Instant Pot Classic Whole-Roasted Chicken Recipe
With just a few simple ingredients, 30 minutes of cook time, and 10 minutes of prep time, you can make a juicy, flavorful, whole-roasted chicken right in your Instant Pot. This easy pressure cooker recipe transforms a whole chicken into a beautiful centerpiece meal that's perfect for a cozy, weeknight dinner.
According to Ksenia Prints of At the Immigrant's Table, the Instant Pot is the perfect tool for cooking chicken to tender, fall-off-the-bone perfection in a fraction of the time it would take using a traditional oven. To make this recipe, simply add salt, herbs, garlic, and water to the Instant Pot, then place the seasoned chicken breast side up in the cooking liquid. The pressure cooker works its magic and cooks the chicken through while infusing it with delicious flavor. A quick broil at the end ensures crispy, golden-brown skin with minimal effort!
Make yourself into a domestic goddess by serving this whole-roasted chicken, garnished with fresh herbs and lemon for a bright pop of flavor, and soak up the compliments that will surely come pouring in. Accompany it with a bowl of the cheesiest mashed potatoes ever and some simple chicken gravy on the side. This Instant Pot whole-roasted chicken recipe delivers a hearty, comforting meal that everyone will think took hours to prepare.
Gather the ingredients for Instant Pot whole-roasted chicken
To make a whole-roasted chicken in the Instant Pot, you will need salt, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaves, and garlic to flavor the cooking water. Naturally, you'll also need a whole chicken. To give the chicken a nice coating of crispy skin, we will need some butter. The touch of butter at the end helps the skin get crispy and brown under the broiler. Finally, for presentation's sake, we recommend that you purchase some fresh sage and thyme, as well as lemon, but these are not mandatory. Fresh herbs like sage and thyme add brightness right before serving. A squeeze of lemon over the finished chicken enhances the flavors of the entire dish.
Step 1: Make the cooking broth
Add salt, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaves, garlic, and water to the Instant Pot.
Step 2: Add the chicken
Submerge the chicken in the liquid, breast side up.
Step 3: Set the Instant Pot
Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 0 minutes.
Step 4: Let it naturally release the pressure
After the Instant Pot signals it has reached pressure, it will shut off. Let the pressure release on its own for 18–22 minutes; this cooks the chicken.
Step 5: Remove the chicken
Remove the chicken and check the internal temperature, which should be at least 161 F. If it is not up to temperature, return it to the broth and check again shortly.
Step 6: Preheat the oven
Turn the oven broiler on high to preheat.
Step 7: Coat chicken with butter
Place the chicken on a baking sheet and coat with melted butter.
Step 8: Broil the chicken
Broil the chicken for 4–8 minutes, checking often, until the skin is browned.
Step 9: Let the chicken rest
Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes.
Step 10: Serve
Serve, garnished with fresh sage and thyme and with lemon juice squeezed over the top, if desired.
How does the Instant Pot cook the whole chicken, and can you skip the broiling step?
The Instant Pot whole-roasted chicken recipe may seem unusual because it instructs to cook at high pressure for 0 minutes. However, this cooking time makes perfect sense given how an Instant Pot works. When set to 0 minutes cook time, the Instant Pot will come up to high pressure, which takes around 10–15 minutes. During this time, the chicken is gently cooked in the heating liquid. Once pressure is reached, the pot automatically switches to the "keep warm" setting without ever kicking on to cook at pressure. As the pressure naturally releases over the next 15–20 minutes, the chicken continues to cook in the residual heat. In total, the chicken cooks for around 30 minutes. This low-and-slow cooking method allows the chicken to become incredibly tender and infused with flavor. If you would like to avoid the use of a broiler at the end, it's perfectly fine to stick to the Instant Pot cooking alone. The broiling step at the end is optional — it helps get the skin extra crispy and browned, but skipping it will still give you a juicy, tender chicken. As long as you make sure that the chicken reaches 165 F after coming out of the Instant Pot, the meat will be fall-off-the-bone tender from the pressure cooking.
What variations can you make to the flavors of this Instant Pot whole-roasted chicken recipe?
There are lots of simple ways to modify the flavors of this Instant Pot whole-roasted chicken recipe. Switching up the fresh and dried herbs is an easy way to take the flavors in a whole other direction. Adding dried herbs like rosemary, sage, or marjoram to the broth would pair well with the chicken. You could also add extra aromatics to the pot, such as chopped onions, celery, carrots, or fennel to infuse more flavor. Another variation comes from using different spice blends. Try cajun seasoning, jerk seasoning, or ranch seasoning in place of just salt and pepper to liven things up. For bolder flavor, try adding citrus peel — lemon, lime, or orange — to the cooking liquid. Wine can also add a depth of flavor to the cooking liquid. If you want to give the chicken skin more color and crispness without broiling, a spiced butter or herb-infused oil brushed on at the end would work nicely. To make the recipe more Mediterranean, add olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts to the cooking liquid. The possibilities are endless for customizing the flavors to suit your taste or complement the rest of your meal.
- 5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 whole garlic cloves
- 8 cups water
- 1 whole (3-pound) chicken
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- Fresh sage
- Fresh thyme
- ½ lemon
- Add salt, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaves, garlic, and water to the Instant Pot
- Submerge the chicken in the liquid, breast side up.
- Seal the lid and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 0 minutes.
- After the Instant Pot signals it has reached pressure, it will shut off. Let the pressure release on its own for 18–22 minutes; this cooks the chicken.
- Remove the chicken and check the internal temperature, which should be at least 161 F. If it is not up to temperature, return it to the broth and check again shortly.
- Turn the oven broiler on high to preheat.
- Place the chicken on a baking sheet and coat with melted butter.
- Broil the chicken for 4–8 minutes, checking often, until the skin is browned.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve, garnished with fresh sage and thyme and with lemon juice squeezed over the top, if desired.
| Calories per Serving | 468 |
| Total Fat | 34.1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 160.2 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 1.0 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.2 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.0 g |
| Sodium | 1,215.6 mg |
| Protein | 37.4 g |
