By: Denise Bustard4 Comments
Posted: 5/4/19 Updated: 10/6/20

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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.

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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Reasons to love this Instant Pot whole chicken recipe:

it works on fresh or frozen chicken
it gives you perfectly juicy and flavorful chicken meat
it is the most economical and time-saving way to prep chicken for multiple meals through the week.

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.

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

Cook times for a fresh chicken in the Instant Pot

6 minutes per pound

18 min for a 3 lb chicken
21 min for 3.5 lbs
24 min for a 4 lb chicken
27 min for 4.5 lbs

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).

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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.

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

Cook times for a frozen whole chicken in the Instant Pot

Make sure there is no neck/giblets in the frozen chicken as this will considerably alter the cook time.

10 ½ minutes per pound

32 min for a 3 lbs
37 min for 3.5 lbs
42 min for a 4 lbs
47 min for 4.5 lbs

These are strictly estimates and I highly encourage you to get a meat thermometer so you can check the chicken yourself. It should reach an internal temperature of 165°F.

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:

Tips & equipment

These are my 6 quart and my 8 quart Instant Pots
I highly recommend a good meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken
looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out these 7 Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes, these Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes, and Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.