0 from 12 votes
Instant Pot Whole Chicken
This easy Instant Pot whole chicken recipe is fast, simple, and makes the most tender chicken. Great for a family dinner or to have chicken meat ready for meals throughout the week!
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Inactive time
20 mins
Total Time
49 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 339 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (mine was 4 pounds)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- pepper to taste
- 1 whole lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Add the spice rub ingredients to a small bowl. Use a knife to prick the lemon all over with small holes.
- Rub the spices all over the chicken (I like to rub some into the cavity as well) and place the lemon in its cavity (ensure giblets etc. have been removed).
- Add the olive oil to your Instant Pot and press the "sauté" button. Once it's had a chance to warm up a bit, add the chicken breast-side down. Let it cook for 4 minutes and then flip it over (I like to use a wooden spoon and spatula to do this). Add the chicken broth to the bottom of the electric pressure cooker. If you prefer your chicken not to be sitting in the broth, you can use the trivet that your Instant Pot came with - place it into your Instant Pot before adding the chicken back in.
- Cook the chicken on high pressure for 6 minutes/pound. In my case, I had a 4-pound chicken so I cooked it for 24 minutes. It will take 10-15 minutes for the Instant Pot to get up to pressure before it starts the cooking time.
- Once the countdown has finished, I like to release the pressure manually after 10 minutes, but you can let it release naturally too.
- Check that the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165F. If not, cook it for longer (I'd give it another 5 minutes to start). If chicken is cooked, carve it up and serve it. If you decide to discard the skin (it won't be crispy), I suggest seasoning the chicken meat with some extra salt to give it more flavor if needed. Alternatively, you can broil the chicken for a few minutes to get the skin crispy (like I did for the photos). You can use the leftover liquid in the pan and the leftover chicken bones to make bone broth or chicken stock if desired.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Inactive time indicates the time the pressure cooker needs to get up to pressure and then release pressure.
- Feel free to use your own blend of seasonings/spices and leave the lemon out if you don't want a lemony-flavored chicken.
- Don't own an Instant Pot? Try my easy roasted chicken recipe for something similar!
- I use this 6-quart Instant Pot.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition Information
Calories
339kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
1g
(0%)
Protein
27g
(54%)
Fat
24g
(37%)
Saturated Fat
7g
(35%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
5g
Monounsaturated Fat
11g
Trans Fat
0.1g
Cholesterol
110mg
(37%)
Sodium
635mg
(26%)
Potassium
301mg
(9%)
Fiber
0.3g
(1%)
Sugar
0.3g
(1%)
Vitamin A
374IU
(7%)
Vitamin C
3mg
(3%)
Calcium
24mg
(2%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 339
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 339kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 1g | 0% |
| Protein | 27g | 54% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 5g | 29% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Trans Fat | 0.1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 110mg | 37% |
| Sodium | 635mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 301mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 0.3g | 1% |
| Sugar | 0.3g | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 374IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 24mg | 2% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.