Fall-Off-The-Bone Pressure Cooker Chicken (in 30 Minutes!)
When you hear “pressure cooker chicken” you may think of your mother’s (or grandmother’s) cooking… and possibly even stories of exploding pots yielding ceiling stains (or worse, burns).
But cooking with today’s pressure cookers is much different. While they still yield super-fast, ultra-moist results, the safety issues that sometimes occurred with early-generation pressure cookers have been resolved. Used properly, the pressure cookers of today are no more dangerous than any other tool or appliance in your kitchen.
The link above leads to Amazon – where they are having their Prime Day Sale. The pressure cooker I use – the incomparable Instant Pot (on sale at Amazon). Check it out if you’re interested… and please keep reading for more info!
Pressure Cooker Chicken: Fork-Tender Chicken in Just 30 Minutes!
Check out this short video to see just how easy it is to make…
We believe that a pressure cooker is an indispensable tool for healthy cooking in a hurry. And the possibilities for what you can do with one are endless…
You can make the even toughest cuts of grass-fed beef or bison fork-tender in less than an hour. You can rapidly create deep, rich flavors in Bolognese and chili that could typically only be achieved after hours of long, slow simmering. You can turn out the juiciest whole chicken – infused with the flavors of garlic, herbs and spices – in just 30 minutes.
The Search for the Juiciest Chicken (And a Superfood Bonus!)
Of all the meats that I enjoy, a whole pastured chicken – simply prepared – is my favorite. But it was always quite a process to infuse a chicken with flavor and get it fully cooked, while also keeping meat moist. I brined. I marinated. I “dry aged” in my fridge overnight. I’ve buttered the breasts and stuck garlic in all the nooks and crannies.
But inevitably, my chicken was rarely as moist or flavorful as what I’d enjoy in a high-end restaurant.
That is, until now…
I recently began using the third-generation Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and I can truly say that this is one of the best kitchen investments I’ve ever made. It is no exaggeration to say that a pressure cooker can change your life in the kitchen. It can certainly save you time that that you can spend doing other things!
The pressure cooker chicken recipe below could not be simpler or more flavorful. There’s no advance preparation, no brining or basting. And in the short time it cooks, you’ll have just enough time to make your sides. A nice dark leafy green organic salad and maybe some mashed sweet potatoes or cauliflower mashers round out the meal perfectly.
Another benefit of using a pressure cooker is the amount (and quality) of gelatin it yields. From this recipe, I typically get up to 4 cups of nutrient-rich, gut-healing gelatin that makes the perfect base for just about any soup, or sipping warm with a little lemon.
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do!
Original
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings
10
Ingredients
- 1 whole – 4lb. organic chicken
- 1 Tbsp. [b]Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1 1/2 cups Pacific Organic Bone Broth (Chicken)
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub seasoning over outside of bird.
- Heat oil in the pressure cooker to shimmering. Add chicken, breast side down and cook 6-7 minutes.
- Flip the chicken and add broth, lemon juice and garlic cloves.
- Lock pressure cooker lid and set for 25 minutes on high.
- Let the pressure cooker release naturally.
- Remove from pressure cooker and let stand for 5 minutes before carving.
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Hi Kelley,
I’ve made your Rustic “Rye” bread, using the exact ingredients per your e-cook book that I purchased from you. Both times the bread dough failed to rise both before and after baking. I understand the importance of the water temperature/yeast connection as I have made homemade bread hundreds of times. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you.
Hi Diana,
Thank you for your comment.
We discuss issues with rise in the book itself – typically the issues are 1) Incorrect form of psyllium used 2) Failing to weigh ingredients 3) Oven temperatures that are lower than called for.
With this being said, and you being an experienced baker, the rise will not be what you see with a wheat-based bread.
Hope this helps!
Be Well,
Kelley
Also a metal bowl or storing spoon can cause this issue. Use wood or plastic.
I’ve made the rye bread too, and i used the slow rising dry yeast in lukewarm temp waited to the yeast fermented adding to the flour. I baked the bread in my MEC pure clay pan and the results were great even though it was all stone ground rye flour the inside was soft and moist and the outside formed a good crust (I brushed milk on top of the dough before putting in the oven).
I also tried a chicken recipe very similar to this one in my MEC pressure cooking pot (made from the same all natural clay) and the chicken came out very moist and tender.
Did you proof your yeast to be sure it was good? h
Dear Kelley,
have you tried cookng a Turkey Joint, as a variation of your Pressure Cooker Chicken recipe?
I pioneered quality turkey production in Thailand / Malaysia, and easy/delicious recipes will help to promote consumption. I currently use an Airpot/ Fan Oven to roast a halfbird or quarterbird joint about 3kg.
The pot is similar size to your Pressure Cooker.
Best regards,
Farmer Joe (Free Range…..naturally!)
Farmer Joe: I am interested in your quality turkey. I specifically love the hind-quarter, (both thigh and drum together) do you know how to order the quality turkey meat you mentioned? I am looking for a source of quality turkey. Please email me at above address or you can find me on FB. Thank you!
Can I cook a whole chicken in my 3 qt. Instant Pot? What size did you cook your chicken? This chicken recipe looks delicious. Thanks for the video.
I have almost a five pound whole chicken that I’ll be making in my Instant Pot today, but I have a 6 qt one.
Have you considered doing a Cornish game hen? They are about half the size of what I’m using.
Hi Kelley,
I just made your fall off the bone chicken… It was amazing! Thank you
Do you have a soup idea that would go well with the gelatin?
I am new to cooking, and quite honestly… This chicken is the best thing I’ve ever made, so I am completely lost when it comes to putting my own recipe idea together.
Thank you!
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca!
Thank you so much for your kind words and taking the time to comment.
The possibilities are ENDLESS with what you can make with the high-gelatin soup. In fact, when I make this (just about every week), I transform it into so many different dishes. For an Italian flair, shred some the chicken, add some pesto, broccoli, sliced fresh garlic, and maybe chickpeas if you tolerate legumes. For a Thai dish, take a couple cups of the broth, mix in some full-fat coconut milk (a cup or so), add some shredded chicken, sautéed red bell peppers, bamboo shoots and ginger powder or minced ginger, Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste and a bit of lime juice. For Indian, add turmeric, ginger, coriander (or a pure garam masala spice mix), your shredded chicken, some cubed roasted sweet potato or winter squash and serve over cauliflower rice. I LOVE how easy it is to doctor up this versatile recipe.
To give the chicken a more “neutral” palette that will go well with a wide variety of cuisines, you can leave out some of the spices before cooking or choose your spices to accompany the meals you will be making.
I hope this helps and I’m so happy to know that you are on the journey to healthy cooking with us!
Be Well,
Kelley
If I can’t use all the broth in the same week, how best to store it? can it be frozen? how long will it keep? Also, after cooking do you drain the broth, or just use as is?
Thank you.
Hello,
My favorite way to save broth is in cubes, as I show in my article on gelatin benefits.
As for how to use it… that depends on how you want to use it :-). Sometimes I run it through a double-layered cheesecloth to remove bits (my preference for drinking it), other times I leave it as is (for soups and inclusion into other meals).
Be Well,
Kelley
Kelley, I made your Fall Off the Bone Chicken in my instant pot last week and it was delicious! I was actually doing a test run for company I am having and wanted to be sure I could make something healthy and easy and delicious and show off my skill with my Instant Pot. It met every expectation! Anyway, the company follows a Kosher Diet (and I don’t live in an area with a Kosher Market) so I went to buy a Kosher Chicken and after being promised that my local Trader Joe’s carried them, I got there today only to find out they are out of stock until after my company leaves. I ended up buying a package of Kosher chicken parts (A combo of white and dark meat on the bone.) I’d like to know if the cooking time would be the same for 8 pieces of chicken parts weighing almost 4 lbs or would I cut the cooking time down since it’s not a whole chicken. Thanks for your help–I don’t really want to ‘wing’ it!
