This Instant Pot smoky whole chicken is unbelievably moist, flavorful, and easy to make! It’s a simple and delicious way to meal prep for the whole week.
Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in your Instant Pot? As long as it fits, of course!
In fact, pressure-cooked smoky whole chicken is unbelievably moist and flavorful, especially when you stuff some garlic cloves, onion wedges, and lemon halves into the cavity.
Simply apply a spice rub, stuff the cavity, then cook for six minutes per pound. That’s it — it’s almost as easy as buying a rotisserie chicken from the store!
How to make smokey whole chicken
Ready to see how easy it is to cook a whole chicken in your Instant Pot?
You can see exactly how I do it in this short video of follow the step-by-step instructions below.
Step 1: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, paprika, pepper, herbes de Provence, and cayenne.
Step 2: Place the chicken on a cutting board, then rub the olive oil and spice mixture under the skin and all over the outside.
Step 3: Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic cloves, and 3 or 4 wedges of onion.
Step 4: Pour the broth into the electric pressure cooker and add the remaining onion wedges, carrots, and celery. Insert a wire rack or trivet on top of the vegetables.
Step 5: Place the chicken, breast-side-up, on the rack.
Step 6: Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker, making sure that the valve to “Sealing.”
Step 7: Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes per pound (21 minutes for a 3 1/2-pound chicken).
Step 8: When the cooking is complete, hit Cancel and allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes.
Step 9: After 15 minutes, turn the valve to “Venting” to quick-release any remaining pressure.
Step 10: Once the pin drops, unlock and remove the lid.
Step 11: Carefully remove the chicken to a clean cutting board. Remove the skin and cut the chicken as desired.
Now you have a wonderfully moist and flavorful chicken to enjoy by itself or in recipes throughout the week!
Cooking with the skin
Keep in mind that the chicken skin will not get as crispy in the Instant Pot as does in the oven.
I prefer to discard skin after cooking anyway because of its fat content, so I don’t really mind.
For me, the purpose of the skin is to help keep the meat juicy as the chicken cooks. After that, I don’t need it anymore!
Ways to repurpose the scraps
As I eat my chicken throughout the week, I like to save the bones to make chicken bone broth. They’re perfect to use in the broth recipe!
I also strain the liquid remaining in the pot and store it in a closed jar in the refrigerator. Then, once I’m ready to make a batch of chicken bone broth, I use the liquid to replace some of the water in the recipe for even more flavor.
Storage
This chicken is so juicy and flavorful, you may be surprised how quickly it gets eaten!
But assuming you do have leftovers, they should be stored covered in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 3-4 days.
Using this chicken in other recipes
Looking for some tasty recipes that will go great with this chicken? Here are a few of my favorite ways to enjoy Instant Pot whole chicken:
- Asian Chicken Noodle and Spinach Soup
- Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Acorn Squash
- White Chicken Lasagna with Spaghetti Squash
For more healthy chicken recipes, check our roundup of Easy Diabetic Chicken Recipes!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
Smoky Whole Chicken (Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon herbes de Provence
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken (rinsed and patted dry, giblets removed)
- 1 large lemon (halved)
- 6 garlic cloves (peeled and crushed with the flat side of a knife)
- 1 large onion (cut into 8 wedges, divided)
- 1 cup Chicken Bone Broth (or low-sodium store-bought chicken broth, or water)
- 2 large carrots (each cut into 4 pieces)
- 2 celery stalks (each cut into 4 pieces)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, salt, paprika, pepper, herbes de Provence, and cayenne.2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon herbes de Provence, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Place the chicken on a cutting board, then rub the olive oil and spice mixture under the skin and all over the outside.1 (3 1/2-pound) chicken
- Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, garlic cloves, and 3 or 4 wedges of onion.1 large lemon, 6 garlic cloves, 1 large onion
- Pour the broth into the electric pressure cooker and add the remaining onion wedges, carrots, and celery. Insert a wire rack or trivet on top of the vegetables.1 cup Chicken Bone Broth, 2 large carrots, 2 celery stalks, 1 large onion
- Place the chicken, breast-side-up, on the rack.
- Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker, making sure that the valve to “Sealing.”
- Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes per pound (21 minutes for a 3 1/2-pound chicken).
- When the cooking is complete, hit Cancel and allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, turn the valve to “Venting” to quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Once the pin drops, unlock and remove the lid.
- Carefully remove the chicken to a clean cutting board. Remove the skin and cut the chicken as desired.
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