Make this juicy, tender Instant Pot whole chicken for dinner tonight, plus extra cooked chicken for more meals! No need to thaw – you can even cook it frozen! Learn how to cook a whole chicken (plus all the cooking times) in this tutorial.
I love having cooked shredded chicken – it makes it easy to put together any one of over 40 meal ideas that use leftover rotisserie chicken.
The problem is, I need this chicken DONE to get those meals on the table fast!
Instant Pot Whole Chicken to the rescue!
INSTANT POT WHOLE CHICKEN
Cooking Instant Pot chicken is my favorite way to make whole chicken because it’s:
- Easy. There’s no need to truss the chicken or chop a bunch of extras.
- Fast. It cooks in as little as 30 minutes.
- Option to cook from frozen. You don’t have to thaw the chicken! You’ll just need to set a longer cooking time.
- Batch prep. IP chicken is a great way to fill the freezer.
- Hands off. You can cook while you’re away from home (or sleeping or doing something else).
- Frugal. A whole chicken is cheaper than buying specific cuts like chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
Plus, you can flavor the chicken to your liking, and it turns out juicy, tender, and delicious!
If you do not have an Instant Pot but are looking to cook a whole chicken, try this slow cooker method or this classic roasted chicken in the oven.
INSTANT POT WHOLE CHICKEN RECIPE
You really need just one ingredient: Chicken!
I like to use a simple seasoning blend on my chicken as well:
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Thyme or oregano
Seasoning is optional, but it makes for chicken that’s delicious on its own and still ready to add to other whole chicken recipes.
You can also add these optional ingredients to the Instant Pot for even more flavor:
- Vegetables. Anything you add to the chicken will increase the flavor. Therefore, this is a great time to use up scraps when you have just a half onion or a few baby carrots left.
- Citrus. Add sliced or quartered lemons or oranges to the pot to brighten the flavor.
- Fresh or Dried Herbs. Fresh herbs truly make this Instant Pot rotisserie chicken recipe AMAZING, but they’re not cheap. I usually use dried herbs without a problem and only use fresh herbs if I find them marked down (and I make sure to freeze any extras!).
- Spice Blends. Use your own homemade spice blends to add exceptional flavor! Poultry Seasoning, Jerk Seasoning, or even Ranch Seasoning are great on chicken.
Quality meat is a priority for my family, so we choose to buy organic. Organic chicken is becoming easier to find, but if you can’t find it locally, check out Butcher Box. They offer organic chicken, heritage-breed pork, and grass-fed beef delivered to your door EVERY MONTH! Read my Honest Review of Butcher Box here and How to Make Butcher Box Worth the Cost.
HOW TO COOK A WHOLE CHICKEN IN INSTANT POT
Step 1: Add water and chopped vegetables (if using) to the bottom of your Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. Place the trivet on top.
Step 2: Place the whole seasoned chicken on the trivet, breast side up.
Step 3: Close the lid. Ensure the seal is in place and the pressure valve is on “sealed.”
Step 4: Pressure cook on high pressure for 6 minutes per pound of bird.
For example:
- For a 4 lb. chicken, set the timer for 24 minutes
- For a 5 lb. chicken, set the timer for 30 minutes
- For a 6 lb. chicken, set the timer for 36 minutes
Step 5: Let the pressure release naturally (i.e., do nothing) until the pressure valve falls down.
Step 6: Open the lid carefully and remove the chicken, checking to see if it is done.
Chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F. You can use an instant-read thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the thigh or breast to check. If your chicken has not reached 165F, close the Instant Pot and cook for an additional 2 minutes for every 5 degrees below 165F.
Step 7: Serve as is or shred the chicken and portion it for later. I like to pour some of the delicious juices over the chicken when I store it in the fridge. This keeps it from drying out!
Store leftover roast chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.
INSTANT POT WHOLE CHICKEN TIPS AND TRICKS
- Check the size of your Instant Pot compared to your bird. I highly recommend checking to see if you can fit your whole chicken in Instant Pot BEFORE cooking – if it’s too big, try this Oven-Roasted Chicken instead.
- Cook more than one bird at a time. If you have a larger Instant Pot and 2 smaller chickens, you can do two at once.
- Wanna kick this IP chicken up a notch? Try finishing this recipe with a pinch of finishing salt! Just wait until the chicken is fully cooked so the salt doesn’t dry out your beloved bird! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!) Just sprinkle some on after shredding and serve!
- You can use a KitchenAid stand mixer to shred the chicken for you.
- Save the bones for chicken broth. Homemade chicken broth or chicken stock is FREE and super easy – here’s the tutorial for the Instant Pot. If you make it right after cooking the whole chicken, you don’t even need to wash the Instant Pot in between!
- If you don’t need chicken broth, remove the juices from the Instant Pot and strain the liquid into a jar for later. You can use this in place of chicken broth in recipes.
TO SERVE WHOLE CHICKEN RECIPES
A whole chicken with a few sides also makes a great Sunday dinner, and then you have leftover chicken to use during the week.