Hi Linda,
I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
The Instant Pot book is a great resource for cooking times, and I have found it is pretty spot on. For “chicken, cut up with bones”, it states 10-15 minutes. I like to ensure full tenderness and also purchase free range birds that can be a lot tougher than convention, so I err on the upper estimate (in this case 15 minutes).
I hope this helps and that you enjoy your dinner with friends!
Be Well,
Kelley
I could not find a smaller chicken than 5lbs, will I have to change the cook time for the 5lb instead of the 4lb recomended in the recipe.
Thank you
Jeanne
Yes, cooking time for a 4 pound will be less than for a 5 pound if all things else are equal. Plenty of web site help but you will have to know about your pressure cooker. The amount of pressure is directly related to the actual highest temperatures inside it. The more pressure the cooker can hold the higher the temperatures.
The author might wish to point out the model and or pressure their pot holds.
You will have to be sure that the internal temperature of the chicken is at safe numbers no matter what you end up doing.
Found this with a quick web search: “If it’s smaller or larger, calculate how much time it should cook by multiplying the number of pounds by 6 minutes. So, a 3 pound chicken would be 18 minutes and a five pound chicken would be 30. Allow the Instant Pot to depressurize naturally and then serve.” https://www.mommypotamus.com/instant-pot-pressure-cooker-whole-chicken/
I just made this tonight. i used a 3 pound chicken & it was not completely cooked on the underside. I just aded an extra 7 minutes – will see how it turned out and hoping it won’t be overcooked on top.
Hi Shi,
If you cook a whole 3 lb chicken for 30 minutes in the Instant Pot, it will not be raw. Nor will it be “undercooked” or “overcooked” on any “side” as pressure cooks evenly. Perhaps you tried to use a frozen chicken? Adding extra time can cause meat to become tough. Please let us know how it goes!
Kelley
Can I cook a frozen chicken instead . . I have histamine intolerance so I have to cook foods directly from being frozen to have the lowest histamine buildup .?
No, you cannot cook large frozen meats in the Instant Pot.
Errrmmm, yes you can – I’m eating chicken I made from frozen in my IP as we speak.
There’s too much variation in the size of chickens to safely cook from frozen. If you like living on the edge (and aren’t afraid to obliterate your microbiome with Salmonella), I would at the very least make sure the internal temperature is a minimum of 165 F. The time saved is not worth risking your precious microbial balance.
Yes, you can. The general rule I’ve seen (and only used once so far because we just got our IP 2 days ago) is to cook on high pressure for 10 min per pound if the chicken is frozen. If you can’t tell if it is done (the one I tried was almost 5lbs and was falling off the bone done), use a thermometer. If it isn’t at least 165F, then reset the IP for high pressure, 7 minutes. And yes, it will have to come up to pressure again.
Ooooo! That all sounds amazing! I am making the chicken again today, because my son is nuts about it. Thank you for the ideas I can use this week ?
Does anyone crisp up the chicken with their oven? Broil or bake or convection broil or bake? What temp/time and how close to the broiler do you get if that is how you do it. Add butter or oil to the skin?
I’m going to start doing more whole chickens and some times I like to leave the skin on. So just curious about what people have tried.
Thanks
Just curious, why does no-one ever state what’s pressure is recommended? Does it not matter? I’ve got a 5, 10 & 15# weight. But no-one ever states what pressure is best.
Hi Josh, Your probably not getting a reply because their InstaPot must do it all for them so they don’t know the answer to your question. I have a late 1970’s Presto canner/cooker. Here’s what my directions say: As soon as cover is closed place the “pressure regulator on vent pipe”. ( in your case that might be your 15 pound weight) My cooker has an automatic air vent (a small rubber gasket lined hole in the lid that has a metal plunger in it that rises and seals the vent and steam inside) When my Automatic Air Vent closes then my Steam Gage starts to increase. When my gage pressure registers 15 pounds I am instructed to reduce heat to maintain this pressure. Cook for the specified time as directed in recipe. Your pressure cooker may just use a weight to regulate the pressure. If so my guess is the 15 pound weight because that is the pressure my instruction manual says to use. Hope that helps. Ronda
Use high pressure for meats, low for rice or eggs. I’m not sure about the medium setting.
From reading quite a bit around the web I believe the Instant Pot cooks just under 12 psi when on HI and many recipes for stovetop pressure cookers use 15 psi as “high”. Hope that helps a little – maybe do some googling on this topic for your own clarifications since I am not 100% scientifically certain about this 🙂
Joshua
It might be due to using the Power Pressure cooker… No need for weights.
Hey Josh. The weights are most likely for a combined pressure cooker/canner. Canning recipes always state what pressure to use and for how long. I am new to pressure cooking, but I would guess that 15 psi would be the go to pressure. The type of pressure cooker with varying weights releases excess steam as it heats vs the electronic pressure cookers that only heat to a certain temp and then regulates it’s own pressure I imagine by adjusting the heat being applied?
I made my first roasted chicken last night in the power cooker and followed your recipe…AMAZING! Instead of paparika, I used smoked paparika and used fresh thyme….came out really good! I will definitely making this again!!
Love, love, love this recipe! I honestly can not believe a chicken recipe could be so simple and foolproof! Prep time was minimal and results were nothing short of astonishing! Thank you!
I’m hoping to cook my chicken in my new Instant Pot that will be delivered tomorrow. I have 2 questions for you. When you say heat the oil, how do you do that? With the saute function (I believe that’s what it’s called)? Also when you say to cook the chicken breast side down for 6-7 minutes, is that pressure cooked or another way?
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for your question!
Using the “Saute” function, you will heat the oil and then cook the chicken (breast side down) just to give the skin a golden color and infuse it with some flavor. You can skip this step and go right to pressure cooking, but the skin will be rather pale.
I hope you enjoy your Instant Pot and this recipe as much as I do!
Be Well,
Kelley
I have the pressure cooker xl and I am 100% new to this whole way of cooking. I only made 1 meal so far. How do you saute? Is it with or without the lid on it??
Hi Tonia,
Not sure what the “pressure cooker xl” is. The InstantPot has a saute setting that allows you to use the vessel to sear or saute before getting the pressure going.
Be Well,
Kelley
You brown or sauté with the lid off and hit the chicken/meat button. Hope that helps!
Trish
Hi Tonia,
I also have the xl and youtube videos are really helpful when learning to use it. For sauteing in the XL all you have to do is push your chicken button and don’t put the top on. You add your oil and saute away, then add the rest of the ingredients, put the cover on and it will pressurize and cook. I am new to this as well but I finally figured that part out by watching the videos.
Do you have to restart the timer? Lets say you are to cook it for 35 minutes. You are in browning phase. Do you need to restart the timer when you put lid on it to get the full 35 minutes in pressure mode?
I too have an pressure cooker XL love it and it cooks even if there is stuff stuck on the bottom the instant pot dreaded “BURN” notice.
You just have to keep the lid on and press keep warm to saute’ watch out it gets hot. It is the highest on the when looking at machine right side. I usually wait 5 min to let it warm up or I usually stick my hand down in there to test it.
I do have both. I do different things in each.
Can you make gravy from what is left?
Hi Kelley. After you sauté the chicken do you cook it breast side down?
i tried that and the skin came off. suggestions?
I just found your awesome recipe & made this today! It was SOOOOOO……yummy! I shared it on Instant Pot Community on FB & it’s getting a lot of “likes”. Thanks for sharing your recipe. ?
