Best Instant Pot Whole Chicken Recipe | Easy Pressure Cooker Chicken
This Instant Pot whole chicken yields juicy, rotisserie-style meat with a flavorful jus in under an hour. Simple spices, aromatics, and a quick pressure cook make a weeknight-friendly main with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (3.5 to 5 pounds), giblets removed and patted very dry
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to season generously
- Olive oil, for searing
- Chicken broth or water (1 cup for a 6-quart, 1.5 cups for an 8-quart Instant Pot)
- Garlic (4–6 cloves), smashed
- Yellow onion (1 medium), quartered
- Lemon (1 small), halved
- Bay leaf (1)
- Fresh thyme or rosemary (a few sprigs)
- Smoked paprika (1 teaspoon)
- Onion powder (1 teaspoon)
- Garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
- Butter (2 tablespoons), optional for basting and gravy richness
- Cornstarch or flour, optional for thickening the jus
Instructions
Instructions
- Pat the chicken very dry with paper towels.
- Mix the salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder, then rub the seasoning all over the chicken, including under some of the skin; tuck the wing tips under.
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (High), add olive oil, place the chicken breast-side down, and sear 4–5 minutes until deep golden; flip and sear 2–3 minutes more, then remove to a plate.
- Pour in the broth to deglaze, scraping up browned bits, then add smashed garlic, onion, bay leaf, and herb sprigs; squeeze in the lemon and add the halves.
- Place the trivet in the pot and set the chicken on the trivet breast-side up.
- Lock the lid, set valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for about 6 minutes per pound; let pressure naturally release for 10–12 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully lift out the chicken and rest 10 minutes before carving.
- Optional: Brush the chicken with melted butter and broil 4–6 minutes to crisp the skin.
- Strain the pot juices and simmer on Sauté to reduce, or thicken by whisking cornstarch with water and stirring into the simmering liquid; season to taste.
Notes
Timing guide: about 6 minutes per pound (3.5 lb ≈ 21 minutes; 4 lb ≈ 24 minutes; 4.5 lb ≈ 27 minutes; 5 lb ≈ 30 minutes). Ensure at least 1 cup liquid in a 6-quart or 1.5 cups in an 8-quart. Check doneness with an instant-read thermometer in the thigh (165–170°F). For frozen chicken, skip searing and add 5–10 minutes of pressure time, ensuring giblets are removed. Add vegetables like carrots and baby potatoes on the trivet around the chicken if desired. Store meat and broth separately up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.