If you’re a follower, you gotta know I love my Instant Pot! But I love it for the things it does well and for me it’s just a tool (nope, it hasn’t replaced either Chance or Homer’s spot on my bed) but I’m not one to compromise on any recipe just to use it. While I will probably still roast chicken every now and then in the oven, I’m really impressed with this Instant Pot Roasted Chicken!
Instant Pot Roasted Chicken
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, no worries, I have a Rotisserie Style Chicken (honestly, I thought I took better pics last time I made that. It’s much better than it looks!) that you might want to check out and a few other recipes using a whole chickens, too, on my main menu for chicken, Meals Made With Poultry.
About Instant Pot Roasted Chicken:
But a whole chicken in the Instant Pot? It’s incredibly moist and flavorful, all the way through. Maybe there’s something about the way the moist air circulates and penetrates every nook and cranny of that chicken carrying the flavor along with it. And it’s cooked all the way through with no worries that the breast might be getting dry by the time the dark meat is done.
And talk about easy peasy. It’s pretty much set and forget. You’re just gonna pretty much drop your veggies in the bottom, sprinkle a little magic on top of the chicken and you’re good to go. If you’ve used the IP before to cook chicken, you know what comes out can be a little unfortunate looking, but a quick spin under the broiler fixes that and gives you fabulously crispy skin.
Flavoring the Instant Pot Roasted Chicken:
I love using (yeah, shameless plug coming up) my own homemade Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning in this recipe. It’s really kind of addictive. You can whip that up from common spices you might have around or if you want to, use a commercial product.
You don’t have to stick with a Rotisserie flavor, though. This is a beautiful recipe to take in just about any direction you’d like. Maybe you want to go Cajun? Greek? Or maybe you like your chicken with your own special seasoning. Check out my menu of Homemade Seasoning Blends if you’d like to see some options or need a little inspiration.
Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning
What to Serve with Instant Pot Roasted Chicken:
When I served this particular chicken shown in the photos, I made Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes (not shown) and served them as is with a little butter and the chicken and carrots. The reason why I made mashed potatoes was this was the fattest little chicken I’ve ever seen! He was not going to fit in my six quart Duo Instant Pot along with any potatoes.
This can easily be a one pot dinner if made with a smaller chicken because there will be some room for potatoes along with the carrots. I’ve made it with red potatoes, not the tiny baby ones but ones that are a bit larger, 2 1/2 inches or so, about a pound maybe a little less. You want Just enough to fit in the bottom of the Instant Pot in a single layer.
You could always fill out this meal with stuffing or biscuits, rolls or bread, too! Chickens like this aren’t super large so lots of sides help to stretch the meal.
The Logistics:
I’ve tried a couple of different chickens, all in basically the same size range, running from about 3 to 4 1/2 pounds using this method (there is a limit to how large of a chicken will fit in my six-quart duo) and they’ve all turned out beautifully moist and flavorful! Before you do anything though, first make sure your chicken will fit in your Instant Pot!! It’s ok if it sticks up a bit over the fill line in this case because there is plenty of air circulation around and through the chicken.
I add a layer of potatoes if my chicken is on the smaller side, then the carrots and always drop in an onion (I save the skins and tops of those carrots to go inside the chicken) and finally the chicken tops it all. Watch the size of the potatoes because you don’t want them so small they’ll turn to mush or so large they won’t cook through, about 2 1/2 inches is just right. I’ve found only a single layer of potatoes cooks through correctly. The carrots (use larger ones) go on top, then the chicken.
Making the Chicken:
To prepare the chicken, first check inside both cavities to make sure there are no packets of giblets or rother items tucked in there. Then sprinkle a little seasoning inside, stuff it with the tops of the carrots and the skins of the onion (no waste and a little additional flavor) and then tie the legs together. Don’t tightly truss it. The steam needs to get inside. Rub a little olive oil on the outside of the chicken just so the seasoning will stick and then sprinkle all over with the seasoning. Use a heavy hand because some will wash off.