Hi Shelly!
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know and for sharing the love with the Instant Pot Community. This recipe has become a favorite and a weekly go-to around our household. So glad you are enjoying it too!
Be Well,
Kelley
Do you put the chicken on the rack or no rack at all?
Hi Ericka!
No rack is required.
Enjoy!
Kelley
Hi! I found your recipe via Google, and it gave me the courage to finally try my Instant Pot as a pressure cooker instead of just using it as a glorified slow cooker. I just finished sautéing and my Instant Pot is heating up. I was hoping you might point me in the right direction on making/using the gelatin you talk about. This is actually the first time I’ve EVER cooked an entire chicken, so I’ve never made broth or anything. Thanks!
Hi Lindsay!
Thanks for stopping by and glad to hear you’re using your Instant Pot. You will love this recipe! Best of all… the gelatin comes along with it :-).
Because the chicken is cooked under pressure, it develops a beautiful, gelatin-rich broth as all of the bones and connective tissues break down. After you are done cooking (and enjoying some the chicken), transfer the chicken and broth to a glass container and refrigerate. The next day, you will find the fat has risen to the top and under that is the gelatin. I like to scrape the fat off (it is primarily omega 6 fats), separate the chicken from the gelatin, and then heat the gelatin in a saucepan. Once it re-liquefies, you can pour the gelatin through a strainer lined with cheesecloth to remove any bits, then use as desired (or freeze for later).
Please let us know how it goes!
Be Well,
Kelley
I am new to this and trying to figure it out as well. I am curious why you put the chicken back in the broth before refrigerating it? Can I just transfer the liquid to a glass container and put it in the fridge until the next day and then separate the fat? And should we put the bones in the instant pot with water to make more broth or is that unnecessary? Thank you so much for this recipe, it was delicious and the first time using our IP. Now we are cleaning up and trying to figure out what to save and and what to do! 🙂
Hi Jenny,
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
I like to keep my gelatin broth with the chicken while I am enjoying the meat, and then I typically will strain out the remaining and refrigerate or freeze.
Of course, you can separate your chicken from the broth after making it, and then refrigerate the broth and scrape the fat layer off. A suggestion: If you do it this way, strain it first so that you have a nice clear broth without any bits. Unless you like to chew your broth a bit 🙂
Lastly, for the remaining bones. I have added bones back to the Instant Pot with organic store-bought broth and extruded a good bit more gelatin. Another option is to freeze all of your bones and then do another round with just water and seasoning.
I hope this helps!
Kelley
Thank you so much! Very helpful!
Hey there! How long and on what setting do you cook the bones and store-bought broth to further extract the gelatin? So exciting!!
Hi Stephanie,
The 30 minutes cooking time is ample to extract the gelatin! After I am done with my chickens, I like to freeze the carcasses and then get a couple together to do one final gelatin extraction. Just add the carcasses back to the pot with water or broth and then cook again for another 30 minutes.
Be Well,
Kelley
So, chicken fat is primarily Omega 6, and that’s the fat we should try to eat less of, correct? I’m just confused because some bone broth recipes say the fat is good. I was following a recipe for that that indicated using bones from different species (chicken, pork pics feet, beef). Advice?
Hi Rachel,
That’s right – chicken is higher in omega 6 fat. If you buy pasture raised birds, the omega 6 will be reduced a bit.
If you are using a mix of bones for your broth, and choosing pasture raised/grass fed, you will get a lower amount of omega 6s. Also, opting for chicken feet (one of the BEST sources of collagen), you’ll get a lower amount of total fat than if you are using, say, chicken backs. (Feet are less fatty than backs)
I only advise scraping the fat when I am doing a chicken-only broth. Otherwise, I enjoy all of that healthy fat… and then some!
Be Well,
Kelley
Do you have a good source for chicken feet?
Hi Phyllis,
Of course! US Wellness Meats – they have the highest quality meat – from bison to turkey. Its my family’s primary source for meats.
You won’t be disappointed!
Best,
Kelley
Hi, your chicken recipie sounds awesome, I can’t wait to try it. Quick question, does the skin become soggy or does it stay crisp after browning? Thanks!
Hi Chris,
If I could get a crispy golden skin over that melt-in-your-mouth meat, it would truly be THE perfect chicken recipe 🙂
However, because we are using steam, the skin is not the best. I have thought of removing the skin after cooking, patting it dry and doing a quick fry in some coconut oil to make a “chicken skin chip” to go with… but I have yet to be so adventurous.
Skin aside, the chicken really is amazing, so I do hope you will try it!
Be Well,
Kelley
So I don’t set the pressure cooker to hold all steam in? I leave the valve open to release the steam as it cooks?
Hi Valarie,
Hmmm, well – the whole point of a pressure cooker is to use that pressure to expedite cooking. If you leave the valve open, it would just be a slow cooker.
The settings on the Instant Pot are very easy to follow, and this recipe calls for “standard” pressure cooker cooking.
Enjoy!
Kelley
Oh, my.
what does it mean to release the steam naturally? And can i use just plain ol chicken broth instead of bone broth?
Hi Donna,
Please check your manual for complete info. Releasing naturally is just allowing the pressure to come down over time, not opening the valve to expedite the process. And yes, broths are interchangeable.
So the pictures posted with this blog do not actually reflect what the chicken looks like after cooked in the pressure cooker? Because that was holding me up. The recipe looked good but did not match the picture, so I questioned the integrity of both.
Hi Helen,
The photos and recipe here are both mine. I’m not sure why you would think the image doesn’t match the recipe. You can see I sautéed the chicken after rubbing with the spice mixture… and then my final photos of the chicken shredding easily.
Perhaps reading the comments from other visitors about how it turned out will give you the courage you need to give it a whirl.
Kelley
Thanks for the recipe! If I were to make this with 4 bone in breasts, would I still use the same 25 minute cooking time? Thanks 🙂
Hi Heather!
That is a good question.
The InstantPot manual has a chart of cooking times for foods. For chicken breast, the cook time is 8-10 because it is a lot thinner than a whole chicken.
Enjoy!
Kelley
My whole chicken is still slightly frozen. How much time do I need to add to the cooking time?
Hi Carol,
The cooking times for frozen meats are in the InstantPot manual.
Enjoy!
Kelley
I am looking in my manual and don’t see any times for frozen meats, only raw.
I drank most of the Old Milwaukee them fellas left over there by the branch. Then I took up and started on this one. It was pretty good but I like it a little dryer with some mashed taters with corn bread. We used to put bass in it but it wouldn’t turn out right. An ole boy I used to hunt with came by and dropped some trot lines off and that’s how we’d get em. He’s probably the one that left them by the branch. Crock pots can be used too if you know how to use em. Just add salt and pepper. I don’t put too much stuff on it I reckon. Any way, let me know how it turns out.
Hi Buck,
Interesting story :-). If you try your bass in the pressure cooker, let me know.
Be Well,
Kelley
That is hilarious! My husband just ran to the store to get these simple ingredients! Chicken for dinner tonight! I can’t wait. We use our pressure cooker all the time (instant pot)!
Hi Kelley,
We tried making this chicken for the first time today and it is so amazing! We even used the leftover liquid to make some rice. Thank you so much!
Best,
Tika
Hi Tika!
Thanks for letting us know how it went.
One of the things I love most about this recipe is the amazing gelatin-rich broth it makes.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Kelley
Hi!! Just got an Instant Pot for Christmas and LOVE it. Made this chicken today. When you talk about the bone broth, are you saying that what’s left in the pot can be used as bone broth? I have not yet made bone broth and day 1 into my second whole30.
