Instant pot Whole Chicken
- By Amy Dong
- Updated May. 7, 2025
Store-bought rotisserie chicken can be expensive, bland, or dry. This Instant Pot Whole Chicken is budget-friendly, extra tender, and deliciously juicy. This is a must-have for easy dinner rotation.
In This Article
This post may contain affiliate links, at no additional cost to you.
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Amy’s Notes
Next time whole chickens go on sale? Go ahead and grab a couple of them. Once you try this recipe, you’ll want to have a whole chicken in your freezer at all times. Your chicken will be so much better than rotisserie chickens from the grocery store deli.
- Budget-Friendly: Fearlessly buy whole chickens on sale, as it’s cheaper than buying cooked rotisserie chickens at the grocery store.
- Rave Reviews From Eaters: Your family and friends will rave over how tender this is.
- 9 Basic Ingredients: You only need a handful of simple ingredients.
- You’ll Have Delicious Sauce: You’ll be rewarded with a delicious au jus type of sauce to pour over the entire plate afterwards.
- Faster Than Baking: It’s way faster than oven-baking a whole chicken, and more tender.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Broth: use chicken or turkey broth, regular strength preferred.
- Onion: brown, yellow, or white onions are all fine to use.
- Seasonings: smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne bring out aromatic flavors.
- Whole Chicken: choose a large, 5-pound whole roasting chicken.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- In a small bowl, add kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, and black pepper.
- Remove giblets from chicken and use paper towels to dry it well, inside and out. Season chicken underneath the skin.
- Evenly press two-thirds of your prepared spice mixture directly onto the chicken, underneath the skin. Press remaining spice mixture on top of the skin all around.
- Add chopped onion and chicken broth in bottom of the Instant Pot. Place seasoned chicken on top of roasting rack/trivet in the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
- Let whole chicken rest on cutting board at room temperature for 5-10 minute in order to retain the juices within.
* Optional Browning: Place cooked whole chicken under your broiler and broil at high heat just until the top is browned.
Prep Ahead
- Prep Ahead: I make a few small batches of the seasoning mix to keep in airtight baggies or containers for future dinners.
- Dry the Chicken: Always dry the chicken well with paper towels – excess water/moisture should always be minimized. This can be done up to 48 hour before you cook. Keep chicken covered airtight in the fridge until use.
What to Serve with Rotisserie Chicken
Rice and Grains
- Cilantro Lime Rice – shred the whole chicken and serve with this flavorful rice.
- Wild Rice Pilaf – this healthy, satisfying rice goes well with any protein.
- Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad with Maple Vinaigrette – quinoa makes this salad hearty and toothsome.
Potatoes
- Smashed Potatoes (Extra Crispy!) – these are super crispy and fun to make.
- Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes – such great, bold flavors pair beautifully with chicken.
- Creamy Baked Mashed Potatoes – with or without bacon, this is a versatile side.
Vegetables
- Best Easy Roasted Vegetables Recipe – the flavors are magnificent in this recipe.
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Honey Sriracha – our favorite way to enjoy brussels sprouts.
- 20-Minute Lemon Spinach Orzo Salad – brightly flavored and super easy side dish.
Instant pot Whole Chicken
This Instant Pot Whole Chicken is reminiscent of the flavorful rotisserie chicken from your favorite deli. It's extra tender, juicy, and packed with flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 5 pound whole chicken,
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, dried thyme, and black pepper. Set aside.
- Remove giblets from chicken and use paper towels to dry it well, inside and out. Using clean fingers (you can wear disposable gloves, if desired) gently pry skin away from chicken all around, so you'll be able to season chicken underneath the skin.
- Evenly press two-thirds of your prepared spice mixture directly onto the chicken, underneath the skin. Include all areas such as legs, back, thighs, etc. Press remaining spice mixture on top of the skin all around.
- Add chopped onion and chicken broth in bottom of the Instant Pot. Place seasoned chicken on top of roasting rack/trivet in the Instant Pot. Secure lid tightly and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
- Do a Natural Release for 10 minutes, immediately followed by Manual Release until all steam is let out.
- Let whole chicken rest on cutting board at room temperature for 5-10 minute in order to retain the juices within. Slice and serve with juices still in bottom of Instant Pot. Optional Browning: Place cooked whole chicken under your broiler and broil at high heat just until the top is browned*
Notes
- An 8-quart Instant Pot easily accommodates a 5 pound chicken; a 6-quart Instant Pot would be a tighter, but may work.
- See original article for cook times if your chicken is smaller. The key is not to overcook; you want internal temperature of 165F after resting on cutting board for the dark meat portions and 160F for white meat portions.
- If desired, place chicken under the broiler in your oven for 3-5 minutes for a more golden-browned skin.
- You can also sprinkle extra paprika over the top of skin just before placing chicken into the broiler, for extra color.
- For thicker gravy-like sauce from the natural juices: skim the fat and adjust sauce/juices to taste (add more salt or water, depending on how salty it is.) Fully dissolve 1 TB cornstarch with 1 1/2 TB cool water in a small bowl. Add this to the sauce in Instant Pot and turn to Sauté mode; stir until a gravy-like consistency forms. Remove from heat immediately and serve.
- If you have leftover chicken to use up, it would be perfect in this turkey pot pie recipe!
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.4g | Protein: 5.2g | Fat: 14.5g | Saturated Fat: 4.9g | Cholesterol: 42.2mg | Sodium: 234.1mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 16.1g
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot?
3-pound bird: high pressure for 15 minutes,.
4-pound bird, high pressure for 25 minutes.
5-pound bird, high pressure for 25 minutes.
Always do a 10-minute natural release, followed by manual release.
How do you get flavors to soak into the chicken itself?
Season the chicken underneath the skin – wear disposable gloves if you need to, but do use your fingers to gently pry skin from thicken all around so seasoning is in direct contact with chicken itself.
Can I cook a frozen chicken directly in the Instant Pot?
You can cook from frozen, but you won’t be able to get the seasonings underneath the skin. Know that with seasonings sitting on top of skin, the chicken itself won’t be as flavorful. If you choose to use frozen chicken, a 4-pound bird takes about 60 minutes.
How can I get chicken to brown on top?
We highly recommend placing finished chicken under the broiler on high for a few minutes, or just until a nice browning is achieved.
More to Cook and Eat
- Instant Pot Chicken Curry – it’s got all the curry goodness, in a fraction of the time
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (5 Ingredients) – a perfect side dish with any meal
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings – favorite comfort dish of family and friends
- Easy Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken – super easy and tasty for busy weeknights
- Slow Cooker Roast Chicken – slow cooker version rotisserie style whole chicken