Instant Pot Whole Chicken
User Reviews
5
214 reviews
Excellent
-
Total Time
1 hr
-
Servings
4 - 6
-
Calories
314 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
American
Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Report
This Instant Pot whole chicken recipe uses a simple blend of dried herbs, bay leaves, and a substantial amount of salt to poach a whole bird submerged in cold water, producing tender, flavorful chicken with a rich broth. The pressure cooking method requires zero minutes at high pressure followed by a precise natural release time varying with chicken weight to ensure perfect doneness. The use of butter and garlic added after cooking enhances the flavor before serving, making it a well-rounded poached chicken suitable for various dishes or serving with the accompanying broth.
Description
Instant Pot Whole Chicken uses a whole 3.3lb chicken submerged in a salted, herb-scented water bath with oregano, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves to create a flavorful poaching liquid. The chicken is pressure cooked at high pressure for zero minutes—the minimal time needed to come to pressure—followed by a natural release of 20 to 22 minutes depending on weight, resulting in tender, juicy meat without overcooking. The broth from cooking is strained for use as a chicken stock base.
The cooking method produces a gentle poach that preserves the chicken's texture and juices, while the herbs infuse subtle aromatic notes. Adding butter and minced garlic after cooking enriches the flavor before serving.
This recipe yields tender poached chicken that can be served plainly or used in salads, sandwiches, or other dishes calling for cooked chicken. The broth can be repurposed for soups or sauces.
Careful timing of the natural pressure release is important for the desired texture. This recipe is best with a fresh whole chicken and a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo model or similar, adjusting times for other models or altitudes. Frozen chickens are not suited for this method due to cooking time requirements.
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Ingredients
- 1 (3.3lb or 1500g) chicken whole
- 1 teaspoon (0.9g) oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon (2.1g) rosemary dried
- 1 teaspoon (1.4g) thyme dried
- 2 bay leaf
- 5 teaspoons (35g) fine sea salt or table salt
- 8 cups (2L) water cold
- 3 - 4 tablespoons (52g) butter unsalted
- 4 (13g) garlic minced, cloves
- salt a pinch
- soy sauce regular, 1 tablespoon (15ml), optional
- Half lemon
Instructions
- Pressure Cook Whole Chicken: Add 5 tsp (35g) salt, 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried rosemary, and 1 tsp dried thyme to Instant Pot. Pour in 8 cups (2L) cold water. Carefully submerge whole chicken (breast side facing up) in the liquid.Pro Tip: Make sure the whole chicken is at least 90% submerged in the liquid.With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 0 (zero) minute*, then Natural Release for 20 - 22 minutes.For 2.8lbs (1260g) Whole Chicken: Natural Release for 18 minutes For 3.2 lbs (1450g) Whole Chicken: Natural Release for 20 minutesFor 3.6 lbs (1633g) Whole Chicken: Natural Release for 22 minutesAfter 18 to 22 minutes, release remaining pressure by turning the Venting Knob to Venting position. Carefully open the lid. Remove chicken, then drain the hot chicken stock in chicken carcass.*Amy + Jacky's Notes: Zero minutes is not a typo! We're using the time it takes to "get up to pressure", and "release pressure" to cook the chicken. For reference, it takes roughly 30 to 32 minutes to "get up to pressure".
- Make Garlic Butter: While the chicken is cooking in Instant Pot, melt 3 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in minced garlic and a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté garlic for 1 - 2 mins until fragrant and golden in color. Remove from heat, add in 1 tbsp regular soy sauce (optional), then set aside.
- Measure Temperature & Pat Dry Whole Chicken: Carefully place the chicken on an oven tray. Measure temperature at the thickest part of chicken. Make sure the temperature reaches at least 161°F (72°C). Gently pat dry the chicken with paper towel.Note: If the internal temp doesn't reach this food safe minimum, put the chicken back into the hot broth. Close the lid, then let it cook for a longer time (5 - 10 mins).
- Optional - Crisp Chicken: Brush garlic-infused butter all over the chicken. Try to avoid having garlic on top as it'll burn easily in oven. Option 1 – Oven: Put the chicken breast-side down under the broiler for 4 – 8 minutes until the skin is browned & lightly crisped. Be careful if you're also browning the breast side because white meat is more likely to dry out.Option 2 – Air Fryer or Air Fryer Lid: Place a trivet in Instant Pot. Put whole chicken (breast side down) on trivet. Brush sauce on chicken. Place Air Fryer Lid on Instant Pot. Press “Airfry” button, set Temperature to 400°F and Cooking Time to 20 minutes. Flip chicken over if you want to brown the breast side too. For reference, it’ll take roughly 8 - 12 mins until the chicken skin is browned & crisped. You can open the lid to check the progress.
- Serve: Rest chicken for a few minutes before carving. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on chicken if desired. Serve & enjoy immediately!
Equipments used:
Notes
- Use 8 cups of cold water for the deep poaching method to properly submerge the whole chicken.
- The large amount of salt (5 teaspoons) is intentional to add flavor and won't result in overly salty meat.
- Unsalted butter is preferred for flavor control; adjust added salt if using salted butter.
- Soy sauce is optional for added umami and color, use according to taste.
- Frozen whole chickens are not recommended for this recipe due to longer required cooking times.
- Natural release time is critical for doneness; adjust timing based on the Instant Pot model and chicken weight.
- If unable to set a zero-minute cook time, cook for 1 minute then cancel and let natural pressure release begin.
- Keep the lid closed until the prescribed natural release time is complete to avoid premature pressure loss.
- For higher altitudes, increase natural release time for proper cooking.
- Use the strained cooking broth as a flavorful base for soups or sauces.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
314kcal
(16%)
Carbohydrates
1g
(0%)
Protein
23g
(46%)
Fat
24g
(37%)
Saturated Fat
9g
(45%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
(24%)
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
(45%)
Trans Fat
0.3g
(15%)
Cholesterol
105mg
(35%)
Sodium
489mg
(20%)
Potassium
245mg
(5%)
Fiber
0.4g
(2%)
Sugar
0.04g
(0%)
Vitamin A
368IU
(7%)
Vitamin C
3mg
(3%)
Calcium
40mg
(4%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4- 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories 314 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 314kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 1g | 0% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 0.3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 105mg | 35% |
| Sodium | 489mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 245mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 0.4g | 2% |
| Sugar | 0.04g | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 368IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 40mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
214 reviews
Excellent
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