When you want options when it comes to quick and easy meals, few things beat an Instant Pot Whole Chicken and all of the possibilities it affords. From salads to soups and sandwiches and more, this budget-friendly protein is a game-changer when made in the Instant Pot. You just need a handful of ingredients and less than 15 minutes of hands-on prep time to make this Instant Pot Roast Chicken!
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This is Where the Magic Happens
If you’ve been resisting the urge to get an Instant Pot (or another brand of electric pressure cooker), this Instant Pot Whole Chicken just might be the recipe that convinces you to pull the trigger on one.
We’ll cut to the chase and say this: making a whole chicken like this is a game-changer for those who like to meal prep or those who like to have easy options for busy weeknights.
If you are meal prepping, this is a convenient way to make base protein to use throughout the week. This Instant Pot whole chicken recipe results in tender, juicy chicken that works well in so many delicious recipes. You’ll find some of our favorite ideas linked at the bottom of this post.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, this is also the recipe for you! Whereas a traditional roast chicken can take close to two hours to cook, an Instant Pot Roast Chicken can be on your table in just over 30 minutes. You get the same tender chicken and crispy skin in a fraction of the time.
We love this recipe as a way to get a delicious dinner on the table with little to no fuss. Additionally, while the chicken cooks, you’ll have plenty of time to whip up a couple of side dishes.
Easy on the Budget
A 4-lb. organic chicken will run you anywhere from $11.00 – $15.00 depending on where you live and where you shop. On average, this recipe makes enough protein for two to three meals for a family of four.
Plus, you can get 2-3 quarts of bone broth from the bones when you’re done cooking it, saving you even more money. We know that saving time and money while eating well is important to you so that’s why we’re sharing our fool-proof method for cooking a whole chicken in an Instant Pot today.
Instant Pot Whole Chicken Ingredients
As you can see, the ingredient list is surprisingly short and simple.
- Whole chicken – A 3-4 pound whole chicken fits perfectly in the inner pot of a 6-quart Instant Pot
- Cooking fat of choice – Any fat will do! We like ghee for its buttery flavor but avocado or olive oil are excellent dairy-free options
- Salt and Black pepper
- Fresh or Dried herbs – Rosemary, thyme, marjoram, and sage are typically found in poultry seasoning and are great for cooking a whole chicken in the Instant Pot that you will then use for other recipes like salads or sandwiches. Feel free to substitute your favorite herbs or spice rub to suit your taste
- Garlic
- Water or broth
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How to Make Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Step 1: Prepare the chicken by removing the bag of giblets from the inside cavity of the chicken (if the chicken came with them). Place the chicken on a plate and pat it dry with clean paper towels. Sprinkle the entire chicken with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Select the ‘Saute’ function on Instant Pot. Add your cooking fat of choice to the pot and when it just starts to shimmer (but before it starts to smoke), add the chicken breast-side down to the pot. Allow the chicken to cook, undisturbed for 5-7 minutes, until the skin starts to brown. Then, using tongs or 2 wooden spoons, carefully flip the chicken over in the pot. Continue cooking in ‘Saute’ mode for another 5 minutes while you chop the garlic and get your herbs (fresh or dried) and water ready to add to the pot.
Step 3: Carefully lift the chicken from the pot using tongs and place it on the metal trivet that came with your Instant Pot. Sprinkle the minced garlic and a little more salt and pepper over the chicken then top with fresh or dried herbs or your favorite spice rub, if using, then pour the water or broth into the pot.
Step 4: Carefully place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it to the ‘Locked’ position. You may have to wiggle it a bit to get it locked as the steam created by adding liquid to the hot pot will cause the float valve to pop up – just gently poke it down with your finger then lock the lid in place. Once the lid is locked in place, turn the vent to ‘Sealing’ (the vent is the little flipper-looking thing on top of the lid).
Step 5: Select the ‘High Pressure’ setting (‘Manual’ on older models) and set the cooking time to 23 minutes (25 minutes for high-altitude).
Step 6: When the cooking time is up, allow for 10 minutes of natural pressure release before carefully flipping the vent valve to the ‘Venting’ position to release any residual steam. Remove the lid then transfer the chicken to a large plate or bowl so it can cool slightly before removing the meat from the bones.