Hi Tara,
So happy to hear you’re a happy camper with your InstantPot!
The pressure cooker allows for better nutrient extraction, yielding a nutrient-rich “bone broth” that is very gelatinous. You can also put grass-fed beef bones in your InstantPot, fill with water to the fill line, add salt and seasonings, and make bone broth that way. Check out my post on gelatin benefits for the specifics.
Be Well!
Kelley
How long would you need to have the bikes cooking in the pressure cooker to make the bone broth? I knew usually it’s 12 hours or more on the stove top
I mean *bones
I received a pressure cooker for Christmas and have a ton of chicken legs so Im going to throw them in with this recipe….thinking maybe ten minutes??/
Hi Kelly!!
I’m putting together a roundup of Newbie Friendly Instant Pot recipes for our readers and I was wondering if I can use your chicken image in a one-time collage for the post. I only link back to you — I won’t share the recipe on our site 🙂
Thank you!
Hi Jamie,
Thank you for your note and how thoughtful of you to include my favorite chicken recipe! Of course, please feel free to do that.
Be Well,
Kelley
I just made a version of this chicken. I had a bag of lemons, a huge rosemary shrub, and a pile of garlic from my garden. Being a somewhat lazy cook, I stuffed the chicken with a couple lemons, an entire head of garlic(cut in half) and 3 – 5 inching sprigs of rosemary. I sautéed the bird on both sides and then added about a cup of chicken broth to the pot. I pressure cooked it on high for 30 minutes and then released the pressure. Tender, juicy, flavorful. Lots of broth in the pot to use for other things.
Fast, easy, clean, and best of all it tastes great!
How do you store the broth after cooking your chicken? Also how would you use that broth later?
Hi Amanda,
I like to store my broth in “cubes”. You can learn how I do this in my post on gelatin.
Then you can toss into any recipe that calls for broth, or make quick sauces, soups and more.
Be Well,
Kelley
Most recipes will call for “x cups of stock”…how do you figure how many cubes to use for each recipe? And do you melt in water before hand? Ive never frozen my stock on account of this confusion!
Hi Zahrah!
Since every ice cube mold is different, I fill a one cup measure with broth and then see how many wells it will fill (ie – 1 cup fills 4 wells, therefore each well is 1/4 cup). Then you’ll know!
Be Well,
Kelley
This was my first Instant Pot whole chicken. I will never need another recipe, because this one is perfection! The chicken was tender, juicy, and, I had a quart of beautiful broth left, as well! Thank you, for a simple, delicious meal!
Hi Belinda!
I am delighted that you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for taking the time to let us know.
Be Well,
Kelley
New to Instant Pot and made this recipe today. It was extremely easy and came out very tender, however the actual chicken meat tasted a bit bland to me. Wondering how to punch up the flavor a bit more. Would appreciate any help you could provide.
Thank you so much.
Hi Vickie,
You can punch up the flavor with more herbs and spices, extra garlic, more lemon juice. If it tasted flat, you may want to add more high quality sea salt. I just made a Greek version of this last night for a party using 1/2 cup lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. oregano (dried), 8 cloves of garlic (minced), Kalamata olives, olive oil, salt and pepper – everyone loved it.
Be Well,
Kelley
Mine was tender and delicious too, but was wondering the same thing about the flavor. All the spices are rubbed on the skin and after cooking we pull the skin off and discard, so how do you get the flavors on the meat?
Hi Joan,
The beauty of pressure cooking is that the pressure infuses flavors throughout.
I always enjoy the skin for its flavor and health benefits (high proportion of age-defying collagen and glycosaminoglycans), but when I use the pressure cooked chicken on a salad without the skin, it is always juicy and flavorful.
You can also add more spice to your liking, or boost flavor with quartered onions, more rough chopped garlic and fresh herb bundles added before closing the lid.
Kelley
I want to try your fall off the bone chicken but my question is ….can I put a frozen chicken or does it have to be thawed out.
Hi Eva,
The Instant Pot comes with cooking charts for frozen foods too.
Enjoy!
Kelley
Hi, I just ran acoss your website. I have been trying to find out the answer to this question. I am not good on facebook, i.e., don’t know my way around or back to something, i.e. technological dinosaur. Once I post don’t know how to get back to find an answer if there is one, So I pose this to you regular email.
I have an IPOT Duo and LOVE IT! Just learned I can make bone broth in it in minimal time, in fact could make several batches in one day compared to a 2 day process. I have NO freezer and very little fridge room, essencially none. I am interested in making bone broth for the nutritional value fhe nutrients and the collagen. I would like to make several rounds of bone broth with the IPOT, then “can” quarts of it in my All American canner. Shelf space I can find.
I understand the once heated the gelatin will not “re-gell” and that is okay with me. I think the nutrients will still be in the broth, but not sure on that. As said, I want to do this for the nutrients AND the effects of the collagen when ingested. So to the main question: If I DO can the broth in the canner, will it negate the healing effects of the collagen?
I notice that recipes always say keep in fridge or freeze. Is that because not many people think about “canning” it, much less actually use a large canner? Or is it because that destroys the reasons you want to drink bone broth in the first place?
I need an answer quickly and I have some fresh bones using my fridge right now (past two days) and I don’t want them to spoil, so I need to get startted processing with the IPOT, but the question about the canner recooking and collagen didn’t occur to me until I had already bought the meat and bones.
I am looking forward to really getting acquainted with your website. Thank your for your timely response.
I cannot make this email go through, no matter HOW I address it, so will try to post this conversation on your website comments.
Hi Guion,
I have mentioned my preferred method of keeping bone broth several times in the comment section here. As noted previously, the way I prefer to save bone broth is in “ice cubes” which can be found in my post on gelatin benefits.
In my opinion, it is the most convenient, easy, healthful way to have bone broth available for cooking or drinking.
As always, we can be reached at: info AT healinggourmet DOT com.
Be Well,
Kelley
My recipe book does NOT have a chart listing cooking times for frozen chicken, or beef, or pork or lamb. Seafood and fish, yes. Veggies, yes. But not chicken. Can you tell us the time for a frozen whole chicken, please? Thx.
I have read that you can use the same cooking times for frozen chicken but it will take longer to reach full pressure. I haven’t tried this so I can’t verify.
I made this wonderful chicken recipe in my pressure cooker for supper, followed the recipe and the chicken turned out so tender and delicious. I will be doing this recipe again and again. Thank you so much for your wonderful website, I will be trying more of your recipes.
Hi Louise!
Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know how it went. I’m happy that you enjoyed it and hope you find the website helpful.
Be Well,
Kelley
How do you lift the chicken to turn it over after youve browned the breast since the pot is so hot?
Hi Barbara,
Very carefully 🙂
All kidding aside, I find it easiest – especially if it is a sizeable bird – to saute in a separate pan and then transfer it to the Instant Pot.
Hope this helps!
Kelley
What size presure do you use for your chicken? Next time can you show cooking in the pressure cooker, please.
Hi Steve,
The Instant Pot is the size of… the Instant Pot.
As for “show cooking in pressure cooker”, I’m afraid I don’t have a pressure-proof super-camera to do that :-). After the quick sear, the lid gets closed and does not re-open until the chicken is done cooking.
Kelley
I use two long handled large cooking spoons to grab the chicken in the pot and turn it over.
Can I use a frozen chicken? How do I adjust time for a chicken that is frozen?
Hi Ruth,
I have seen people warn against cooking large frozen roasts, whole chickens, etc. as there is so much meat that must be cooked through.
It seems though, that pork chops, chicken legs, chicken breasts can be cooked this way, following the timing rule of “6 minutes per pound plus 2 minutes”.
Hope this helps!
