Instant Pot Whole Chicken (Rotisserie Chicken Style)

If you’re one to pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store on any given weeknight, this Instant Pot whole chicken is for you! It’s completely changed the game in my house. Not only is cooking a whole chicken in the Instant Pot faster than roasting, but it comes out smelling incredible and tasting even better. This chicken is perfectly seasoned, with crispy, charred skin and juicy meat that’s great for shredding, chopping, or enjoying as-is. And I don’t even need to leave the house!

But can you still get that charred skin in an Instant Pot? You sure can! The chicken is seared on all sides before we begin cooking it in the Instant Pot. This is a very important step that I use in my Instant Pot pesto chicken recipe, too. It develops flavor and locks in all the yummy juices!

Why You Should Make Instant Pot Whole Chicken

• “Roasted” chicken in no time. This Instant Pot chicken comes out tasting and looking like a slow-roasted rotisserie chicken, only it takes a fraction of the time to cook.
• Savory spices. The seasoning mix in this recipe is my favorite combination to create that distinct rotisserie flavor, with spices like cumin, paprika, garlic, and coriander.
• Versatile. A whole chicken is great for family dinners, holidays, or just to have in the fridge. Use this Instant Pot chicken for chicken tacos, sandwiches, soups, and more!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what you need to cook a whole chicken in your Instant Pot. The spices are probably already in your pantry! Scroll down to the recipe card for the complete list with amounts.

• Whole Chicken – If you’re using a frozen chicken, thaw it overnight first. Also, it’s important to remove any of the giblets from the cavity. You can discard these or save them to make chicken stock!
• Avocado Oil – I like to use avocado oil, but you can also use olive oil or another cooking oil of your choice.
• Spices – Garlic powder, cumin, paprika, ground coriander, salt, and pepper.
• Lemon – Seasoning the chicken with lemon is so delicious. The acidity elevates the flavor of the spices and brightens up the meal.
• Chicken Stock – You always need at least 1 cup of liquid to cook with the pressure cooker, or it’ll throw a burn notice. I use chicken stock or broth since it’s chicken, but you can use water or vegetable stock, too.

How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot

Grab your pressure cooker and let’s get cooking! Give yourself an hour or two for this recipe. Cooking with a pressure cooker takes a bit longer than just the cooking time, as the Instant Pot needs time to come to pressure.

• Prepare your seasoning rub. Mix all of the dried spices to make your rub.
• Clean and dry the chicken. Make sure that you remove the giblets from the chicken. It’s also important that you pat the chicken dry (this helps the seasonings adhere and lets the chicken develop a good sear).
• Season the chicken. Next, rub the seasoning all over the interior cavity and outside of the chicken.

• Sear the chicken on all sides. Preheat the Instant Pot to Sauté. The inside must be very hot before you start searing. Next, place the chicken into the Instant Pot. It should sizzle quite a bit! Sear the chicken on all sides to brown the skin. Then, remove the chicken from the pot.
• Set the Instant Pot and cook. Add the chicken stock and a trivet so that the chicken isn’t sitting directly on the bottom of the pan. Put the chicken back in and close the lid. Set it to cook for 29 minutes on High pressure, followed by a natural release.

Let the Chicken Rest Before Serving

It’s important to do a natural release, and then rest the chicken for another 10 minutes before serving. This lets the juices redistribute so the chicken is moist and tender when you carve it.

Common Questions

Recipe Tips and Variations

• Make sure that you pat the chicken dry. This is very important if you want crispy skin!
• Finish the chicken under the broiler or grill for even crispier skin. You can always put the whole chicken (or cut-up pieces) under the broiler or on a hot grill after it’s been cooked. This will crisp up the chicken even more. (It’s also a great time to add BBQ sauce!)
• Add more flavorings to the pot. You can add several things to amp up the flavor. I suggest adding some clean vegetable scraps to the broth or cavity before cooking (like carrots, celery, or onions). You could also add a few whole garlic cloves.

Serving Suggestions

Instant Pot chicken needs a good side dish! Here are some of my favorite sides that I think pair perfectly with roasted chicken.

• Vegetables: Add vegetables to the plate, like my air fryer asparagus or oven-roasted Brussels sprouts.
• Potatoes: I love chicken and potatoes! Especially these garlic ranch potatoes, sour cream and chive mashed potatoes, and potato salad.
• Salad: Let’s not forget a good salad! My kale and shaved Brussels sprout salad and green spinach and arugula salad are two great options to try.

Ways to Use Leftover Whole Chicken

This rotisserie-style Instant Pot whole chicken is easy to stretch into multiple meals. I love turning leftover cooked chicken into chicken salad and adding it to chicken soup, casseroles, and more. Here are some ideas:

• Tex-Mex: Make shredded chicken tacos or add this chicken to a chicken enchilada casserole.
• Salads and bowls: Make a Waldorf chicken salad or add sliced chicken breast to a chicken Cobb salad or a chicken burrito bowl.
• Pizza: I love tossing cubed or shredded chicken with BBQ sauce to add to a homemade BBQ chicken pizza.
• Dips: Use leftover chicken to make crockpot Buffalo chicken dip.
• Soup, stew, and chili: Shred leftovers to add to white chicken chili, chicken noodle soup, and more cozy recipes.

Storing, Reheating, and Freezing

• Refrigerate. This chicken makes great leftovers. Simply store any leftover chicken in an air-tight container and use it within 5 days.
• Freeze. It’s OK to freeze, too! Just make sure that you seal it up tight and label it. It’s best to use the frozen chicken within 3 months.
• Reheat. To reheat the chicken, simply put it in the microwave, or you can toss cut-up pieces with some oil in a sauté pan. You could also just eat it cold! The leftovers would be great for salads and sandwiches.

More Easy Chicken Recipes

• Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
• Shredded Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
• Grilled Whole Chicken
• Lemon Rosemary Chicken
• Garlic Herb Crock Pot Chicken