Instant Pot Whole Chicken

I always wondered why people love whole chickens so much. It wasn’t until I cooked one in my Instant Pot that I realized why people loved it so much!

Now, if you have never cooked chicken in your pressure cooker, go to the store right now, pick up some chicken, and start cooking. I purchased an Instant Pot a couple of years ago on Black Friday. At the time, the pots were about $100+, which just seemed outrageous for an appliance that I didn’t even know how to use. But on Black Frieday, the price dropped as low as $59! You can find the pot I have HERE.

I try to cook at least 1 chicken (or chicken breasts) in my Instant Pot.  It has become a weekly ritual that saves me so much time in the long run.  I love to use this chicken for salads, enchiladas, sandwiches, and to just eat it with BBQ sauce.

This recipe is a fool-proof way to make sure you have a deliciously moist chicken cooked every time. Just be sure the chicken isn’t frozen inside. This entire chicken can be cooked in under 30 minutes! Don’t throw your chicken bones, or skin away! Save all of it in a freezer bag until you’re ready and then make this amazing Instant Pot Chicken Broth, click here!

Recipe Ingredient Notes

To make our Instant Pot Whole Chicken, you need the following ingredients:

• Whole chicken
• Seasonings of choice
• Water

Equipment Needed

For this recipe, you only need a few simple kitchen tools. We recommend using the following equipment:

• Instant Pot
• Steamer Basket
• Sheet Pan (Half Sheet)
• Measuring Cups (Liquid)

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot

1. Place one cup of water in your Instant Pot and place your chicken right inside. You can place your chicken on a steam rack depending on how big your chicken is.
2. Add any seasonings you want on top of your chicken (this is optional).
3. Put the lid on and set the Instant Pot to Manual (if you don’t have a manual button, put it on pressure cook or high pressure) and adjust the time.
4. For a thawed 3 to 4 pound chicken, set the time for 30 minutes. For a frozen 3 to 4 pound chicken, set the time for 50-60 minutes.
5. Sometimes I like to let my chicken stay in the pot and steam to release naturally for 15 minutes. But if you are in a hurry, turn the knob to venting and let the steam release.
6. Then, pull out the chicken. If you want your chicken to be browned, put it in the oven on broil for a few minutes until the skin is browned and crisp.

Recipe Notes

To crisp up the chicken skin, you can broil it in the oven once cooked in the Instant Pot. Put the chicken on a sheet pan, and place in the oven on the broil settings. Broil for a few minutes (depending on your broil settings). 

Enjoy More Delicious Chicken Main Dishes

Chicken is an all-time favorite for weeknight dinners, but so many of us end up making the same few dishes over and over again. Browse our comprehensive collection of easy chicken dinner recipes.

• 30-Minute Chicken Piccata
• Cheesy Chicken Meatballs
• Chicken Sausage Stir Fry
• Crispy Fried Chicken
• Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
• Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken
• Sheet Pan Hawaiian Chicken
• Lemon Pepper Chicken