• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Main Dish
    • Middle Eastern Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Kid Friendly
    • Pasta Dishes
    • Appetizers
    • Air Fried
    • Beverages
    • Breakfast
    • Dips
    • International Recipes
    • Ramadan
    • Low Carb
    • Instant Pot Meals
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Gluten Free
    • Soups
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Spices
    • Side Dishes
    • Sauces
    • Fish
  • LIFESTYLE
    • Parenting
    • Travel
  • Work With Us
  • About Me

TasteGreatFoodie logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Work With Us
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Chicken

    July 12, 2022

    How to Cook Whole Chicken in Instant Pot

    This post may contain affiliate links at no additional cost to you.
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe

    Are you looking for a way to get tender and flavorful chicken in 30 mins? Here is a great way of cooking a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot with little time and effort!

    You will be surprised at how easy it is to make a perfectly cooked, moist chicken, and the possibilities to go on from there are endless, such as chicken and rice or chicken soup starting from this recipe. Try it now!


    A Chicken For Your Heart

    This tasty, moist chicken is all that you need.
    This easy way of getting perfectly cooked chicken will win your heart!

    Why You Will Love This Whole Chicken in Instant Pot

    To start off, this recipe gives you a very easy way of cooking a whole chicken and getting tender, moist, and flavorful results.

    Also, the onions that surround the chicken in addition to the bay leaves and cinnamon placed on top of it give your chicken a delightful taste as the bird gets infused with the flavors when pressure and heat are circulated inside your instant pot.

    In addition, a whole chicken that is frozen or one that is thawed would be just as tasty. The ingredients and the method of infusing the chicken work even for a frozen chicken, so there is no need to wait for it to thaw in order to prepare and spice it.

    Finally, this recipe teaches you how to perfectly and quickly cook a chicken, and after that, the possibilities for chicken-related main courses are endless! You can make rice topped with chicken (and drizzle your broth on top for extra flavor), make chicken sandwiches, use garlic paste, use the chicken in salads, or even make chicken soup!


    Easy Chicken Soup

    Sift your broth for easy chicken soup or chicken broth with rice,
    Sift your broth and use it for soups or rice broth. You can even freeze this nutrient-packed broth for later use!

    Two Main Dish Ideas Using Your Perfectly Cooked Whole Chicken in Instant Pot

    Chicken Soup

    If you want to make chicken soup after cooking your chicken, you can simply use the broth you have left over! If the broth does not have enough water, you can try adding 6-8 cups of water into your broth (or as much water as desired).

    Even if your bay leaves and cinnamon are washed away with the water, that is not a problem. You can try adding one vegetable/chicken bouillon cube if you were short on broth and added some cups of water.

    Rotisserie Chicken

    You can also turn your chicken into a perfectly browned rotisserie chicken. After it has been cooked in the instant pot, you can smear some softened butter all over the chicken. Or you can season it with some salt.

    You can also leave the chicken as is. The flavors are already present from putting it in the instant pot with the cinnamon and bay leaves. One more option is to put some olive oil rub all around it.

    Place your chicken in a pan on the middle rack of oven and broil it on high. Once it’s browned after around 8 minutes, turn it and brown it on the other side as well. That way, you now have a rotisserie chicken with some yummy, crispy skin!


    Rotisserie Chicken at Home

    Here is an easy way to make rotisserie chicken, enjoy!
    Coat your chicken with olive oil and place it on a pan for some delicious rotisserie chicken!

    Secrets for the Perfect Cooked Chicken

    Different chickens of different weights would need different times for cooking, so make sure to weigh your chicken to ensure that 30 minutes in the instant pot are adequate. Undercooking your chicken is definitely bad news, and overcooking it would cause the chicken to fall apart and be harder to transfer out of the instant pot.

    Also, make sure to adjust your cooking time depending on whether you are starting with a thawed whole chicken or a frozen one. If adding a whole frozen chicken, I would cook it in the pressure cooker for 1 hour.


    How long does a whole chicken need to be cooked in an instant pot?

    Place your whole chicken, in addition to all your flavorful ingredients, in an instant pot and set it for 30 minutes. You will get a perfectly cooked, flavorful, and tender chicken that works well and tastes great in many main dish ideas!

    Can a frozen whole chicken be cooked in the instant pot?

    Yes, due to the flavorful ingredients surrounding the chicken, your frozen chicken will be just as tasty as a thawed whole chicken. However, cooking a frozen whole chicken will take a longer amount of time (around an hour), and would not be cooked as evenly as a thawed chicken.


    The Chicken Falls Right Off the Bone!