Kelley
This looks awesome, and I am SO making it tonight! Is the nutrient info corrent? 4000 calories for the chicken?
Hi Mae,
Thanks for your note – I hope you love it as much as our other home cooks!
Yes, the nutrition information is for the whole chicken, with all of the broth, skin, etc. I estimated that to be 10 servings, so a hearty portion is around 400 calories. If you remove the skin, and choose only white meat, the calorie count will be much lower.
Enjoy!
Kelley
Can you make this w a frozen whole chicken or it has to be defrosted?
Hi Dawn,
I just answered that question in the above thread to Ruth.
Be Well,
Kelley
I am really looking forward to making this. I’ve been doing a whole chicken in the crock pot for years then making broth with the bones, onions, etc. I understand that when I make this, I can get a gelatin broth. How dos that broth equate to stock/broth? Do I need to thin it out with water to use as regular stock? I just want to use every bit!
Hi Scargosun!
Glad to hear you’re on board with the pressure cooker. It really does extract more nutrients and flavor.
To answer your question, you won’t need to thin it out. You will notice the broth is just like regular broth when it is warm. But when it cools it will gel. For this reason, I like to pour the broth into a stainless steel cupcake tin or ice cube mold and then freeze to get all of the gelatin benefits in an easy-to-use format. You can measure ahead of time so you know how much each well holds, then make the conversion with your recipes, as needed.
Enjoy!
Kelley
I just made this for dinner and my personal trainer husband and three picky daughters LOVED it! Thanks for the great recipe! I will definitely be making this again soon! 🙂
Wow! I made this last night…had a bit of trouble browning it well, but it still tastes awesome. And what I love most is the incredibly gelatinous broth!! I’m sipping a cup right now, skimmed of the fat. I’ve made several chicken bone broths with the IP but its never turned out like this. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
Hi Kristin,
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it! Please stay tuned for more Instant Pot recipes 🙂
Be Well,
Kelley
Wow. I really like this recipe and love that you have a site devoted to the healing aspects of foods and being mindful of what we eat. Its is just as important to care about what we cook our healthy food in as well.
Using pressure cooker made from pure & natural clay will ensure that steam stays inside and keeps food moist but contrary to conventional metal pressure cookers, your don’t have to wait for the pressure to go down before opening the pot. Steam is managed so well inside and gets condensed right away so you can open the pot whenever you need to. This way you don’t loose the nutrients in the food.
Hi, I recently discovered your site and love it! I’m going to make this chicken this weekend since I just got an Instant Pot. The pastured chicken I got is 3.5 pounds not 4. Does that make a difference? Do I need to adjust any ingredients or cooking time? Thanks for your time and for educating so many.
Hi Erin,
Thank you for stopping by and for your kind words. I’m happy you’re here!
The half pound difference should not matter that much. I make this recipe frequently and never have the same size chicken twice :-). Please check the Instant Pot manual for cooking weights and times and use that as a guide.
Hope you enjoy!
Kelley
Thank you so much for your fast reply! Your site is a fantastic resource.
Hey Kelley, could this recipe be adapted for thighs? If so, how?
Hi Andrew,
Absolutely! The Fast Cooking Pressure Cooker Time Chart says 5-7 minutes.
Enjoy!
Kelley
Hi. I am doing my first chicken today with your recipe. It is the smallest I’ve ever seen at 2.5 lbs.
still cook for 25 minutes?..
Not sure if there is a bag inside with giblets but if there is should I add them to the broth or save for something else?
Hi! Is it possible to use a frozen chicken or does it have to be completely thawed?
Thanks!
Sounds yummy can I substitute lime for lemon ?
I have a quick question. I am cooking a 7 lb whole chicken. Can you suggest a cooking time in the I Pot?
I used your recipe for a smaller chicken … Marinated overnight in Frank’s Hot Sauce as we were looking for a spicy chicken.. It was wonderful. Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi Sherry!
Thanks for your question and happy to hear you enjoyed your spicy Instant Pot Chicken!
Instant Pot has a pressure cooking time table for meat. In general, I follow about 6 minutes per pound for meat recipes.
Hope this helps!
Kelley
If I don’t have any coconut oil to do the browning in, can I sub olive oil?
Making this tomorrow and can’t wait!!
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for your question- it is a really good one!
Olive oil has a low flash point, so it is really unsuitable for higher heat cooking. Opt for a more stable fat like tallow, ghee, avocado oil or lard to prevent harmful lipid oxidation products from forming.
Be Well,
Kelley
Do i leave the lid off while in coconut oil. Why do i need to do this first. Little confused.
Thanks
Melanie
I made this chicken recipe last week, and it turned out to be the most tender, juicy chicken I’ve ever tasted!! All in 25 minutes! What a great recipe, thank you. I’m making it again tonight!
I have made this chicken twice in the last couple of weeks and both times it turned out fantastic! So tender, juicy, and flavorful, my family loved it! Thank you so much for a great recipe! I couldn’t be happier!
Very very good, but it needed a bit more salt. The New York Times recipe for whole chicken says to use at least two teaspoons of salt for a 3-lb. chicken.
I am going to try this recipe but I have a pastured chicken that is just over 5 lbs. What should I increase the cooking time to? Thanks
So … I made this chicken today. 25 minutes … fall off the bone chicken. Awesome – thank you!!
Hi Kelly,
I’ve had my Instant pot for just over 2. years and have yet to venture out with many recipes. I mainly use it i as a glorified rice cooker.lol. I’m itching to try this recipe and am just wondering…can you put stuffing in the chicken cavity?
Hi Taz,
Thanks for your question. And the Instant Pot does make some might fine rice 🙂
I would not put stuffing in the cavity both for safety and taste reasons. If you want to serve it with stuffing, I would do it in a separate dish.
Be Well!
Kelley
Oh my, I made the Fall Off the Bone Chicken last night with chicken breasts and it was so yummy! The nifty part was that we had plenty of leftover chicken, so my husband suggested using the broth that was still in the InstantPot for the start of a soup. So I placed the leftover chicken, vegetables and some chopped pieces of potato in it. Added a bit more chicken broth and a Bay Leaf to it, steamed it for about 18 minutes on medium and VOILA, Chicken soup!
Hi Kelley,
I’m new to pressure cooking and just made the whole chicken recipe for the first time. It was delicious! I have a couple of questions though. When you say to use a natural release for the chicken, do I let it sit on warm while the pressure drops (I’m using an instant pot so it automatically turns on the warming function when the timer ends) or do I turn the pressure cooker off altogether? I’ve only used quick release recipes prior to this. My second question is about the gelatin. After I chilled the gelatin, I skimmed the separated fat off the top, per your instructions. I was left with the clear gelatin in the middle, and a layer of something whitish below the gelatin. Is this just more gelatin, but a different color? It doesn’t seem to be more fat, but could it be? What is this mystery bottom layer? Thanks for your help!
I have the same question! What is the whitish gelatinous layer at the bottom of the clear broth?!
Can’t believe you mention tough cuts of grass fed beef. Cuts of beef are tough according to the actual cut far more than the feed. Incidentally, grass-fed beef is way better than grain. Just saying.
I cooked this recipe twice now and each time the chicken is delicious! One question- it yields a lot of broth/gelatin in bottom of pot when complete. Can I save and cook with this? Does it need to be clarified? Can it just be used as is?
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your comment – so happy you enjoyed it!
And yes – absolutely – you can and should utilize that nutrient-rich, age-defying bone broth! What I like to do is refrigerate the broth and then skim off the fat (it will be solid and rise to the top). Then re-heat the broth over low heat just to melt, pour through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into silicone ice cube trays as I show in my gelatin benefits post. Then freeze the broth in the trays, pop out the broth cubes, and store in a zip top bag in the freezer for easy use in recipes or just to enjoy as a hot beverage with a little lemon and ginger.