Try these sides with your Instant Pot chicken recipes:
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes and Lemon Butter Asparagus
- Caramelized Onions and Swiss Chard and Easy Dinner Rolls
- Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes and Bacon Brussels Sprouts
- Crispy Hasselback Potatoes and Sautéed Green Beans
MACRO-FRIENDLY WHOLE CHICKEN MEAL PREP
Cooking a whole chicken in the Instant Pot is part of my regular meal prep, because then I have that cooked, shredded chicken ready to go!
- If you need leftover chicken, separate that FIRST and set it aside. Portion leftovers or lunches before serving the whole chicken for dinner.
- Aim to get 3 meals out of one bird. One 5-6 lb. chicken yields about 6 cups of shredded chicken. For most meals, 1-2 cups of chicken is enough.
- 1 cup of cooked shredded chicken contains 25-35 grams of protein, making it a great choice for a quick prepped protein.
- Pair cooked chicken with other staples that fit your macro or nutrition goals. Brown Rice and Steamed Veggies can also be prepped ahead for chicken rice bowls, and you can swap out different sauces to change up the flavors.
RECIPE CHICKEN WHOLE FAQS
How long do I put the whole chicken in Instant Pot?
For a thawed chicken (NOT FROZEN), allow 6 minutes per pound of chicken to cook in the Instant Pot.
3-pound chicken = 18 minutes on high pressure
3 ½ pound chicken = 21 minutes on high pressure
4-pound chicken = 24 minutes on high pressure
4 ½ pound chicken = 27 minutes on high pressure
5-pound chicken = 30 minutes on high pressure
Why is my Instant Pot whole chicken tough?
This means that the chicken needed to be cooked in the Instant Pot longer. When cooking the recipe chicken whole bird, use the natural pressure release. This will help with the texture.
Can you make FROZEN whole chicken in the Instant Pot?
Yes! You should allow 11 minutes per pound for cooking time. Be sure to remove the innards from the chicken cavity (that are wrapped in plastic or paper) BEFORE cooking. Make sure to check the temperature and add additional time if the whole chicken is not quite done yet.
What is the best Instant Pot for cooking a whole chicken?
I have this 8-quart Instant Pot DUO. I love using it for kitchen staples like this Instant Pot whole chicken recipe! If you use the trivet that comes with the machine, you don’t need any other accessories.
How to get crispy skin on my Instant Pot whole chicken?
The one downfall of the Instant Pot is that it doesn’t make things super crispy. Luckily, there’s an easy fix if you want crispy skin on your IP chicken: Just pop the chicken in the oven to broil for up to 7 minutes after cooking to get crispy skin for a roasted chicken dinner. Yum!
MORE INSTANT POT CHICKEN RECIPES
Enjoy more Instant Pot chicken recipes with these favorites!
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Breast
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Honey Garlic Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Wings
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
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Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Make this juicy, tender Instant Pot whole chicken for dinner tonight, plus extra cooked chicken for more meals! No need to thaw – you can even cook it frozen! Learn how to cook a whole chicken (plus all the cooking times) in this tutorial.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes (up to 60 minutes)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 cups 1x
- Category: Main Meal
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (thawed or frozen*), about 3–4 lbs (600g)
- 1 cup water (237g)
- 1 onion, quartered (optional)
- 2 carrots, cut into 2″ pieces (optional)
- 2 celery ribs, cut into 2″ pieces (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dried seasonings as desired (Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, and coriander are all good options)
Instructions
- Add water and chopped vegetables (if using) to the bottom of the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker. Place the trivet on top.
- Place the whole seasoned chicken on the trivet, breast side up.
- Close the lid. Ensure the seal is in place and the pressure valve is on “sealed”.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 6 minutes per pound of bird.
- Let the pressure release naturally until the pressure valve falls down.
- Open the lid carefully and remove the chicken, checking with a thermometer to see if it is done (minimum 165F). If your chicken has not reached 165F, close the lid and cook for an additional 2 minutes for every 5 degrees below 165F.
- Shred the chicken with two forks and serve as desired!
Notes
- Cook the chicken for 6 minutes per pound:
- For a 4 lb. chicken, set the timer for 24 minutes
- For a 5 lb. chicken, set the timer for 30 minutes
- For a 6 lb. chicken, set the timer for 36 minutes
- If using a frozen chicken, double the cooking time per pound.
- Nutrition information does not include optional vegetables.
As a new instant pot owner and user, I was particularly appreciative of the step by step instructions.
Looking forward to enjoying the contents of the pot. Chicken is very tender and juicy.
Cooked this in a classic pressure cooker, don’t own a instapot – translated fine, after it came to pressure I cooked six minutes per pound then allowed it to depressurize naturally as the recipe directed, then put it in the broiler on a baking sheet for two minutes to make it look appetizing. Texture was fall-off-the-bone perfect moistness. Flavor was blah, I will pair this technique with other flavoring strategies – brining maybe, or throwing the meat back in the upseasoned broth.