Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Lemon Pepper

Name: Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1½ cup chicken stock ((360mL)); 2 teaspoons salt; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons onion powder; 2 teaspoons paprika; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme ((or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)); 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 (4 to 5-pound) whole chicken ((1.8-2.25 kg)); 1 lemon (halved); 1 small onion (quartered); 3 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

If you love rotisserie chicken but would rather cook a chicken at home, you need to try my Instant Pot Whole Chicken. The chicken cooks really quickly thanks to your trusty pressure cooker, and the results are moist, juicy, flavorful chicken you won’t be able to get enough of!

One important note: Don’t throw away the drippings once the Instant Pot chicken is cooked! You can use them to make the most amazing homemade gravy, which tastes incredible over creamy mashed potatoes. For more chicken recipes, try my roasted chicken, chicken fricassée, and coq au vin.

What you need to make this recipe

Ingredients needed to make an instant pot whole chicken.

Chicken stock — you can use chicken stock or chicken broth, whichever you have available.

Spice mix — salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, fresh thyme, and ground black pepper add so much flavor to the Instant Pot rotisserie chicken.

Chicken — a chicken around 4 to 5 pounds works well for this Instant Pot whole chicken recipe.

Lemon — fresh lemon adds depth of flavor.

Onion — a quartered onion gets stuffed into the chicken cavity along with the lemon to infuse it with flavor.

Butter — melted butter helps the seasoning stick to the chicken, and will also help the chicken skin crisp up if you decide to broil it after it is cooked (more on that later!).

How to Make Instant Pot Whole Chicken

Set of two photos showing stock added to the pressure cooker and seasoning mixed in a bowl. with a fork.

1. Place the trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot and pour in the chicken stock.

2. Make the spice mix by stirring together salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, thyme, and black pepper.

Set of two photos showing chicken is patted dry with a paper towel and onion inserted.

3. Remove anything that may be the cavity of the chicken. Thoroughly pat the chicken dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

4. Insert lemon halves and quartered onion into the cavity.

Set of two photos showing chicken brushed with butter and seasoned.

5. Brush melted butter all over the chicken.

6. Sprinkle the spice mixture on the bottom side of the chicken first. Flip it and sprinkle the spices on the breast and legs. Gently pat the spice mix into the chicken to help it stick.

Set of two photos showing chicken tied with twine and added to an instant pot.

7. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine to keep everything contained.

8. Place the chicken in the Instant Pot, breast side up. Secure the lid and make sure the steam valve is in the Sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes (for a 5-pound chicken).

Let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure. Remove the lid and lift the chicken out of the pressure and onto a cutting board.

Check the internal temperature using an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the thigh. It should read 160-165°F. (See Pro-Tips section for what to do if it has not reached a safe temperature yet.)

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing. If you want crispy skin, place the unsliced pressure cooker whole chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on High for 2 to 5 minutes.

A plate with an instant pot whole chicken with the breast sliced.

Cooking Time for Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot

The general cooking time to pressure cook a whole chicken in Instant Pot is 6 minutes per pound when under full pressure. For every half pound, add 3 minutes to the total time. Adjust your cook time based on the weight of your chicken, and always use an instant-read thermometer to check if the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.

The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and 15 minutes to release pressure, with the cooking time of the chicken in addition to that, so keep that in mind when planning out your overall time allowance.

Can I Cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in an Instant Pot?

While you can cook a chicken from frozen in the Instant Pot, I recommend using a fresh chicken or completely thawed frozen chicken. I’ve found that fresh or thawed chickens cook more evenly in the Instant Pot, not to mention significantly faster.

It can also be a challenge to remove the package of giblets from the cavity if the chicken is still frozen. If you do decide to cook the chicken from frozen, a 5-pound bird will take about 70 minutes to cook.

What is Natural Pressure Release?

A natural release simply means that you allow the Instant Pot to slowly release the pressure by itself. The pressure valve is in the Sealed position in this recipe, so the pressure will naturally reduce over time without you needing to do anything.