How to Store Instant Pot Roast Chicken
Store the cooked chicken in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, place cooled chicken in a large freezer-safe container with a lid (or a reusable silicone bag) and store in the freezer for up to one month.
Ways to Use Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Now that you’ve got all of this tender, juicy, and delicious cooked chicken it’s time to decide how you’ll use it. Here are a few of our favorite ways to use cooked chicken:
- Creamy Chicken Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Asparagus
- Dairy-Free Spaghetti Squash Chicken Alfredo
- Buffalo Chicken-Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
- Creamy Buffalo Chicken Casserole
- Mango Chicken Salad with Avocado
- Harvest Chicken Salad
- Plus these 7 Healthy Chicken Salad Recipes
First Comes the Chicken, Next Comes the Broth!
You can get even more bang for your buck by turning your leftover chicken bones into a nutritious and delicious broth.
If you’re going to make bone broth (which we highly encourage you to do!) save the bones by placing them into a freezer-safe container with a lid or a zip-top bag. They can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or placed in the freezer for longer storage.
We almost always go on to make chicken stock right away — here’s a tutorial and recipe for that – but sometimes we don’t have the time so we just toss the bones in the ‘bone bag’ in the freezer. This bag is also a great place to toss the ends of celery, carrots, and onions so that when you’re ready to make stock you’re pretty much halfway there.
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How to Make Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken in just 40 minutes. Perfect for adding to soups, salads, and more.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 1 Chicken 1x
- Cuisine: Whole30, Paleo, Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 (3-4 lbs.) whole chicken, giblets removed
- 1 Tbsp. cooking fat of choice
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 small bunch of fresh herbs for poultry (rosemary, thyme, parsley, marjoram, and/or sage, etc.) or 1 tsp. each of dried rosemary, thyme, and crushed sage or your favorite spice rub
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup water or broth
Instructions
- Remove the bag of giblets from the inside cavity of the chicken (if the chicken came with them).
- Place the chicken on a plate and pat it dry with a couple of clean paper towels. Sprinkle sea salt and pepper on both sides.
- Select the ‘Saute’ function on the Instant Pot. Add 1 Tbsp. fat of choice to the pot. When it just starts to shimmer (but before it starts to smoke), add the chicken breast-side down to the pot. Allow the chicken to cook, undisturbed for 5-7 minutes, until the skin starts to brown.
- Using tongs or 2 wooden spoons, carefully flip the chicken over in the pot. Continue cooking in ‘Saute’ mode for another 5 minutes while you chop the garlic and get your herbs (fresh or dried) and water or broth ready to add to the pot.
- Press the ‘Cancel’ button to stop sautéing. Lift the chicken from the pot using a set of tongs and place the metal trivet in the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken to the pot, placing it on the trivet, then add the water or broth to the pot. Sprinkle the minced garlic and a little more salt and pepper over the chicken then top with herbs.
- Carefully place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn to the ‘Locked’ position. You may have to wiggle it a bit to get it locked as the steam created by adding liquid to the hot pot will cause the float valve to pop up – just gently poke it down with your finger then lock the lid in place.
- Once the lid is locked in place, turn the vent to ‘Sealing’.
- Select the ‘High Pressure’ setting (‘Manual’ on older models) and set the cooking time for 23 minutes (25 minutes for high-altitude). If you find you need more time, you can always replace the lid and add a couple more minutes. After a few tries, you’ll have it down to a science.
- When the cooking time is up, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes to help seal in all those tasty juices – then flip the vent valve to ‘venting’ to allow any residual pressure to be released before removing the lid.
- Carefully remove the chicken to a plate to cool slightly before removing the meat from the bones.
- Store the cooked chicken in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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View Comments
Karen says
I’m sorry if this is a stupid question, but do I have to do ANYTHING with the chicken before I put it in the IP? Like clean it out or something? Sorry, I have never made a whole chicken (or turkey) but have been thinking about giving it a try so I could make some bone broth…
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Karen!
