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Instant Pot Whole “Rotisserie” Chicken

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All you need is about 45 minutes to have this amazing, tender, juicy Instant Pot whole rotisserie chicken. Your whole family will LOVE it!

All you need is about 45 minutes to have this amazing tender, juicy Instant Pot whole

All you need is about 45 minutes to have this amazing tender, juicy Instant Pot whole "rotisserie" chicken. Your whole family will LOVE it! | APinchOfHealthy.com

Preparing and roasting a whole chicken used to seem like domestic goddess territory to me. After some practice (and a few disasters), I was able to master a whole roasted chicken in the oven. I was so proud.

But oh, internet friends! I just found a game-changer: you can totally make this “rotisserie” chicken fake-out in your Instant Pot. It is practically fool-proof. And it is just so much better than the store-bought kind.

I even crisp up the skin first to give it that rotisserie feel. I use the instant pot’s sauté setting to do that, and then I flip it over and add a little chicken stock before cooking it on the manual pressure setting.

Plus, I love that you can control the quality of ingredients that you use to make this. You could go organic, for example. In my experience, pre-made rotisserie chickens are almost never organic.

Not that I am a food snob by any means. I mean, I have definitely bought my share of Costco rotisserie chickens! (See my Costco grocery hauls for that proof!)

But, this! It is perfectly tender and juicy…and ready in about 45 minutes.

All you need is about 45 minutes to have this amazing tender, juicy Instant Pot whole "rotisserie" chicken. Your whole family will LOVE it! | APinchOfHealthy.com

It fell apart a little when I was plating it up for the pictures. See that sad little chicken wing that fell off?

I know, I know. It sounds too good to be true, right?! Don’t worry, friends. I will show you exactly how to make a whole “rotisserie” chicken in the instant pot!

If you do not have an instant pot, this recipe should still work in a large stovetop pressure cooker.

Update: I have added an additional (optional) step to this recipe. If you do not want your chicken sitting in all the liquids, you can remove the chicken after browning the second side. Then add the liquids and trivet, and return the chicken (breast side up) to the pot.

Our family loved the original recipe, and it certainly was easier just to leave the bird in the pot and pour the chicken stock right in. But this extra step may be worth it to you if you don’t want the underside of your chicken sitting in liquid.

Helpful hint: Don’t throw away the liquid or the bones. Use it to make chicken bone broth.

FAQ’s About Instant Pot Whole Rotisserie Chicken

Can I use a frozen whole chicken?

Several people in my audience have had success using frozen chicken. When I have tested this myself, I have had mixed results. So for best results, I recommend using fully thawed chicken.

Can I add vegetables or rice to the pot to cook with the chicken?

I would not recommend rice, since the cook times don’t match up. Your rice would most likely get very mushy. One vegetable that I have had luck with are small/medium red potatoes. The trick is to fit them around the chicken. They will get really soft, but they are still good. Larger/ thick carrots may work okay too. Everything else I have tried gets too mushy.

Can I make this without stuffing the cavity with lemon and onion?

Yes, I do this all the time. It is still really tasty.😋👌🏻

Do I need more liquid if I am making this in an 8 quart model?

Yes, I would recommend the minimum liquid requirement for this model, which is 1.5 cups of liquid.

Why don’t you use the “poultry” button for this recipe?

I use manual high pressure for most of my Instant Pot recipes. Honestly, I have tried the other buttons and have not noticed much of a difference. 🤷🏼‍♀️

More Instant Pot Recipes You May Enjoy

👉🏻👉🏻See ALL of my Instant Pot recipes here.👈🏻👈🏻

Tools Used to Make Instant Pot Whole Rotisserie Chicken

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Instant Pot Whole Rotisserie Chicken Recipe

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All you need is about 45 minutes to have this amazing tender, juicy Instant Pot whole "rotisserie" chicken. Your whole family will LOVE it! | APinchOfHealthy.com
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Instant Pot "Rotisserie" Chicken

All you need is about 45 minutes to have this amazing, tender, juicy Instant Pot whole "rotisserie" chicken. Your whole family will LOVE it!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword instant pot, rotisserie chicken, whole chicken
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 288 kcal
Author Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken mine was 4.3 pounds
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 and 3/4 Tablespoons avocado oil (or you can use coconut or canola - something with a high smoke point)
  • 1 yellow onion quartered (optional)
  • 1 lemon halved (optional)
  • 1 cup chicken stock or broth