Be Well,
Kelley
Just made your fantastically delicious Fall -Off -The -Bone -Chicken. It was quite possibly the best “roasted” chicken I’ve ever made. Followed recipe exactly other than having a 5lb bird. It was super juicy and seasoned perfectly. This will now be my go-to whole chicken recipe. If couldn’t have been easier Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Hi Kelly
Your chicken recipe looks lovely – does the skin come out crispy?
Thanks
Liz
Hi Liz,
Thank you for stopping by!
A few folks have asked about this, and I’ve commented in the comments section with some ideas. Unfortunately, steaming produces a soft skin, but putting it under the broiler may help to crisp it up.
Be Well,
Kelley
Your recipe was perfect for deboning the chicken. Flavor was excellent. Thanks.
I am making this tonight. Can’t wait to taste it.
However, 30 minutes flat it is not!
Saute takes 7, pot building pressure takes 10-12, cook time 25 and now the natural release is up to 24 min and still not done!
Am I doing something wrong?
Best chicken I ever made.
Can I use a Frozen whole chicken for the recipe?
This is actually a really misleading title. It’s not done in “25 minutes flat.” Come on, now. It takes a good 15 minutes just to come up to pressure and another 15 minutes for natural release. So your “15 minutes flat” recipe is actually closer to 60 mins and my husband discovered (with hungry, cranky kids and wife.)
haha oh no!
Do you set the pressure cooker to “poultry” then set the minutes to 25?
How long does this recipe take to natural release?
What is the whitish opaque layer that is at the bottom of the clear gelatin once the broth has cooled? I always get it when I make this recipe…just wonder what it is, and if it’s ok to eat..? Thanks! We love this recipe!
Hi Nancy,
This is a good question!
After you cook your chicken, and let the broth cool, you get three “layers”. The top layer which is the fat (I advise scraping this off due to its high omega 6 content). The clear gelatin layer, and then the sediment. The sediment is a combination of the herbs and spices you used mixed with cooked down chicken parts and pieces (for example, small bits of cartilage or tiny bone fragments from the spine that have fully softened). Keep in mind, the pressure cooker liberates a lot of nutrients and the sediment contains those, as well. So eat it! When I make soup, I use all but the fat layer. But if I want to make clear gelatin, I cool the liquid, scrape the fat, reheat the liquid and then pour it through a double layer of cheesecloth, to create these lovely broth cubes here – https://healinggourmet.com/superfoods/gelatin-benefits/
Hope this helps!
Kelley
Thanks Kelley….Any idea how long it takes to depressurize before I can take the lid off and get the chicken out? I need to cook two chickens, one right after the other, because I am cooking for several people and one chicken won’t be enough. I only have one instant pot and because I am doing it at work, we also don’t have an oven to use at the same time.
I’d say 30 minutes to come to temp + 30 minutes to cook for each. Then you cook do a quick release which will allow you to get the chicken out in just a few minutes.
Can you use a bigger chicken? I like to use 6# roasters
Hi Jill,
Of course! You’ll just need to adjust the cooking time. Please refer to the Instant Pot book for time per pound. I typically do 45 minutes for 5-6 lb. chicken without any issue.
Be Well,
Kelley
Just bought the Instant Pot and this is my first recipe I used in it!! This is a perfect recipe for a newbie!! Awesome and oh so yummy!!! Thanks so much!
I want to make the fall of the bone chicken and I am concerned about the organic virgin coconut oil that I have. It says unrefined medium heat. It also says medium heat up to 280 degrees. Is it safe to use in my instant pot? Or do I need a different type of coconut oil?
Hi Sally!
Great question – I’m happy that you are thinking about the negative effects of lipid oxidation products.
The great thing about pressure cooking is that you are actually cooking at a low temperature – a max of around 250 F. There are many more health benefits of pressure cooking that you might find of interest, as well.
I hope you enjoy!
Kelley
I am new to the instant pot. when you say heat oil to simmer and then place ck in for 6 minutes, do you do that on the saute setting?
Exactly – on the Sauté setting!
Can this be done using no oil at oil?
Hi Karen,
Of course. You can simply omit the searing step – it will still turn out delicious. Enjoy!
family loved this, but it took at least 20 minutes to bring the IP up to temp and pressure, then 25 minutes of cooking, and another 25 minutes for natural release – there’s an hour ten, and that’s just cooking time (prep takes a bit too). granted, once you close the lid, it’s all hand’s off, Just be aware it’s not 30 minutes.
Thanks for the recipe. Making it for the second time because we liked it so much. And I really liked drinking the broth after.
Hi Kelly,
Eager to try out your recipe for the chicken but figured I’d point out that you spelled simmering as shimmering. Just an FYI 😉
Thanks,
Gina
Ha! Thanks, Gina. Shimmering sounds more fun and actually relates to what the oil is doing:-) Hope you enjoy the recipe.
This is hands down the best pressure cooker chicken recipe I have ever tried. Getting gelled bone broth and a couple meals worth of tender chicken with one effort is nothing short of brilliant! My new go to! Thanks for this post Kelley and I’ll be back on looking for more amazing ideas from you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jeanne! Be sure to grab our new free Instant Pot Paleo Recipes Book – so many more reasons to LOVE the Instant Pot!
Did you make the 4 lb. chicken in a 6 qt. or 8 qt. Instant Pot?
Hi Patty,
I have the Instant Pot Duo – 6 qt.
I hope you enjoy!
Kelley
I’m defrosting a whole chicken overnight in the fridge. I’m not confident that it will be defrosted by tomorrow evening. If it’s still frozen, how much time should i add to the cooking time? This is a 4 pound chicken. Or should i just wait till it’s completely defrosted for a better tasting chicken?
Hi Linh,
I couldn’t tell you how much time to add because 1) I don’t know what % of your chicken is still frozen and 2) You can’t cook a frozen whole chicken in the Instant Pot safely.
So it’s not about “better tasting” but rather raw and dangerous… or cooked and delicious 🙂
Wish I could be of more help and hope you enjoy cooking your (fully thawed) chicken!
Kelley
Hi Kelley,
This recipe looks awesome. I have never made a rotisserie chicken before…do I need to prep the chicken or remove anything (guts?) from it before seasoning and cooking? Thanks!
Hi Karla,
Yes, I remove everything, but leave the neck in the cavity. Enjoy!
I love how recipe’s say, “Release pressure naturally”. Because if I put the thing in cold water the pressure will release “naturally”. If I open the valve or take the weighted stopper off the pressure will release “naturally”. If I turn the stove off the pressure will release “naturally”. And if I force the lid off the explosion will cause the pressure to release “naturally”. So… Is there a better way to describe what needs to be done when the bird is finished other than “naturally”?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Jane,
Thank you for the comic relief :-). I thought I was the only one who took things so literally.
There is a valve in the Instant Pot. Before you begin cooking, you turn that valve to “sealing”. When the cooking time has completed, you have two choices: 1) Wait for the pressure to release “naturally” over time 2) Force the release of pressure by turning the valve to “venting”.
When you do a quick release of pressure, you can get a less tender result since the pressure and heat is being dissipated versus when you allow it to come down (sorry!) naturally.
Please don’t put the thing in cold water and please definitely don’t force the lid off. Read your user’s manual for more helpful tips and safety information before using the Instant Pot.
Thanks for the laughs,
Kelley
I like this recipe and use it regulary. Thanks. i’ve also reversed the order. Cook in pressure cooker then cook in oven at 450 degrees until skin is crispy. This way you get some crispy skin for those that like the taste and look of that for final serving.