Once finished, do a quick release, drain any juices accumulated inside the chicken and brush a little olive oil over the top of the chicken. If the seasoning has washed off anywhere, just sprinkle a little more in any bare spots. Place under the broiler, several inches down and broil 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Be patient, broiling further from the element takes a few minutes but helps make sure the whole chicken gets crispy not just the very top. It’s amazing how crispy that skin gets! Don’t forget to save all the juices in the Instant Pot for soup, later.
Save all those juiced for stock or soup!
Saving Money on Instant Pot Roasted Chicken:
Chickens go on sale, sometimes once in a blue moon at about 49 cents a pound but they will run 69 to 99 cents a pound on a good sale. A great time to buy is just after Easter when a lot of those unfortunate layers are just no longer needed once the holiday has passed. Look for them in the few weeks following Easter and chuck a few in your freezer if you have room.
A sales priced chicken, pound for pound will beat out the price of any $5.00 rotisserie chicken, any day of the week! Interesting that Costco absolutely denies their Rotisserie chicken is a “loss leader” (meaning they lose money on them) although this Wikipedia article on Rotisserie Chicken highly suggests it and also perpetuates the myth that rotisserie chicken is lower in price than a raw chicken. Just like anything else, you have to compare the size of the chicken to the dollar amount. Rotisserie chicken usually runs between $1,78 to $1.95 a pound.
Of course, anytime you make a whole chicken, you have the opportunity for a second meal using the carcass and any chicken clinging to it for soup, stock or maybe chicken & dumplings. Save any juices for that second go around. You can make chicken stock in the Instant Pot, but that’s one recipe I do like to do on the stovetop and you can check out my Best Chicken or Turkey Stock recipe if you’d like.
Instant Pot Roasted Chicken
Instant Pot Roasted Chicken
Timing will vary depending on the size of the chicken.
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Poultry Main Meal
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 (3 to 4 1/2 pound) chicken; judge size & weight by what will fit in your Instant Pot
- about 2 tablespoons oil, divided
- 2 to 3 tablespoons seasoning
- 1 onion, cut into quarters
- 1 pound large carrots, peeled and cut into 3 to 4 inch lengths, thicker pieces cut in half lengthwise
- about 3/4 pound of potatoes, about 2 1/2 inches in size, or enough to fit in a single layer in the Instant Pot (see note)
- 1 pound large carrots, peeled and cut into 3 to 4 inch lengths, thicker pieces cut in half lengthwise
- 1 cup water or chicken stock
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Note on potatoes: Only use if the chicken is on the smaller side. With a larger chicken the potatoes may not fit.
Prepare the Chicken: Add to cavity a little seasoning, the onion peels, and carrot tops. Tie legs together but do not truss. Rub oil on the outside of chicken, sprinkle with seasoning, as much or as little desired, but a generous amount is best as some will wash off in the Instant Pot, and set aside.
Add potatoes if using to the bottom of the Instant pot in a single layer. If not making the potatoes, add in rack. Add the onion and carrots. Add 1 cup of chicken stock or water to the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle carrots and potatoes (if using) with a little salt if desired.
Seal Instant Pot and set to 6 minutes per pound using High Pressure and when finished, let release naturally for 10 minutes then release any remaining pressure. After opening, check with a thermometer at the thickest part of the thigh. If temperature is not 160 degrees (safe is 165 degrees but chicken will continue to cook for a few minutes as it broils) return to the instant pot, set for High Pressure, 1 minute and allow to release for 10 minutes.
Drain any excess liquid from the cavity, place chicken on a sheet tray. Brush the top with a very thin layer of oil and sprinkle any bare areas with additional seasoning. Set broiler to high, and place the chicken on one of the lower racks. The top of the chicken should be about six inches below the broiling element. Move chicken as needed and brown for several minutes until skin is crispy, watching closely.
Meanwhile, remove potatoes (if making) and carrots to a platter. When chicken is finished, place on platter and rest several minutes before serving.
Keywords: Carrots, Chicken, Instant Pot, Potatoes, Roast Chicken, Rotisserie Chicken, whole chicken
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