    This tender, moist, and tasty chicken is all that you need!
    You will notice how easy it is to remove the tender chicken off of the bones!

    Ingredients

    • Whole chicken
    • Water
    • Onion, quartered
    • Bay leaves
    • Cinnamon stick

    Directions

    Start by defrosting then washing a whole chicken (or fully frozen one). Pat it dry, then place it in your instant pot.

    Next, cut a large onion in half, then cut each half in half or into 4 cubes. Place the onions you have cut around the chicken in your instant pot.

    Then, add water, and place 3-4 bay leaves and 1 small cinnamon stick on top of the chicken. You are done with prepping your ingredients, so you now set the instant pot for 30 minutes.

    Once the 30 minutes have passed, release the pressure and remove the whole chicken. You can use 2 wooden sticks or a large mouthed ladle and a wooden stick. Place your chicken on a large plate or tray. Remove the moist chicken and enjoy it as is. Or you can enjoy it on top of rice, in a salad, with garlic paste, or in a sandwich.

    If you would like to make it roasted, follow all the steps above then brush melted butter or olive oil all around the skin. Place in a baking tray then broil on high for about 5-8 minutes or until golden, watching carefully. Flip the chicken once to broil the other side.


    Place your ingredients in the instant pot.
    Place your ingredients like so in your quick pot!
    Add water for boiling and heating in the instant pot.
    Add water to your instant pot to steam and heat your chicken.
    Instant pot chicken is quick and easy!
    Set your instant pot timer to 30 minutes.
    Tender chicken falls right off the bones.
    Now you have perfectly tender chicken that can be used in many recipes. Enjoy!

    More Delicious Recipes To Try Out

    • Best Chicken Gallaba
    • Ultimate Beef Shawarma Sandwich
    • Middle Eastern Chicken Kafta Burgers
    • Grilled Chicken Tikka (Tandoori Chicken)
    • Spinach Pie Pockets
    • Ful (Foul) Medames
    • Lebanese Sfouf (Turmeric Cake)
    • Mujadara Hamra (Reddened Lentils and Bulgur)
    • Turkish Labne
    • Simple Middle Eastern Salad

    How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot

    Lama
    Using an instant pot, watch as you get a chicken that is tender, moist, and flavorful. All this needs is an instant pot and 30 minutes. Try this recipe out now!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Comment Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Main Course
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 205 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 (5 lb) whole chicken
    • 2 cups water
    • 1 onion, quartered
    • 3-4 bay leaves
    • 1 small cinnamon stick

    Instructions
     

    • Defrost then wash the whole chicken (or fully frozen), pat dry, then place it in your instant pot.
    • Cut a large onion in half, then cut each half in half or into 4 cubes. Place the cut onions around the chicken.
    • Add water, then place 3-4 bay leaves and 1 small cinnamon stick on top of the chicken.
    • Set the instant pot for 30 minutes.
    • Once finished, release the pressure, remove the whole chicken using 2 wooden sticks or a large mouthed ladle and a wooden stick. Place on a large plate or tray. Remove the moist meat and enjoy as is, on top of rice, in salads, with garlic paste or in sandwiches.
    • If you would like to make it roasted, follow all the steps above then brush melted butter or olive oil all around the skin. Place in a baking tray then broil on high for about 5-8 minutes or until golden, watching carefully. Flip the chicken once to broil the other side.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 8gCalories: 205kcalCarbohydrates: 0.03gProtein: 18gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 70mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 0.01gVitamin A: 136IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Faten says

      July 15, 2022 at 8:34 pm

      5 stars
      This is sooo easy and saves time. I’m a novice cook and I find your blog very helpful

      Reply
      • Lama says

        July 30, 2022 at 7:00 pm

        So joyful to hear this!

        Reply
    2. Cathy says

      July 18, 2022 at 8:56 pm

      5 stars
      Never cooked a whole chicken in the instant pot before. Will def. Try it! Thanks a bunch

      Reply
      • Lama says

        July 30, 2022 at 7:00 pm

        You are going to LOVE it!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    I'm Lama, welcome to my blog where you will find simple and diverse recipes your entire family will enjoy. I am honored to connect with you through the recipes I prepare!

    About Me!

    Recipes You Might Want To Try

    Ten Minute All-Purpose Dough

    Ten Minute All-Purpose Dough

    Footer

    Contact Us:

    [email protected]

    Vegan Recipes

    baked french fries
    A variety of fresh harvest mushrooms on a rustic wooden table.
    Chocolate Chips Banana Bread

    Copyright © 2023 TASTEGREATFOODIE

    • Email
    • Print
    • WhatsApp
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • LinkedIn
    • Yummly

    Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy