How to Cook the Best Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot

Learn how to cook the best whole chicken in an instant pot in with this simple recipe. This recipe is easy, affordable and quick. Packed with protein and vegetables, this nutritious meal is sure to become a family staple!

Cooking a chicken in the Instant Pot makes the process a lot faster, feeding you and your family nutritious food in a fraction of the time it would take to cook a chicken in the oven. The Instant Pot also has a function to automatically keep food warm after it is finished cooking. This means that this Instant Pot chicken is a great meal if you are short on time and dinner is quickly approaching. This also means that you can put a chicken to cook early in the day and go about your without needing to worry about an oven being on or food sitting out at unsafe temperatures.

This Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe is one my family turns to very often. I have played with the recipe quite a bit and have found that this one makes the most delicious and nutritious meal. Cooking a whole chicken affordable and provides multiple meals for a family! I can cook the chicken for dinner on Monday then use the leftovers in a chicken salad throughout the week. The possibilities are endless!

YouTube Video

Cook this Instant Pot Chicken recipe and other easy meals with me in this YouTube Video!

Materials for the Best Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot

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Find a lot of my kitchen favorites that I use for this recipe and everyday here:

Instant Pot

Tongs- Try these wooden tongs!

Meat Thermometer

Ingredients for the Best Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 stick of butter
• 3 red or white potatoes
• 2-3 large carrots
• 1 onion
• 2 celery stalks (optional)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine

Seasonings to Taste

• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Cajun Seasoning
• Italian Seasoning
• Poultry Seasoning

Instructions to Make the Best Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot

Preparing the Instant Pot Chicken

1. Prepare the chicken by removing the giblets and cutting off any fat as desired.
2. Put the Instant Pot on the Sauté setting and melt some butter in the bottom of the pot. Keep the lid off of the Instant Pot during the sauté process.
3. When the butter is melted, put one side of the chicken down to brown the skin and create a nice crispiness. Let the skin brown for about 7-10 minutes. Then, using tongs, flip the chicken over to let the other side brown as well for another 7-10 minutes.

Seasoning the Instant Pot Chicken

1. While the chicken is browning, prepare the vegetables. Peel the carrots and potatoes, if desired, then chop all of the vegetables into large chunks.
2. Using tongs, Take the chicken out of the Instant Pot and place it on the trivet. Here, you can turn off the instant pot for a little bit.
3. Stuff the chicken with the remainder of the stick of butter and whatever vegetables will fit. I, personally, like to put onions in the chicken to provide more flavor.
4. Add the chicken broth and wine to the Instant Pot. Then, use the trivet to place the chicken back into the Instant Pot.
5. Add the seasonings to the top of the chicken. You can rub the seasonings into the chicken if desired, but it is not necessary.
6. Add the rest of the chopped vegetables around the chicken, pushing them down the sides of the chicken as needed.

Cooking the Instant Pot Chicken

1. Put the Instant Pot on the poultry setting and cook it on high pressure for about 50 minutes for a 5lb. chicken. Add about 10 minutes more for each additional pound. Make sure the lid is on and the vent is set to sealing before setting it to cook.
2. When it is finished cooking, the Instant Pot will automatically keep the food warm while the pressure releases. It is your choice if you want to allow it to vent slowly or switch the venting knob to release the pressure quickly.
3. Enjoy! This Instant Pot chicken and vegetable meal is delicious served over rice!

Notes

• Be sure to remove the giblets from the chicken before cooking it.
• You will need the trivet that comes with the instant pot for this recipe.
• The Instant Pot will automatically keep your food warm when it is done cooking, so this is an easy meal you can make at any time of the day and it will be ready for dinner.
• This is an easy meal to switch up depending on the flavor profile you are looking for. For example, If you know you want to add this chicken to a Mexican dish, add things like taco seasoning. Or, if you are going for a barbecue flavor, then add typical barbecue seasonings.
• This chicken is great on it’s own and lends itself easily to leftovers! Add the leftover chicken to a chicken salad, a soup, an enchilada dish, or so much more!

More Recipes to Try!

Use the leftovers from this Instant Pot Chicken in a Chicken and Sausage Gumbo!

Try this Stuffed Acorn Squash!

Or this Instant Pot Applesauce, an easy snack for those with little ones!

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