This looks delicious! Can I use a frozen whole chicken, and how would I adjust the time?
Thanks,
Carolyn
Hi Kelley, Have you ever used Banana Flour in your Baking? This is full of vitamins and minerals. A Banana farm in Nth Queensland Australia make it. They say it is dence and expands a lot more and you use 25% in breads and 40% less in cakes. Cheers.
Hi Neil,
Yes! I use Green Banana Flour by WeDo in some of my bread recipes in Better Breads book (www.betterbreads.net). The benefit of using green bananas is that it is also a great source of resistant starch.
Be Well,
Kelley
Hi Kelley, just wanted to say thank you for this recipe. This was the first IP recipe I ever tried. It was a hit with my family! Even with my ten-month old baby, she loved eating the chicken with a little bit of avocado. Thanks again!
Hi Amanda!
I’m so happy you and your family enjoyed it and thanks for taking the time to let me know. Sounds like your 10 month old is off to a great nutritional start!
Please grab my free Instant Paleo Recipes Book Pot book offered on this page for more easy, healthy and kid-friendly Instant Pot recipes. The Paleo Meatballs, Cashew Chicken and Butter Chicken are three mainstays in our household.
Be Well,
Kelley
I got my Instapot today after seeing this recipe and following your link. When I flipped the chicken the skin had stuck to the bottom and ripped off. It is cooking away right now though I am used to steam coming out all the time and Instapot is so silent and all I hear is bubbling. The wife and I are looking forward to some delicious chicken.
Question about your whole Fall off the bone chicken. My Instant Pot will arrive Monday and I came across your recipe. You mentioned to “heat oil in pressure cooker” and “cook chicken, breast side down”. What would be the settings to “heat” and “cook”? Any help would be appreciated!
Hi Dianna,
Use the “Saute” setting to heat the oil and sear. Then use the Cancel button, and Manual and High pressure to proceed with the pressure cooking.
Be Well!
Kelley
Hi Kelley,
I am trying to purchase non toxic cookware and I am wondering if this is safe for use? I see it is stainless steel but is it non-stick?
Hope you can help, I am really struggling with this task of non toxic cookware:)
Thank you in advance,
Hi Victoria,
That’s a great question. So many people still don’t realize the dangers of nonstick, aluminum and other common cookware.
The Instant Pot vessel is stainless steel and there is no plastic that comes into contact with food. The seal is made of silicone.
Hope this helps!
Kelley
I have made the Instant Pot chicken before and it is wonderful. I am just wondering if you use the Poultry setting on the IP or just use the manual choice of high for 24 or 6x the weight of the chicken. Thanks!
First time using my new IP and didn’t realize I needed the steam thing closed. Cooked a whole 5 pound chicken for 32 minutes (read online time is 6 x meat weight plus 2). Took it out, removed the bag of neck, etc and red blood and only 120 degrees. Put it back in for 10 went through and read in comments about a similar situation so added 5 more minutes. At 4 minutes left on 3rd time, realized the steam thing had to be closed. No broth and at this point not sure our dinner will ever be done. Uggghhhh
Hi Karen,
It is essential to read the Instant Pot manual before attempting to cook anything. While it has many safety features that older generation pressure cookers do not, it is not safe unless you know how to use it correctly.
Kelley
Hi! Just thought I would share… I recently bought an 8 qt IP. I had enough room to pressure cooker 2 chickens… so I did! Saute for 5 min on breast each chicken, then sealed with 1 c water and both chickens in the pot. Cooked on poultry setting for 30 min and 10 min qnr. Turned out amazing! It was approx 8 or 9 lbs chicken. I broiled the skin to brown it and it really was delicious. Made the mist amazig grave with the stock and some arrowroot powder. Nice to cook once and eat 2 or 3 times! Next I will try my 7 to 8 lb pastured mature chickens!
Hi Wanda,
That is an AWESOME tip! Thanks so much for taking the time to share this great, fuss-free way to cook for a crowd.
Be Well,
Kelley
I just got an instant pot and this was the first thing I tried. I’m amazed and totally sold on the thing by this recipe alone. Have you ever roasted a chicken in the oven?? It’s a hot greasy mess. Not only was this the most moist whole chicken ever, but apparently I left the vent open the whole time so… also idiot proof!
Another Instant Pot convert! So happy you like it, Queen Robbi!
I am finding it annoying that I cannot print this recipe. Can you check your website settings so that it will print? I need a hard copy so my husband can make it too (much easier for him to find). When I ask it to print, your website only shows a blank page with your bio and an ad, instead of any words or recipe.
Jen @ j.heighton@yahoo.com
I find it annoying that you come to my website… access my free recipes and information… and you cannot even muster the kindness to use the words “please” and “thank you” when making a request – something my child has done with fluency since he was two. You are not entitled to anything and it is this “entitlement mentality” that is at the root of so many problems in our society today.
The print function works correctly in modern browsers such as Chrome.
If you cannot be polite, kind and considerate of others, absolutely do NOT use my site again.
Kelley Herring
Hi Kelly,
I’ve had my Instant pot for just over 2. years and have yet to venture out with many recipes. I mainly use it i as a glorified rice cooker.lol. I’m itching to try this recipe and am just wondering…can you put stuffing in the chicken cavity?
Hi Jack!
You need to get on it then. Grab my free ebook with 20+ recipes – from Butter Chicken to Carnitas.
I would not do stuffing in the cavity of the chicken – it may not reach the proper temperature to be safe. I have seen some recipes where the stuffing is added with breasts in the Instant Pot, but it is grain-based stuffing so I have not tried it. Besides there are much healthier carb options to enjoy like sweet potatoes, beets, winter squash and berries!
Be Well,
Kelley
Thank you kelley
I made this last night and the results were spectacular! I sed it to make chicken noodle soup for my husband because he’s got a cold ???? and he loved it.
I followed the recipe exactly, and I noticed that the red button that pops up when the instant pot is at pressure never popped up until there was 15 minutes remaining in the pressure cook time. Is this expected?
Hmm, I don’t have a red button that pops up. Was it sealed, was the meat cooked?
There is a button next to the steam vent that pops when the pot is under pressure (red on the IP-DUO-80 – and when up it prevents the lid from opening). The proper name for it is the float valve, and yes, it signals that the unit has sealed.
I think the 15min time for the float valve to raise is normal, as the chicken is FANTASTIC! Fall off the bone is no exaggeration. I am such a newbie that I ended up browning the wrong side – realized when I flipped it over after browning. So I decided to just proceed and cook with the breast down & and it is still awesome.
Kelly, I wanted to thank-you for creating such a great recipe, and responding to the questions!
The only improvement I could see in the instructions would be to specifically say that the rack is not used – because I am so new to this I did not know if using the rack was a basic thing that anyone would know to follow.
Adding the rating.
Hi Newbie,
I figured you had a different model! Glad you were cooking safe & sealed and that you enjoyed the chicken. The browning is really more for aesthetic – one wise commenter was kind enough to share that she crisps the skin of the chicken afterwards with a pop in a hot oven. Brilliant and best of both worlds.
Thank you for your comments and the rating! I am always happy to talk about cooking and help our readers in any way I can 🙂
Typically, if the rack is needed, it is specified, but I will add it for clarity.
Happy Instant-Potting!
Hi! I can’t wait to try this recipe! I was wondering if you think any tweaking would be required in order to adapt the recipe for use with chicken quarters? Thank you!
Hi Summer!
Please refer to your Instant Pot manual for chicken leg cooking times – it will give you the right info.
