Instant Pot Whole Chicken (Fresh, Frozen)

Instant Pot whole chicken is the most hands off way to cook a chicken on meal prep Sunday. Showing you how to cook a fresh or frozen whole chicken in the Instant Pot. This recipe is low carb, gluten-free and paleo.

Cooking a whole chicken is one of the most economical ways to meal prep, and will set you up with protein for multiple meals though the week. Today I'm showing you my favorite way to cook a whole chicken- in the Instant Pot!

This Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe can work on fresh or frozen chickens. Not only does it cook them quickly, but it leaves your hands free to prep other ingredients while it cooks.

I tested this recipe so many times, I can't even tell you. Through trial and error, I have learned the tricks for the EASIEST and MOST FLAVORFUL Instant Pot whole chicken, and I'm spilling all the beans!

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Should I cook a whole chicken in the pressure cooker?

First, you need to know that Instant Pot whole chicken is not the same as oven-roasted chicken for one reason alone- the skin.

My method includes a broiling step which helps seal in the juices and also gets the skin on the breast of the chicken crispy. However the chicken wings and drumsticks do not end up with crispy skin.

• If your goal is juicy rotisserie-style chicken meat that you can use up in other meals, the Instant Pot is your friend. We save the chicken skin for bone broth, so this method is perfect for my family!
• If your goal is a show-stopping meal for a special occasion- go for an oven roasted chicken.

How to cook a fresh chicken

My method is simple and easy. I always skip steps that create effort and don't have a huge flavor payoff.

1. place 1 cup of water in the bottom of your Instant Pot (1.5 cups if you have an 8 qt)
2. place trivet over water
3. remove the neck and giblets from the chicken cavity
4. stir together the seasoning blend and press it under the skin of the chicken breast, on the skin, and in the cavity
5. stuff the chicken with ½ lemon (quartered) and ½ onion (quartered)
6. place chicken (breast side up) on trivet
7. pressure cook with a full natural pressure release
8. transfer chicken to baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes
9. cool slightly before carving

These cook times are strictly estimates. Be sure to check that the internal temperature of your chicken reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer. If it is not quite there, put the chicken back on to pressure cook for a few minutes (it gets back to pressure quickly).

How to cook a frozen chicken

The difference between fresh and frozen is that it is impossible to stuff the cavity or place the spices under the skin, and it requires a longer cook time.

1. place 1 cup of water in the bottom of your Instant Pot (1.5 cups if you have an 8 qt)
2. place trivet over water
3. stir together the seasoning blend, brush chicken with a bit of oil, and slather the rub all over the chicken
4. place chicken (breast side up) on trivet
5. pressure cook with a full natural pressure release
6. transfer chicken to baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes
7. cool slightly before carving

How long does it take to cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot? It entirely depends on the size of your chicken. A general rule for fresh chickens is 6 min per pound, and in my testing, I found that 8.5 minutes per pound worked well for frozen chickens.

In all cases I recommend checking the temp in multiple places with a meat thermometer. If your temperature is not 165°F, put the lid back on and pressure cook for another few minutes. The Instant Pot will come back to pressure quickly!

Which size Instant Pot do I need for a whole chicken? You can fit up to a 4 lb chicken in a 6 quart Instant Pot. Any larger than that and you may need an 8 quart Instant Pot.

Can I add potatoes or vegetables to the Instant Pot? Unfortunately they will become way overcooked if you add them to the pot with the chicken. I would recommend cooking separately.

How much meat do you get from a whole chicken? In my experimenting, I found you get roughly 1 cup of chicken meat per pound. So a 3 lbs chicken will produce roughly 3 cups of shredded chicken.

Do I need to broil the chicken? I found that broiling really helps seal in the juices, and also makes the meat more flavorful. That being said, you can skip the step.

Use up the meat

This recipe is part of a meal prep plan with a shopping list! Use your chicken up in:

• Chicken Quesadillas
• Caprese Chicken Quinoa Salad
• Chicken Broccoli Quinoa Casserole
• 1 Whole Chicken for 3 Meals (shopping & prep list)

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Pressurizing + Natural Pressure Release: 40 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

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Instant Pot whole chicken is the most hands off way to cook a chicken on meal prep Sunday. Showing you how to cook a fresh or frozen whole chicken in the Instant Pot. This recipe is low carb, gluten-free and paleo.

6

Ingredients

• ▢ whole chicken (3-5 lbs)

Spice rub

• ▢ 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 2 teaspoons basil
• ▢ 2 teaspoons oregano

For cavity

• ▢ ½ lemon (quartered)
• ▢ ½ onion (quartered)

Instructions 

Fresh chicken

• In the bottom of an Instant Pot, place 1 cup of water (1.5 cups for an 8 quart Instant Pot). Place the trivet on top.
• Remove neck and giblets from cavity if necessary.
• Stir together the spice blend with the olive oil to make a paste. Place ⅓ of the mixture under the skin, ⅓ all over the skin, and ⅓ in the cavity.
• Place the lemon and onion into the cavity.
• Place chicken on top of trivet (breast side up). Put the lid on, set the vent to 'sealing', and select 'pressure cook' with time according to size (6 minutes per pound):

  * 3 lbs- 18 min

  *3.5 lbs- 21 min

  * 4 lbs- 24 min

  * 4.5 lbs- 27 min
• Allow pot to naturally depressurize completely (around 15 minutes).
• Carefully transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes, until skin is browned.
• Allow to cool slightly before serving for dinner. Cool for 1 hour before shredding for meal prep.

Frozen chicken

• In the bottom of an Instant Pot, place 1 cup of water (1.5 cups for an 8 quart Instant Pot). Place the trivet on top.
• Stir together the spice blend with the olive oil to make a paste. Spread it all over chicken as well as you can.
• Place frozen chicken on top of trivet (breast side up). Put the lid on, set the vent to 'sealing', and select 'pressure cook' with time according to size (10.5 minutes/pound)

  * 3 lbs- 32 min

  *3.5 lbs- 37 min

  * 4 lbs- 42 min

  * 4.5 lbs- 47 min
• Allow pot to naturally depressurize completely (around 15 minutes).
• Carefully transfer the chicken to a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes, until skin is browned.
• Allow to cool slightly before serving for dinner. Cool for 1 hour before shredding for meal prep.

Storage

• Cooked chicken may be stored in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 4 days. It may be frozen for up to 3 months.

Tips:

Save the skin & bones to make bone broth! I use 2 chicken carcasses and this recipe

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/6 of batch, Calories: 293kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 95mg, Sodium: 283mg, Potassium: 267mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 0g, Vitamin A: 190IU, Vitamin C: 3.4mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 1.4mg

Author: Annie Holmes

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

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