There are no stupid questions. In fact, that’s a great one! You do not need to do anything to the chicken – unless it has a bag of giblets (neck, liver, heart, etc.) stuffed inside the cavity. I never wash my chicken because any bacteria present on the bird will be killed by the heat of cooking. Washing it increases the risk that the bacteria would be spread to your countertop, sink, faucet and possibly even other foods or food preparation surfaces which increases your risk of a food-borne illness.
You can pat it dry with a clean paper towel before adding it to the pot to minimize the splattering that happens when a water comes in contact with hot oil.
Hope that helps! Good luck with your first whole chicken!
Carrie says
Is ‘manual’ equivalent to high pressure for non-instapot pressure cookers??
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Carrie,
On the Instant Pot the ‘Manual’ mode refers to the mode that doesn’t have a preset time or pressure like rice, porridge, beans, poultry, etc. The time for the Manual mode can be set anywhere from 1-120 minutes and the pressure can be set to either high or low.
That’s said, for this recipe ‘manual’ does mean high pressure.
Hope that helps!
Nicole says
My instant pot does not have a setting called “manual” The poultry setting defaults at 30 min is that the setting? Also, how much water am I supposed to add? Thanks
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Nicole,
The older models have a “manual” button which has been replaced with the ‘high pressure’ mode in the newer models. While the ‘poultry’ setting defaults to 30 minutes you can adjust the cooking time. You’ll add 1 cup of liquid to the pot.
George Morgan says
Jessica Beacom is correct about “washing” the chicken. After 35 minutes of high pressure cooking, it’s quite doubtful that bacteria are an issue. You’re basically autoclaving the chicken.
Jessica is quite correct, too, about spreading bacteria while washing. This practice does have the potential for spreading bacteria all over. I grow weary of washing down counter-tops with bleach/water combination.
Enjoy the Instant Pot!
★★★★★
Morgan George says
you don’t need to add extra cooking time for cooking at high altitude with a pressure cooker
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Morgan,
Based on my 15+ years of experience using a pressure cooker at altitude (anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000ft above sea level), research and discussion with local extension agents I have disagree. A pressure cooker such as the Instant Pot is designed to reach 15 bars of pressure when the lid is locked and the unit is in use. It isn’t possible to reach the full 15 bars as you get above 3,000 ft above sea level thus the need to increase the cooking time.
Your experience may be different depending on your location, pressure cooker and the recipes you’re preparing. However, in the interest of food safety I err on the side of caution when sharing recipes like these.
Jerryobaby says
Correct, except that pressure cookers operate at 15 PSI (pounds per square inch)… not 15 bar. A “bar” is a metric unit of pressure that equals approximately 15 psi. A 15 bar pressure cooker (approx. 225 psi) would have a saturation temperature of roughly 397°F! That’d be one HOT chicken! LOL Loving my new Instant Pot, btw… gonna have to try this whole-chicken recipe.
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Jerry, you’re right. I mistyped. Thanks for clarifying that so we don’t have so many uber hot chickens around here 🙂
Diana says
I made this tonight, and I ABSOLUTELY see myself doing more whole chickens in the future. Thanks for the directions, they were great.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Diana! Glad that you found this recipe so easy to use.
Brianna says
What would you recommend doing with the extra juices after the chicken is out? I seem to have quite a bit and it looks very yummy- but should I dilute it a bit to thin it out some, or drink it at is? Or not at all? Haha. I am saving it in hopes you get back with me tomorrow and I can do something useful with it. I also saved the bones to make a round of bone broth.
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Brianna, sorry for the delayed response! We would recommend adding it as part of the liquid when making the bone broth. You could also add it to mashed potatoes or cauil-mash or make gravy with it.
Jackie says
How long would you cook an 8.5 lb chicken?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Jackie, wow that’s a big chicken! You should not have to increase the time. You can always add more time if it’s not to temperature (160 degrees F).
Vayla says
Looks so good! I came here looking for an instant pot bone broth recipe, but this will be perfect to do right before! Question about the bag of giblets that come inside the chicken…do I throw those in with the full carcass and bones to make the bone broth? Or don’t use the bag, and throw out all the innards?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Vayla, you can add this with the bones to make the broth.
Jodi says
I so enjoyed this recipe the other night; making it again since Sam’s had these sustainably raised chickens on special!
