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Home » Recipes » Dinner » Chicken

January 28, 2020

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

Published January 28, 2020 | Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

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Step away from the ordinary and have your whole chicken cooked in half the time using your Instant Pot. And get the juiciest chicken ever! This chicken comes with a delicious glaze and a Thai flavoured sauce also made in the Instant Pot. 

Serve this delicious chicken with rice and authentic Thai Papaya Salad!

Roasted Whole Chicken on grey platter

I believe that buying a whole chicken is the most economical way to feed a family. Better yet cooking your chicken whole is the easiest way! Very little prep, very little hands on time. 

There is something special about sitting down to eat with a crispy skinned chicken crowning the dinner table. 

Then there are leftovers that could be made into salads, sandwiches, quesadillas. The possibilities are endless. That is why we love buying those rotisserie chickens, don’t we?! 

The recipe I am sharing today is similar to those supermarket cooked chickens but it’s made in your pressure cooker. 

Whole Chicken on platter with a part of breast sliced off

Benefits of cooking a whole chicken in pressure cooker

As mentioned above cooking a whole chicken is not very labour intensive but it does take some time in the oven. Depending on the size of your chicken you can wait for up to two hours before you can eat.

Enter Instant Pot. This amazing electric pressure cooker will cook your chicken in half the time and that is not all the benefits. It will also deliver a chicken that is:

  • very moist since it doesn’t dry out in Instant Pot the same way it can when oven cooked
  • very flavourful because when cooked under pressure it also forces the rub penetrate the chicken deeper than with the conventional method. 

How to cook a whole chicken in Instant Pot

  • Use a large enough Instant Pot to fit a whole chicken. 6 or 8 quart ones are definitely big enough.
  • Cover you whole chicken with a spice rub of choice. I went with Thai flavours for something new and exciting.
  • Add 1 cup/250ml of liquid to the bottom of the Instant Pot, a necessary step to build pressure according to IP manual. 
  • Set a trivet on top of the liquid, which will prevent your chicken from getting soggy. I used coconut milk.
  • Pressure cook on high according to the Time Chart below. 
  • Allow for a natural pressure release. 
  • Remove the chicken and broil in an oven for 2-3 minutes to crisp up the skin.
  • Use SAUTE function on your Instant Pot to make a gravy by adding a combination of water and cornstarch to the the liquid. 

Whole Chicken before and after being cooked in Instant Pot

How long do I cook whole chicken in Instant Pot

The cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken. This recipe is for 3.5lbs chicken and it takes 23 minutes of cooking at HIGH pressure. Adjust the timing according to the weight of your chicken. It is possible to overcook a chicken, which will result in drier meat. If you chicken looks like it’s falling apart, it is overcooked. 

3.5 lbs-23 minutes

4 lbs chicken-24 minutes

5 lbs chicken-26 minutes

Always allow for a natural pressure release instead of manual. 

How do I get crispy skin when cooking in a pressure cooker

There are many benefits to cooking in Instant Pot as mentioned earlier but the main downfall is the chicken skin. There is no way it can come out crispy like oven baked. 

My solution is to quickly broil it in an oven for 2-3 minutes for a golden, crispy skin. 

glazed chicken breast, rice and kale on a grey plate

Chicken Gravy Recipe

Not the surprisingly my kids declared the sauce to be the best part of this chicken recipe. I laughed but I kind of agree with them.

Since I went with Thai flavours, the sauce tastes like a delicious and slightly spicy Thai red curry that I generously poured all over my chicken and rice. Making it is easier than any gravy you can imagine. 

Once your chicken is cooked, take it out of the Instant Pot. You will have a red coloured liquid at the bottom. Turn the SAUTE button on and bring it to a boil, then stir in a slurry of cornstarch and water. 

Your delicious Thai flavoured sauce is ready to be drizzled all over your chicken! Instant Pot Chicken Recipe with Thai Curry Sauce

For traditionally oven roasted chicken recipes take a look at:

  • Rosemary and Thyme Roast Chicken
  • Spatchcock Chicken 
Whole Chicken on platter with a part of breast sliced off

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

Julia Frey of Vikalinka
Step away from the ordinary and have your whole chicken cooked in half the time than the usual by using your Instant Pot. And get the juiciest chicken ever!
4.80 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 23 mins
Pressure Building and Release Time 30 mins
Total Time 58 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 383 kcal

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 3.5 lbs whole chicken
  • 125ml/1/2cup Thai red curry paste
  • salt
  • 250ml/1cup coconut milk
  • 3 tsp cornstarch/corn flour
  • 1 tsp water

Instructions
 

  • Add the coconut milk to the bottom of your Instant Pot and place a trivet inside. Rub the chicken with Thai red curry paste all over including the cavity, set aside 2 tbsp of the paste for later. Season with salt. Place the chicken on top of the trivet breast side up. Close the lid and seal. Manually pressure cook on HIGH for 23 minutes. (It will take up to 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.)
  • Once the chicken is done, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure. Meanwhile set your oven to broil/grill mode. Carefully remove the chicken from Instant Pot by lifting it by the handles of the trivet. Leave the cooking liquid inside for the sauce.
  • Transfer the chicken to a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet. (I left it on the trivet.) Apply the reserved curry paste to the chicken breast and legs. Broil the chicken for 2-3 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden. Watch carefully as oven temperatures vary. Take out of the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
  • While the chicken is resting make the sauce. Press the SAUTE button on your Instant Pot and bring the liquid to a boil, stir in a slurry of cornstarch and water and whisk until thickened. Turn the Instant Pot off and pour the sauce into a serving dish right away, otherwise it will burn.

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 25gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 95mgPotassium: 332mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3459IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

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About Julia Frey (Vikalinka)

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.
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Julia from Vikalinka

Julia Frey is a London based recipe developer and photographer. Julia founded Vikalinka in 2012 with the main mission to provide her readers with delicious and accessible everyday recipes, which could be enjoyed by everyone.

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