin, and is the mom to two kids and two free-roam (litterbox-trained) bunnies, Leo and Estela. Kristin started Live Simply in 2013 to share her passion for real food and natural living.

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How to Effortlessly Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker Recipe) (2024)
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