Instructions

  1. Remove all parts from the chicken cavity; rinse and pat dry with a paper towel.
  2. Optional: place the onion and lemon in the cavity of the chicken.
  3. Combine all of the spices, including salt and pepper, in a small ramekin dish; stir together.
  4. All you need is about 45 minutes to have this amazing tender, juicy Instant Pot whole "rotisserie" chicken. Your whole family will LOVE it! | APinchOfHealthy.com
  5. Add the oil to the spices, and stir until incorporated.
  6. All you need is about 45 minutes to have this amazing tender, juicy Instant Pot whole "rotisserie" chicken. Your whole family will LOVE it! | APinchOfHealthy.com
  7. Turn on your Instant Pot to preheat on the sauté setting on "normal."
  8. Rub the oil and spice mixture on the breast side of the chicken.
  9. All you need is about 45 minutes to have this amazing tender, juicy Instant Pot whole "rotisserie" chicken. Your whole family will LOVE it! | APinchOfHealthy.com
  10. Place the chicken, breast side down, in the preheated Instant Pot.
  11. Carefully rub the other half of the oil and spices mixture on the other side of the chicken.
  12. Allow the breast side to crisp up the chicken skin for a few minutes, about 3 to 4 minutes total.
  13. Carefully flip the chicken over to the other side, and let it crisp up the skin on the other side for about a minute. Flipping it over was a little awkward, but it helps to use a sturdy burger flipper and some tongs.
  14. Optional step: If you do not want your chicken sitting in the liquids, you can remove the chicken after it browns on the second side and place the trivet in the pot. Then place the chicken, breast side up, on the trivet.
  15. Add in the chicken stock.
  16. Place the lid on and lock it, per Instant Pot instructions.

  17. Set to manual high pressure for 25 minutes.

  18. Allow the Instant Pot to depressurize naturally (I.e., do not use the venting lever, but allow the pressure to dissipate slowly. Mine took about 15 minutes)
  19. Remove the lid, and transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Mine was so tender that it was falling apart a little!
  20. Let the chicken rest for about 5 minutes prior to serving.
  21. I like to spoon or brush a little of the cooking liquid over the top just prior to serving to make the chicken extra juicy.

Recipe Notes

* 40 minutes includes time for the Instant Pot to naturally depressurize.

Cooking time may vary slightly if your chicken is much different in size than this one, which was 4.3 pounds. Use a meat thermometer if you are unsure, just to be safe! Internal temperature for chicken should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot "Rotisserie" Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 288 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 29%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 92mg 4%
Potassium 305mg 9%
Total Carbohydrates 4g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 1g
Protein 24g 48%
Vitamin A 6.8%
Vitamin C 15.7%
Calcium 2.3%
Iron 7.6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

See ALL of my Instant Pot recipes here.

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  3. Instant Pot Chicken Thighs
  4. Instant Pot Chicken Breasts (+ Video Tutorial)

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Comments


  1. Last night I tried your recipe for my first whole chicken in my instant pot ever, and it was simple and delicious! Mine was over 7 pounds, and I read somewhere else to use the 20 + 1 rule (?), which was 20 minutes plus one minute for each pound. That would be almost 29 minutes, so I just did 30 to be safe. It was marvelously moist and nicely flavored. I would consider trying to infuse more spices into the broth perhaps, but it will be perfect to use for any dishes we choose. Last night we enjoyed it with vegetable and rice, and I’m saving my bones for broth.

    I saw your recipe recommended on a Facebook Instant pot page, and now I know why!

    Thank-you!

    Reply

  2. I have tried this twice now and both times the chicken was undercooked. My chickens weighed an extra pound. I am still new to instapot cooking so I am not ruling out user error but this is frustrating. The only thing that I can point to is I don’t see a “high” setting for pressure cooking.

    Reply

    • Hi Bern! Yes, you definitely need to cook on high pressure to get the chicken cooked all the way through. You hit the “pressure cook” button, and then use “pressure level” button to select either high or low pressure. Also, an extra pound bird would need a little more time from the original recipe. Did you add a few minutes? Hope this helps!

      Reply


  3. So easy. Kids loved it. No leftovers! cannot wait to make it again. You were right, tastes like I picked it up at the store.

