Instant Pot Whole Chicken

Cooking a whole chicken in the Instant Pot has never been any easier!

5 from 5 votes

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Western

Diet: Low Calorie

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 33

Servings:

Calories: 294kcal

In a small mixing bowl, make paste with melted butter and seasonings.
Next, rub that paste all over the chicken outside and inside the cavity.
Pour the water into the Instant Pot insert, set the trivet in the bottom of the insert, and place the whole chicken on top of the trivet.
Close and seal the Instant Pot, and select the manual setting and High Pressure. Set timer for 25 minutes.
Allow for a natural pressure release (NPR), which will take about 10-15 minutes.
Use your meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your whole chicken. Your chicken is done when the temperature reaches 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
Once the chicken is safely cooked, let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Preheat the liquid to save time. If you're short on time, use the saute setting on high to heat the liquid and save time by reducing the time it will take to get everything up to pressure. Make sure to do this before you put on the lid and turn on the manual setting.
Save time by skipping the browning step. If you're ready for your meal faster, skip the browning the chicken step. This step is done to enhance the overall flavor but can easily be skipped if you're short on time.
If your chicken isn't safe to eat after your initial natural pressure release, add 5 minutes to the cook time and check the internal temperature again.
Place chicken breast-side down into the pot. This is where most of the meat is and cooking it this way will make sure the white meat stays juicy, tender, and moist.
Always use your meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your chicken before serving and eating.
Skip the trivet. To make your whole chicken extra juicy, don't use the Instant Pot trivet to hold the rotisserie chicken and cook it directly in the cooking liquid.