Instead of picking up a rotisserie chicken at the store, make your own Instant Pot whole chicken at home! Nothing simplifies meal prep more than having delicious, shredded chicken ready to go for your main meal or to add to all your favorite recipes.

Whole chicken served on plate and garnished

Want me to send this recipe right to your inbox?

We'll email this post right to your inbox, so you can easily find it later!

What’s To Love About This Recipe

Love a hot and fresh rotisserie chicken, but not all the added ingredients? This is an easy alternative to packaged rotisserie chicken at the store, which likely includes a heightened amount of sodium and a long list of preservatives.
The Instant Pot is a quick and efficient method to cook a whole chicken with minimal effort. You don’t have to stay near the oven or worry about it not cooking thoroughly in the middle. You’ll get tasty meat even faster than oven roasting, but it will still be just as flavorful.
This method produces tender, juicy meat that can be served as-is or shredded for other recipes. You might even want to freeze some for effortless meals later!
A hot, seasoned whole chicken is a simple one-pot meal base. It’s an excellent addition to your weekly meal prep and batch cooking. If you’re new to meal prep or pressure cooking, this is a great place to start.
An added bonus is the homemade chicken stock starter at the end! Save the bones and drippings to make a nutrient-rich, flavorful stock for your next meal.

Ingredients Needed

Whole chicken – For the average Instant Pot (usually 6 quarts), a 3.5-4.5 pound chicken will fit comfortably. I recommend purchasing the highest quality whole, raw chicken that you can (e.g., organic, pasture-raised, etc.) to get the best texture and flavor.
- Note: Larger chickens may require an 8-quart pot or a slightly longer cook time.
All-purpose seasoning – A simple, all-purpose seasoning is all you need to season the chicken! This coarse blend provides enough flavor to serve on its own, but also keeps it neutral enough to use the chicken in a variety of recipes later.
Water – The Instant Pot will need a small amount of liquid to create the steam pressure and moisture that keeps the chicken juicy and tender.

How To Make A Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot

Rub seasoning on the chicken (and under the skin if desired).

Whole chicken cut open and laying down on parchment paper

Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot.

Add a trivet to the pot and place the seasoned chicken on top.
Set to high pressure for 25 minutes.

Whole chicken seasoned sitting on trivet in instant pot

Allow for natural pressure release and then check to ensure the chicken is fully cooked to the proper temperature (it should reach 165 ℉).
Remove the chicken from the pot and allow it to cool before shredding.

Pro Tips

You will get the best results from fully thawed chicken. This allows the seasoning to be distributed evenly and ensures a more accurate cooking time. It is possible to use frozen chicken, but it will take longer.
To know when the chicken is done, use a thermometer. The chicken should reach 165 ℉ in the thickest part of the breast and 175 ℉ in the thigh.
Let the chicken rest 5–10 minutes before carving to help retain juices.
The Instant Pot won’t crisp the skin, but you can transfer the whole chicken to a baking sheet and broil it in the oven for 5–7 minutes.
Don’t throw out the bones! Save the bones and leftover cooking liquid to make homemade chicken stock in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.

Cook Time Per Pound:

If the chicken is thawed, cook for 6 minutes per pound.
- Example: 4 lb chicken = 25 minutes on high pressure + around 10-minute natural release.
If the chicken is frozen, increase the time to 10 minutes per pound, and ensure a full natural pressure release. Skip the seasoning inside the cavity if frozen.

Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Water is the most basic choice for the cooking liquid, but you could add chicken broth for extra flavor, or even a splash of wine or lemon juice for complexity.
Including aromatics in the pot enhances the flavor and adds another layer to a straightforward, yet tasty dish. Add large pieces of onion, carrots, or celery, whole cloves of garlic, or quartered lemons or apples inside the cavity or to the pot for flavor.
It’s super easy to customize the chicken for a particular cuisine with different seasonings! Use your favorite spice blend or choose flavor profiles such as Cajun, lemon-pepper, garlic-herb, or BBQ rub.
For an added herbal aroma, add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary or thyme under the skin.

Chicken shredded on plate served on plate

Have a little more time to slow-cook your chicken? Try my Slow Cooker Whole Chicken recipe for fall-apart tender meat. Your kitchen will smell amazing, too!

Best Ways To Use Instant Pot Chicken

Where should we begin with the best ways to use an Instant Pot chicken? When you have a delicious, versatile protein ready to go, your options are unlimited.

Of course, you can serve your beautiful whole chicken as the main course (in this case, I recommend broiling it for just a few minutes in the oven to enhance the presentation and crisp the skin). Add Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes, Lemon Pepper Roasted Asparagus, rice, or a side salad for a well-rounded meal.

If you want to use the chicken in other dishes, give it some time to rest after cooking and cool down a bit. While it’s still warm, debone the chicken and chop or shred it into the desired amounts. Take my word – it’s soooo much easier to do this while the meat is still slightly warm!

Use the chicken in other recipes such as chicken salad, serve it in tacos with salsa, grill it in sandwiches, add to wraps, or top off salads and pizza! The shredded meat also works beautifully if you want to save a cooking step later and add to these family-favorite recipes:

Storing and Reheating

How To Best Store Leftovers

Fridge

Store leftover chicken in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Feel free to store it whole in a large container or portion it and store the shredded meat. Be sure to save the drippings for broth or gravy!

Freezer

I don’t recommend freezing the whole cooked chicken (with the bones included) due to texture changes, but shredded chicken freezes very well for up to 3 months. Seal in vacuum-sealed bags for best results.

How To Best Reheat Leftovers

Use the microwave to reheat in short intervals along with a splash of broth or water, or heat it in a covered skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat. If you wish, you can also utilize the oven – just cover the chicken with foil and bake at 325℉ until warmed through.

Notes about pressure cooking times:

It will take around 15 minutes for the pot to come to pressure and begin cooking time.
It will take around 15-20 minutes for a full natural pressure release.
When using the Instant Pot, factor in time to reach pressure, cook, naturally release pressure, plus some extra time for the chicken to cool and shred it. (This will likely be a little over an hour total.)