    Reply


  4. This recipe was delicious!!! My chicken was almost 6lb so I cookies it for 35 min and it was fantastic. Thanks!

    Reply

  5. This recipe was amazing! It was so easy and came out perfect. My family loved it and I was so impressed that there was no waste on the bird because it literally fell off the bone! The chicken I made was almost 7lbs so I did 30 minutes cook time and it was plenty long enough. Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply


  6. This was the third recipe I’ve tried in my new instant pot and it wasn’t a winner for us. The instructions were very easy to follow and I did everything as written with the same size chicken. Somehow the chicken came out flavorless, surprisingly dry and not very tender. I‘m still learning how to use the instant pot, but Do you have any thoughts about why ours was a fail?

    Reply

    • Sorry to hear that Alissa! I’d definitely recommend more seasoning (especially salt) if it was bland. As far as dry, I am a little stumped. 🤔 My best guess would be to reduce cook time a little, but be sure and test with a meat thermometer to make sure it is fully cooked. In the past, if mine overcooked a little it would fall off the bone, but not usually be dry.

      Reply

  7. Thank you for such a great recipe! This was my second instantpot attempt and your instructions were far better than the other recipe! My super picky eater also loved it!

    Reply


  10. Hi! I have a power pressure cooker xl. Would the cooking time be the same??? This looks amazing and will try😊Thank you for your recipes

    Reply


  13. This couldn’t have been any easier! the chicken was so moist and tender, and the pan drippings made the MOst delicious brown gravy…yum!!! 🙂 i used a 6 lb. chicken and cooked it on HIgh for 26 minutes then NR for 15 mins. after browning, i placed the chicken on the trivet to cook which made for an easy transfer out of the IP once it was done.

    i didn’t add onion and lemon (had no lemon) into the cavity of the bird, but i added the medium onion right into the pot. the seasoning was just perfect! I used coconut oil. although, next time, I’d definitely season under the skin as i found that you lost a great deal of flavor while cooking a whole bird in the IP. the skin doesn’t stay crispy so it’s really not something you’d eat..At least we didn’t eat the skin as we like a crispy skin. that’s not at all a criticism of this recipe!! i never cook chicken in the IP with the skin on. rather than use 1 c of chicken stock, i used 1/2 c stock + half cut dry white wine. thanks!

    Reply


    • I always season under skin. most In my family prefer skinless otherwise it would be bland for us. I also season inside the cavity with garlic and s&p as well.
      This recipe is so easy and adaptable to your own flavors. Loved it.
      Trivet helps with pulling the bird out. Definitely a good addition to the original post.

      Reply


  14. I just made this. Yum!
    I bought the silicone lifting trivet for my instant Pot and it makes getting tings out so easy.

    Reply


  16. Paste burned on bottom of pan when I put the breast side in & came off chicken. Any ideas why?
    Sorry if this is a double question, wasn’t sure first went through correctly. X

    Reply

    • Hey Maggie! The only thing I can think is maybe the chicken was a little wet when you put the spices on it? If that was the case, it would be more likely to slide off the chicken and stick to the pan. Maybe try dabbing with a paper towel next time prior to rubbing on the spice, and that might help.

      Reply


  17. Just cooking your recipe & when I put my chicken in breast side down the paste came off the chicken and burned on the bottom of the pot. Any idea what might of been wrong. Thought I copied you to the letter!

    Reply

  18. This sounds delicious and is going to be our dinner tonight, wish me luck! thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply


  19. Mine was half frozen still, I could stretch the cavity a little to insert the onion and lemon, so I cooked it for 30 minutes and it was great.

    Reply


  21. I went ahead and tried using the FULL 2 TBs of oil rather than the very specific 1.75. I closed my eyes thinking I’d end up with a greasy mess, but alas! It still turned out wonderfully! Don’t fear the quarter tbls my friends.

    Reply

  25. i don’t have a manual setting on my instant pot. I have a delay start where your manual button is.

    Reply


  27. This was the first recipe I tried in my new instant pot I got for xmas and I can’t believe how perfect it turned out. Thank you!

    Reply


  30. Absolutely delicious recipe! Thank you. followed it exactly and added a few red potatoes and carrots. I will definitely be making this again.

    Reply


  31. I followed your recipe exactly (minus the lemon and onion). I did use some extra seasonings on the skin and about 8 garlic cloves in the broth. I browned it well on both sides and pressure-cooked for exactly the amount of time you suggested. It was amazing good! My husband liked how evenly cooked and moist it was. The pre-browning is a must and serving with a little juice over the top adds flavor.

    Reply

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