I'll admit that I'm a total fan of grabbing a rotisserie chicken at the store for quick and versatile weeknight dinners.
But sometimes I'd rather make my own, so that I can control the ingredients and the cost.
So when I recently discovered pressure cooking, I knew I needed to figure out a way to use my Instant Pot to make a whole chicken in a matter of minutes.
And, as I do, I knew I wanted to do it with as few ingredients as possible, and with minimal hands-on prep time.
The resulting recipe couldn't be simpler. Just rub a few spices on whole chicken, add it to the pressure cooker along with some chicken stock, hit start, and walk away.
Brilliant.
It's important to note that the chicken is not going to come out of the pressure cooker with crispy skin, as pictured here.
It will, however, come out tender, moist, and falling off the bone.
If you prefer crispy skin, simply place the whole chicken under the boiler, and broil until crispy.
Depending on what I'm using the chicken for, though, I often skip this extra step.
Since the shredded or diced chicken is so versatile (even without the skin) I usually make this recipe on the weekend as part of my meal prep, and then use the meat for salads during the week.
It's such a minimal investment of time that pays off in a big way later on.
I hope you'll give this one a try soon.
Now, let's make some 5-Ingredient Instant Pot "Rotisserie" Whole Chicken!
RECIPE & KID-FRIENDLY ADAPTATIONS
1 | No smoked paprika? No problem! Swap in regular paprika, or any other savory spice you like.
2 | Shredded leftover chicken is super versatile. Use it in salads, bowls, or sandwhiches.
THIS RECIPE IS . . .
Naturally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Grain-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Sugar-Free, Paleo and Whole30
5-INGREDIENT INSTANT POT “ROTISSERIE” WHOLE CHICKEN
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound whole chicken, giblets removed*
- 1 small yellow onion, quartered
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup chicken stock
Instructions
1. Place the onion inside the chicken. Pat the outside dry with a paper towel.
2. Mix together the salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over the outside of the chicken, patting gently to help the mixture adhere if necessary.
3. Add the chicken stock to a 6-quart electric pressure cooker.
4. Add the steamer insert, then place the chicken, breast-side up, in the pressure cooker.
5. Secure the lid, select the manual setting, and set it to high pressure for 30 minutes.
6. When the pressure cooker timer is done, allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes, then quick release (if necessary) and remove the lid.
7. Remove and allow the chicken to rest, 10-15 minutes, before serving.
8. Note that at this point the skin will not be crispy. If you prefer just the meat, remove the skin and serve as is. If you prefer crispy skin, carefully place the chicken on a foil lined sheet pan. Place under the broiler, and broil 5-8 minutes, until the skin in browned and crispy.
Serves 4-6
Notes:
*If using a smaller chicken. you may need to reduce the total cooking time.
**Each pressure cooker is different so times may vary depending on brand, temperature of chicken when you begin cooking, even the size of your pressure cooker can make a difference.
***Save the onion, chicken carcass, and cooking liquid to make chicken bone broth.
****Looking for a slow cooker option?