For this recipe, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, and then manually release any remaining pressure.

A plate with an instant pot whole chicken leg over roast potatoes. A bowl of pepper in the background along with a glass of water.

How Do You Get Crispy Skin?

Cooking an Instant Pot whole chicken yields delicious but soft skin. If crispy chicken skin is a non-negotiable for you, I have two easy tips. Place the cooked chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil on High for 2 to 5 minutes.

Or, attach an air fryer lid to the pressure cooker and air fry at 400°F for 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy.

Can You Cook Other Vegetables With the Chicken?

Yes, potatoes and carrots are a great option to cook along with the chicken. Simply season them with the same spices you use on the chicken, place them on the trivet, and place the chicken on top. The chicken juices will give them so much flavor!

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover Instant Pot whole chicken in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Enjoy leftovers cold or microwaved briefly. You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating or using in another recipe.

Pro-Tips for Making the Best Instant Pot Whole Chicken

Weigh your chicken. Since cooking time varies by weight, it’s important to know how heavy the bird is before cooking. Look at the package before discarding it, as the price sticker will typically list the weight.
Don’t use an extremely large bird. I found that a 4- to 5-pound chicken was the best size for my 6-quart Instant Pot and it did not interfere with the air fryer lid (if your Instant Pot has that style and you want to crisp up the skin after cooking). A larger chicken may not fit as well, or at all!
Use a trivet. This helps with even cooking and makes it easy to remove the chicken from the Instant Pot. It also helps to prevent the underside from becoming mushy.
What to do if the chicken is not fully cooked: If the internal temperature of the chicken is lower than 160°F, return it to High pressure and cook for another 1 minute per 5 degrees of difference, then manually (quick-release) the steam after cooking.
Don’t toss the drippings! Make a homemade gravy with the drippings in the bottom of the pot to serve with the chicken! Or, save the liquid for other uses, like to add to soups! The liquid is incredibly flavorful.

A plate with sliced instant pot whole chicken meat with roasted potatoes, lemon wedges, and broccoli.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to cook a whole chicken in an Instant Pot?

A good rule of thumb to follow: Cook for 6 minutes per pound of chicken once under pressure. So, a 4-pound chicken cooks for 24 minutes, a 5-pound chicken cooks for 30 minutes, and so on. However, don’t forget to take the other steps into account.
For instance, an Instant Pot takes about 10 minutes to pressurize. And you need an additional 15 minutes at the end for the pressure to release naturally. So if you are cooking a 5-pound chicken, total cook time will be 55 minutes (excluding about 5 minutes to broil the chicken at the end). With broiling, it will be closer to an hour of total cook time.

Why is my cooked chicken tough?

Trying to quick-release the pressure can lead to tough chicken. Allowing the pressure to release naturally gives the juices time to redistribute, so your chicken turns out tender, moist, and succulent.

Does cooking chicken longer in Instant Pot make it more tender?

It can, up to a point. Chicken is the juiciest when the internal temperature hits 165F. Anything higher than that will start to dry it out, which can make it tough.

Cooking for an extra 2 to 3 minutes in the Instant Pot will make the chicken cook enough so the meat very easily falls off the bone without drying it too much. This is ideal if you want to shred it for use in a recipe like tacos or soup. If I do this, I like to make sure the chicken is going into a saucy or brothy dish with added moisture. If you keep cooking chicken, it will eventually become dry, stringy and tough.

What to serve with Instant Pot Whole Chicken

So many sides to choose from for Instant Pot whole chicken! Use those delicious drippings from the pot to make homemade gravy, and generously pour that over mashed potatoes. Add roasted Brussels sprouts, creamed spinach, or roasted carrots as well. For something a little different, serve the chicken over wild rice with a crunchy kale salad. You can also turn leftover chicken into a delicious curried chicken salad!

If you love this recipe try these out!

If you’ve tried this Instant Pot whole chicken recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

Instant Pot Whole Chicken