This time, the kids would live tacos, so I’m leaving out the garlic and using onion and oregano and chili powder. We’ll see how it goes.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Yay for a great sale on chicken! I love your idea to use onion, oregano and chili powder. Our Homemade Taco Seasoning would also work well for this.
Jodi says
It was super yummy with black beans and avocados on a bed of lettuce! Kids loved it with beans and salsa in tortillas. I still made it into broth, and that was excellent, also. Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Ines says
Hi Jessica….I made this last night, and it was a little overdone to my liking. Still delicious! I’m at 5000′ elevation so I went with the 35 minutes for my 5 lb chicken. Next week I will try 25 minutes with NR. I did want to say that the flavor and concept is just what I get with my 40 year old Romertopf. But the IP is a lot less work and cleaning, so I will store my old pot.
★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Ines,
Glad to hear you like the ease and convenience of the Instant Pot. Thanks for sharing about your altitude and timing for a 5lb. bird. I made one of similar size the other day and needed to do it for 37 minutes plus natural pressure release (I’m at 5,500ft). Perhaps it’s because I have an older model… anyways I agree with you that the flavor and convenience is king once you get your timing down.
Stacy says
This looks simple and easy. Is it possible to add vegetables on top of the chicken to cook at the same time (e.g. potatos, carrots, onion)?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Stacy,
You could place the chicken on the rack inside the Instant Pot and then add veggies though I will say that they may become very soft after 35 minutes of cooking. A work around for that would be to leave them in big pieces so they don’t get mushy.
Erika says
Love this recipe! Just tried it today – I was wondering, can you save the liquid that’s left in the pot for anything?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Erika! Great to hear you enjoyed this recipe. Yes, you could save the liquid to cook with if you’d like or if you plan to make bone broth, you could add it as part of the liquid.
Jodi says
I’ve used this method to prepare a whole chicken weekly since I first tried this. It is wonderful just as chicken served with veggies, but I’ve also used the meat for tacos, your slow-cooker buffalo chicken, and to add protein to soups. LOVE how easy it is to prepare a whole chicken! I just need to learn a better way to remove the meat- currently I pull it off with clean hands. Then I use the bones, etc. to make bone broth. Thank you again for sharing!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Hey Jodi,
I’m with you in that this is one of my go-to’s for meal prep and I also use my clean hands to pull the meat from the bones (I’ve tried using a couple forks but it was like doing surgery and the forks kept slipping out of my greasy fingers… comical but not terribly efficient!)
Carol says
Can I cook a whole chicken that is still frozen?
Jessica Beacom says
Yes, you can. I haven’t tried it yet but I’ve heard that you can and it will just take longer for the Instant Pot to come up to temperature before it starts to cook.
Kate Hacker says
I have made 4 times now and comes out perfect every time. Thank you!
★★★★★
Dorothy Parnell says
Turned out amazing! Perfect simple recipe!!
★★★★★
Linda Vearrier says
First time cooking up a whole chicken in my Instant Pot to use the meat at a later time. Thanx for the most helpful recipe! I’m still kind of a newbie with my 8 qt Instant Pot but will say I LOVE every time I use it!
Stacie Hassing says
Linds, this is so great to hear! Glad you found this recipe helpful. Happy Instant Potting!
Sharon Howell says
Hi, I’m after your kale Caesar salad as I just absolutely love, love, love kale, did I say I love kale but I couldn’t click through to the recipe when I was on your blog.
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Sharon! Sorry about that. Here is the link to the Kale Caesar Salad: https://therealfoodrds.com/kale-salad-with-avocado-caesar-dressing/
Mary Ann Carnicelli says
Can regular butter be used if you don’t have ghee? What about coconut oi;?
Stacie Hassing says
Yes, absolutely.
Iris says
I forgot to check pound limit for my 6 qt instant pot. I’m 1 pound over your recommendation. Can I still use my 5 pounder for my 6 pot ( you mentioned it would be cramped) or should I cut it and risk juice lost?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Iris,
Honestly, I often use chickens that are just over 5lbs. and they do fine (albeit take more cooking time). I hope that helps!
Kimberly Roddy says
Hello. I’m new to the Instant pot. I’m following your recipe above, but do I use the Poultry button or the Pressure cook button? I can’t use both at same time. Thank you
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Kimberly,
You can use either button. The Poultry button is preset for a specific amount of time but you can adjust that up or down depending on what the recipe calls for.
