How To Make Instant Pot Whole Chicken With Rotisserie Spices

When you cook an instant pot whole chicken it makes a juicy and super delicious dinner. Rotisserie chicken leftovers from this meal are perfect shredded into soup, salads, lunches, and other meal prep.

Use your pressure cooker to make this best delicious whole chicken instant pot recipe from scratch whether your chicken is fresh or frozen. Best of all, you know exactly what is going into this delicious poached chicken which is better for the health of you and your family.

Instant Pot Whole Chicken- Easy Recipe (Fresh or Frozen!)

I’ve long been trying to switch more and more to make my own food from scratch, but I’m no super hero and only have so much time in a week to cook with a family to take care of. I can’t be the only one who is balancing all the things!

Cooking a whole chicken in the instant pot is convenient and delicious too. It comes out of the instant pot steaming hot ready for dinner, or you can use it to make lunches too!

How To Cook A Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot

All you need is broth or water, seasoning, a little oil and a trivet (that came with your pot) to cook a whole chicken in the instant pot.

The trivet keeps the chicken from touching the bottom of the pot which will help your chicken cook evenly.

1. Make Sure Your Chicken Fits In Your Instant Pot

I know, sounds funny doesn’t it? But I know you’ll be upset if you try to make instant pot chicken and it won’t fit! Make sure your chicken and trivet can both fit inside, with room for your broth. I can fit a larger 5 1/2 pound bird in my 6 quart instant pot but it’s a tight fit. Silicone trivets also take up more room then metal trivets do in general.

2. Prepare Your Chicken

• Remove any packets of gizzards inside the chicken
• Place your chicken onto the trivet, then lower it into the instant pot
• Brush the chicken with oil, then sprinkle with spices
• Add broth or water to the bottom of the pot

3. Cook Your Chicken In The Instant Pot

• Set your instant pot for the time needed depending on the size of the chicken
• Allow the instant pot to depressurize for at least 15 minutes after cooking, this is called a natural release
• Remove your chicken and enjoy!

• While you can use water, I prefer to use broth in the bottom of my instant pot as it gives the chicken more flavor. I pick a low sodium chicken broth
• Try squeezing a lemon over your chicken, the extra pieces can go inside the cavity of the chicken
• You can also add any of the following inside your chicken for more flavor: Slices of onions, carrots, celery, whole cloves of garlic, a tablespoon of butter

Use leftovers of your chicken to make all kinds of delicious recipes like this Instant Pot Taco Soup or Chicken Bacon Ranch Pinwheels, or even in Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad for a quick lunch.

What Size Instant Pot Do I Need?

Both a six-quart and an eight quart instant pot should hold a whole chicken. An eight quart instant pot will often cook a whole chicken a little faster then a six quart.

I found in my six quart instant pot is a tighter fit and is a little harder to get the bird out if the chicken is bigger, closer to the six pound weight. An eight quart instant pot might be a little more helpful for a large chicken, but a six-quart isn’t impossible.

Chickens on the smaller side tend to fall off the bone a little more easier. The meat becomes tender and juicy, but it just is less likely to stay together. If you are looking to serve the entire chicken on a platter at the table (instead of in slices) I would pick a larger chicken.

The trivet does help a lot though, so don’t forget it! I’d slice before serving, but it still fit and tasted delicious.

What Is The Trivet For?

Place the trivet in the bottom of the pot before adding your meat. This helps to keep the meat off the bottom of the pot which can sometimes cause it to get a little too hot in one spot. The trivet also makes it easier to lift your finished chicken out of the pot.

How Long Does It Take To Cook A Fresh Chicken In An Instant Pot?

Fresh whole chicken in the instant pot takes about six to seven minutes per pound. The average roasting chicken weighs anywhere between 4-6 pounds. Some young chickens can be between 2.5-4 pounds, so it depends on what you picked up at the store.

About six minutes per pound of chicken is a great estimate to start with. If the breast meat on your chicken is particularly thick though you may need closer to seven minutes per pound.

Cooking Fresh Chicken In A 6 Quart Instant Pot

In general, you will need to cook fresh whole chicken for 6 minutes per pound of meat in a 6 quart instant pot. This is the timeframe I go by.

• 2.5 lbs = 15 minutes
• 3 lbs = 18 minutes
• 3 1/2 lbs = 21 minutes
• 4 lbs = 24 minutes
• 4 1/2 lbs = 27 minutes
• 5 lbs = 30 minutes
• 5 1/2 lbs = 33 minutes

I have not been able to fit a 6 pound chicken in my instant pot with the trivet. I always resort to my 8 quart instant pot.

Cooking Fresh Chicken In An 8 Quart Instant Pot

In an 8 quart instant pot I recommend adding a little more broth or water because the space is larger. Use two full cups of broth or water in an 8 quart instant pot.

Fresh chicken tends to cook at about the same speed in both the 6 and the 8 quart instant pot in my experience.

• 2.5 lbs = 15 minutes
• 3 lbs = 18 minutes
• 3 1/2 lbs = 21 minutes
• 4 lbs = 24 minutes
• 4 1/2 lbs = 27 minutes
• 5 lbs = 30 minutes
• 5 1/2 lbs = 33 minutes
• 6 lbs = 36 minutes

Smaller chickens tend to fall off the bone a little more then a larger chicken will. (This means the meat is tender!)

So if you’re looking to have a platter with a perfectly cooked whole chicken on the table, I suggest picking a chicken on the larger size. Or just slice and enjoy!

How Do I Know The Chicken Is Fully Cooked?

Always check your chicken temperature after cooking with a meat thermometer. Cooked chicken should register at least 165 degrees inside to be safe to eat.

When checking the temperature on your chicken with a meat thermometer, be careful to insert it into the meat but not to touch the bone. Touching the bone can result in a temperature that’s not accurate.

How Do I Brown The Chicken Skin After Cooking?

You can also crisp up the skin a little bit after cooking. Place your chicken in a roasting pan and under the broiler for just a few minutes in the oven.

Watch carefully, once it starts crisping it will crisp fast. If the chicken is struggling to brown, try dabbing a tablespoon or so of oil or melted butter on your bird.

How Long Does It Take To Cook A Frozen Whole Chicken In An Instant Pot?

Frozen whole chicken in the instant pot usually takes about 10-15 minutes per pound. The size of your instant pot can also effect how long it takes your chicken to cook, along with how big your chicken is.

Cooking Frozen Chicken In A 6 Quart Instant Pot

• 4 lbs whole chicken – 60 minutes
• 5 lbs whole chicken – 70 minutes
• 6 lbs whole frozen chicken– 80 minutes

Cooking Frozen Chicken In An 8 Quart Instant Pot

• 4 lbs whole frozen chicken – 40 minutes.
• 5 lbs whole frozen chicken – 50 minutes.
• 6 lbs whole frozen chicken – 60 minutes.

Does Altitude Affect Cooking Times?

Funny story, altitude can sometimes affect cooking length when you are making any recipe in the instant pot. If you live in a higher altitude you may find you need an extra 5-15 minutes. It can vary depending on how high up you are.

What Do I Do If The Chicken Isn’t Cooked All The Way Through?

First off don’t panic. Chickens can vary slightly in size and this can totally be fixed!

Close your lid back up and cook your chicken for additional time. If my chicken is only a little under 165 degrees I might cook it for two minutes. (Remember- the meat continues to cook as the instant pot continues to depressurize for 15 minutes.

If the chicken seems raw inside, I’ll cook it for an additional 10-15 minutes. The pressure cooker does an excellent job of sealing in the juices, your chicken will still be juicy and delicious.