Be Well,
Kelley
Perfect chicken and we’re even moreso impressed with the chicken ‘broth’ that we’ve ordinarily thrown away – what a waste! I poured the leftover liquid through a fine sieve, waited for it to cool somewhat, then refrigerated. Next day there was a thick layer of fat on the ‘broth’ that I suppose could be used for frying, etc., but I’ve enough other healthy full fats in my diet to add that. The broth, however, is very thick jelly. Took mere seconds to melt to a fluid stock in recipes throughout the week. And the taste is amazing as well as nutritious. I’m writing to say, thanks for the recipe and thanks for saving me a small fortune on less flavoursome or nutritious stock in future. Our wallets thank you and our taste buds thank you more 🙂 x x
Wendy & Mark,
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. It’s so nice to hear from readers who have tried the recipe.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the chicken and the wonderful gelatin-rich broth too!
Be Well,
Kelley
FANTASTIC recipe! My Father gifted us an Instant Pot this past Christmas. My husband and I love it, and use it 1-3 times a week. This is the 2nd IP whole chicken recipe I’ve used. The 1st recipe obliterated the chicken and veggies, and had very little flavor. Your version is fantastic, and has GREAT flavor. After I pulled out the chicken to rest, I placed the broth in a sauce pan (I used 2 cups of chicken broth) and added 1/4 cup of corn starch to make an amazing garlicky chicken gravy. I also broasted a bunch of veggies: asparagus, brussel sprouts, potato, sweet potato, carrots, and onions at 475 for 35-40 minutes as a side. My husband said this was a TOP 10 meal! Thank you for sharing and posting! P.S. Aiming for a one pot meal: If I wanted to add veggies into the IP after pulling out the chicken, what would you recommend for pressure cooking time? It seems the IP annihilates all veggies…
Hi Tania!
So glad you guys enjoyed it – top 10 meals is a real compliment! Thank you.
I think one of the Instant Pot’s only limitations is the failure to cook two different things at the same time… correctly 🙂 To solve this problem, I like to play “Dueling Instant Pots” if (yes, I bought a second because I love it so much). So I time my cooking and have my meat and sides cooking in separate vessels. Whole butternut squash, perfect mashed cauliflower, potatoes or sweet potatoes. From my experience, a two pot experience is as close as I can get to a one-pot meal with the Instant Pot. It’s worth the extra wash of one stainless vessel to not have “warmed over”, mushy veg, IMO!
Be Well,
Kelley
I tried it out yesterday as a weeknight meal since it looked so simple to make and as expected it took very little time to cook. The dish turned out amazing and you are right about the falling-off-bones part since it was really that tender! I’m glad I cam across this post and tried the recipe.
Do you need to use the trivet rack to put the chicken on? WIll the skin stick to the instant pot if not?
No trivet is needed. The liquid prevents sticking.
I LOVE this recipe! I made it last night and my kids absolutely devoured it!
I made this tonight – very tasty! Tastes just like the rotisserie chicken from the store – and so quick! Much juicier too!
Is there a reason or significant cooking difference between placing the sauteed(browned) whole chicken in the pot with liquid, and placing it on a rack/trivett with liquid? Thank you!
Hi Kathy!
Good question.
I use the steamer basket for eggs and veggies, as well as desserts like cheesecake. For meats, I don’t use the rack because I don’t want to “steam”, but rather immerse the protein in the liquid to get the most flavor and tenderness.
Be Well,
Kelley
Do you have a recommendation for how much time to increase it to for a 5lb chicken?
This is a great recipe, and I use it as the base for my whole chicken recipes (I’ll put vegetables underneath the trivet and the chicken before sealing the pot). But it is NOT 30 minutes – add roughly 10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure and 15 for it do natural pressure release and you’ve got about an hour before it’s on the plate. Sure, it’s worth the time, but there is no way to have it anywhere near 30 minutes.
Awesome
Super
When you cook the chicken for the first 6-7 minutes is that pressure cook?
Being in Australia we don’t get the same appliances that you do. Can this be made by any other method?
Hi Sonja,
Amazon.au doesn’t sell Instant Pots? A slow cooker is the closest thing, but it would take a lot more time and the results will not be the same.
I don’t have a Instagram pot I have power cooker are the is everything the same as a insta pot
Never had a pressure cooker before and just got the Ninja Foodi. Made this recipe tonight and WOW. You are not kidding – it falls off the bone!! It’s incredible!! I only had rosemary on hand so used that in place of the suggested herb and it was great! I also used a little more broth for a bigger batch of broth at the end and it made exactly 4 cups of broth. After this chicken was done, I strained the broth, added it back to the Foodi along with veggies and pressure cooked for 15 minutes. While that cooked I pulled the chicken off and then added all together to make chicken soup!! SO delicious!! Thank you for sharing this recipe – totally going to be a regular go-to!! Appreciate you sharing your knowledge and Light. 🙂
-Monique
Just tried to order your new bread book and it wouldn’t take my card try another, so, I did and it wouldn’t take it, both valid cards. What on earth is going on with this site. I received an email from you and proceeded or order. Any idea what’s going on. Never had this trouble before. Appreciate any help on this. Thanks
Hi Eva!
I’m sorry you are having trouble. The site is working correctly and processing orders. Please send an email to our customer service (info AT healinggourmet DOT com) and they may be able to assist you further.
on Step 2 – is “shimmering” supposed to be sizzeling or something else? I just don’t want to screw up or get in a weird situation with a whole chicken 🙂
“Shimmering” refers to what the oil does when it gets hot – it’s not smoking, but you can see it shimmers with higher heat.
This is the 3rd time I’m using this recipe for a pressure cooked chicken. My family loves it, so why mess with success.. we’re having another go at it, tonight! So thank you very much for a terrific recipe!
This is the 3rd time we’re going to make a pressure cooked chicken using your recipe.. It worked so well, the chicken was amazing, in such a short time too! Why mess with success!? Here we go again.. Thank you very much for a terrific recipe.!
fabulous one recipe in only 30 minutes the whole chicken. amazing Kelley for posting such great recipes with us. keep it up.
Tried cooking a bird according to this recipe and it turned out terrific! 🙂
So happy to hear this, Byenia!
Thank you for taking the time to stop by and let us know.
Be Well,
Kelley
I made this today. I buy rotisserie chicken often because it’s so good and I was not sure I could make it as well at home. Well with this recipe it was literally falling off the bone. I’m excited to have this great broth to use as well. Thanks for a delicious recipe.
I also used the inside parts of the chicken and cooked in some ground turkey seasoned with taco seasoning. So good and the family didn’t know any better. Love being able to use the whole animal.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Amy! Wait till you see the beautiful bone broth that’s left behind – so much gelatin!
Why can’t we read comments?
Hi Jan,
They are at the bottom – there are 259 – do you see them when you scroll down?
Thanks, it was amazing using this pot
Yes please for the instapot cookbook
Hi Kelly I made your pizza crust from your book and everything turned out great it looked great before cooking it but then after I cooked the crust in the oven it turned a really dark brown almost black, my sister made the same crust and hers did the same thing it didnt look beautiful like yours did in the picture. Could you tell me if I’m doing something wrong please? Thank you. Merry
Hi Merry,
Thank you for supporting our work.
It sounds like you baked it way too long. I have never had a pizza crust turn out “black” – they are golden brown like the photo of the recipe in the book. The ingredients are all light in color, so the only thing that would cause excessive darkness is over-baking.
Can you confirm your oven is properly calibrated?
Also, our customer service is happy to help you with any issues you may have with products or services you purchased from Healing Gourmet. The comments on this page are intended to relate to this post, and I do not personally answer them all, so please direct any future questions to our team so you can be properly assisted.
Be Well,
Kelley