Stephanie says
Could I cook two 3/3.5 lb whole chickens at once in my 8-qt IP? How would that change the time and amt of liquid?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Stephanie,
Great question – to be honest, I don’t know if you could cook 2 smaller chickens at once as I haven’t used the 8-quart model. That would definitely be something I would consult the operators manual for. This site is also a great resource for pressure cooking and you may find your answer there. Sorry, I can’t say for sure how to proceed on this one.
Miranda says
The instructions say not to fill more than 2/3 full with meat or veggies on my 8qt Bella. If you stay under that, the time and liquid should really not change. The bottom chicken will likely be more moist sitting in the juices and the top chicken will cook as if on the rack similar to if you cook your meat on top of veggies. I prefer my meats cooked on the rack. Since it’s all preference, you’ll get the best of both worlds.
Stacie Hassing says
Thanks for your input Miranda. Super helpful!
Cynthia F says
Ive tried this twice, but the chicken keeps being overdone. Tastes great though. this time I had a 4.7lb chicken, pressure cooked it for 28min, and 10 min natural venting. I’ll keep trying and lowering the pressure, but is there a reason mine needs less time than others? thanks
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Cynthia, I’m not certain why it would require less time with your pressure cooker. Could be the pressure cooker itself. Both Jess and I have one of the first models. Like you said, I would continue to decrease the time. You can always add more time if you need to. Hope your next IP Whole Chicken is cooked to perfection 🙂
Debbie says
Just made this chicken! Can’t believe how easy it was and how crazy good the chicken is. Loved going out to my garden to snip basil, lemon basil and rosemary to use in this.
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks for sharing, Debbie! How wonderful to be able to use your own homegrown fresh herbs.
Jamie says
Do you need to place the chicken on a rack or just add the water directly to the pot? How does placing the chicken on a rack affect the cooking? Will it be drier since it isn’t sitting in a liquid?
Stacie Hassing says
Hi Jamie! No you do not need to use the rack in this recipe.
Sydney says
Hi there,
Am I the only one who had the skin stick to the bottom of the pot when I flipped it for the first time in the sautéing process? How can I fix this? I used ghee just as directed, and tried to make sure it fully coated the bottom of the pot before putting the chicken in. I don’t like non-stick pots so I am hoping that is not my only solution.
So sad to see my little skinless chicken :-/ help from anyone would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Sydney,
Typically this sad loss of skin is due to flipping the chicken too early. You just need to let the chicken cook a little longer. Though we do our best to estimate cooking times, factors such as how cold the chicken is, the amount of moisture in the skin, the size of the chicken, the age or model of your Instant Pot and even altitude can all play into how long each step takes.
That said, when the chicken flips easily (meaning the skin releases easily from the pan) then you know it’s time to flip that bird over. The same goes for non-nonstick cookware and cast iron. I hope that helps!
Miranda says
Made this for Christmas Eve and it turned out great. It was a huge hit with the guests. I added a few more herbs and cooked it on the rack. I also broiled it in the oven for a few minutes afterwards since it was the main course. 30 minutes in the instant pot was perfect for our 4-1/2 lb chicken. I have the Bella brand from Lowe’s and it worked just fine.
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
So so great to hear the Whole Chicken turned out great for you and was a huge hit with your guest! Hope you had a Merry Christmas! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Dyan S says
Jessica, I received an Instant Pot for Christmas and this was the first meat recipe I tried. Your directions/tutorial was perfect for a beginner like myself. The chicken came out just as you had “predicted” and was delicious. Thank you for your excellent “assistance” & recipes as I learn my way around this new gadget! Bone broth is next!!
★★★★★
Stacie Hassing says
We love hearing this! Happy Instant Pot-ing!
thomas martinage says
have you ever tried to stuff the chicken with traditional bread stuffing and then cooking it in the instant pot?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Thomas,
No, we have not. As with stuffing any bird, I’d be concerned about food safety and the internal temperature of the stuffing (now mixed with juices from the chicken) not reaching a safe internal temperature of 165F. I also think that the stuffing may become very wet since the Instant Pot uses a wet-heat method of cooking rather than the dry-heat you get from the oven. That’s just me take on it though. If you try it and have great results, we’d love to hear about it so others can benefit from your experimentation. Thanks!
Nancy Gauthier says
my Instant pot manual is 10 minutes not 30. What should I do about that as far as the instructions goes.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Nancy,
You should be able to adjust the cooking time using the +/- or up/down arrows on your Instant Pot.
Rose M. Ramdass says
Thanks for helping me learn how to use my IP. I am trying your roast chicken today and looking forward to this delicious recipie
Stacie Hassing says
Awesome! And you are so welcome!
marina says
Hi do you know if its the same time to cook a quartered chicken and if it will work the same way?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Marina,
I would decrease the cooking time by 25% then check to see if you need to add a few more minutes after it finishes cooking the first time (chances are good that it won’t but it’s easier to add more time than to have overcooked chicken).
Michelle Garcia says
I live in Boulder too and just found this blog. YAY!!! Where do you buy your chicken and poultry herbs? I like the idea of $11 🙂 Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Hey neighbor!
You can find the herbs at most any grocery store. If they don’t have the ‘Poultry Mix’ you can use thyme, rosemary, and sage. Often I’ll have more fresh herbs than I can use for one chicken so I freeze them then toss them into the pot with the next chicken I make.
Karen says
Made this yesterday. Turned out perfectly. I followed directions, but added 2 halves of a lemon inside bird. Came out moist and tender. Will never buy another rotisserie chicken again! Thank you!!!
Stacie Hassing says
So great to hear!! 🙂
Greg G Tavares says
Stacie,
Here’s a question. The insta manual says to never use less than 500ml of fluid when pressure cooking. I do a 30 min cook on a 4.75 pound bird and with 500ml of fluid and it turned out a little too “fall off the bone: for my taste. What is your suggestion
Stacie Hassing says
You could try adding a little less liquid since the chicken will release quite a bit of liquid while it cooks.
Sarah Loertscher says
Do you have a recipe for cooking a whole chicken in a crock pot?
Jessica Beacom says
We don’t have one on our website but from experience, you can place a whole chicken in a slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 6-7 hours (depending on your slow cooker). I usually create a ‘bed’ of quartered onions beneath the bird to keep it out of the liquid that it will give off and to infuse it with extra flavor.
Sarah Loertscher says
Thanks, Jessica!
Stefanie says
Just made this for the first time – it came out perfect! Easy and delicious!
★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Fantastic – so happy to hear you loved it!
Marie Clifton says
Thank you so much for the delicious recipes! Is it really necessary to brown the chicken? Also how about “poaching” the chicken -filling the IP with water along with those beautiful herbs and maybe throwing in a bay leaf and some celery, onion, and carrot? LOVE using the IP to get back to real wholesome food!
Jessica Beacom says
You’re so welcome, Marie.
No, it’s is not necessary to brown the chicken before adding the broth and cooking it. I do this to add more depth to the juices that are leftover which I then turn into broth after I’ve removed the meat the bones and returned the bones to the pot. It’s also good if you plan to serve the chicken whole – it just looks more appetizing – though a few minutes under the broiler will do essentially the same thing.
Poaching is also an option. For me, this recipe is a riff on poaching.
Catarina Marie says
This is my favorite way to make chicken. It’s absolutely delicious and so handy to have in the fridge! When I’m done making the chicken, I use the bones and drippings and follow her Bone Broth recipe. It’s the best that I’ve ever tried! Thank you for posting these recipes!
Jessica Beacom says
This is so great! We’re so happy this recipe works so well for you.
Leslie O’Brien says
I have made this recipe quite a few times- it’s always a hit and great for dinner and then a couple lunches with the leftovers. Thanks for the recipe!
Stacie Hassing says
That’s awesome! Thank so much for sharing 🙂
Lisa says
what is the Manuel button
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Lisa,
Older Instant Pot models have a “Manual” setting that allows you to choose either high or low pressure. On newer models, you would choose the ‘High pressure’ setting.
Randi says
How would I adjust the cooking time if I am in Florida? Hence only a mere 50 ft above sea level. Thanks!
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Randi,
No adjustments needed for your altitude though you may need to use more or less cooking time depending on the size of your chicken.
Kalina says
I never thought it is possible to cook a chicken so moist and delicious that it melts in your mouth…! But it is now, the most incredible and easy chicken EVER! Thank you!
★★★★★
Jessica Beacom says
Thanks, Kalina! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe. It’s truly one of the most-used recipes in my own kitchen.
Dawn M Garcia says
What about a frozen chicken??
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Dawn,
I haven’t done with a whole, frozen chicken though I’ve read plenty of posts where people have. My guess is that you would need to add at least 25% to the cooking time to account for the chicken being frozen. After the cooking time is up, if the chicken is not thoroughly cooked (i.e. 165F in the thickest part of the breast), then replace the lid and add another 5 minutes of cooking time. Depending on how big your chicken is you might need to do this a few times but the good news is that once you know about how long it takes for that size chicken, you’ll be able to go it again without guessing.
Britney Holbrook says
Thank you for including tips for high altitude! I also live in Colorado and this is very helpful as I am new to using an Instant Pot.
Stacie Hassing says
Absolutely!
Rabi Adan says
Wow! I should definitely try this whole chicken recipe.
Pictures are enough to guide me. They are good step by step guide.
Karen Rapp says
Thank you for the recipe. It’s my first time using an Instant Pot.
I was followed the recipe and at the bottom just before this comment section, I found a link with a photo of a dead german shepherd as an advertisement for what toxic things you shouldn’t let your dog have. Finding a photo of a dead dog at the bottom of a recipe is gross and unsavory to say the least. Ugh.
Stacie Hassing says
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We are looking into this and have informed our Ad network about this experience. We apologize for this.
Tamboliya says
Can you cook the bag of giblets in the instant pot along with the chicken in this and in other recipes? Is it safe? If yes, how do we do this correctly? I have a Duo Plus 6 Quart Instant Pot. I am an Instant Pot Virgin, an Instant Pot Newbie Thus, since this will be my 1st time using my Instant pot, I am scared, intimidated, have a mental block about it and am disoriented about how to use it. Thanks.
Jessica Beacom says
I would recommend removing the giblets from their bag and adding them back to the pot (outside of the chicken) before cooking.
SVF says
We are new to Instant Pot. We wanted to roast a chicken and put that into google search. Your recipe was first to pop up. We followed your recipe exactly. Guess what? Once it began to cook it stopped and said BURN. We left you recipe and went to the Instant Pot site recipe. We found the problem. Once you Brown the chicken , you need the trivet under the chicken.
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Sarah,
You’re not the first person to mention this. Oddly, we’ve not been able to replicate this issue though it appears (from reading comments around the web) that the newer models have a greater tendency to give the ‘Burn’ warning. I’ve updated the recipe to include a step for adding the trivet to the pot after sautéing the chicken and before adding the liquid.
Rachel says
Hi ladies,
This is my second time making this recipe and I keep getting a burn notice. The first time I was able to just add more broth and it ended up being ok. I’ve gotten a burn notice twice the second time around. Any advice? It looks like the skin and herbs are sticking to the bottom of the pot. I didn’t add ghee and used olive oil. Could that be it?
Jessica Beacom says
Hi Rachel,
You’re not the first person to mention this. Oddly, we’ve not been able to replicate this issue though it appears (from reading comments around the web) that the newer models have a greater tendency to give the ‘Burn’ warning. I’ve updated the recipe to include a step for adding the trivet to the pot after sautéing the chicken and before adding the liquid.
Lydia says
True story…I have been passing up whole chickens in my local Natural Grocers all summer. I was to intimidated to buy one and actually know what to do with it! After reading this recipe and your step by step instructions with a beautiful picture timeline, I bought one! This was really an easy recipe and I am excited to try again! The only thing I did differently was add an additional 5 min because I got nervous it wouldn’t cook thoroughly. It was just a tad dry but I know it was those extra 5 min. I will definitely stick to the recipe next time! I will continue to buy whole chickens and make this a weekly party of my meal prep. What a fast and easy way to have chicken available at all times! Thank you for helping me tackle this with confidence!
Stacie Hassing says
Of course! You’re so welcome!