Description
This Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe delivers a perfectly tender and juicy chicken with crispy skin achieved by pressure cooking and broiling or air frying. Infused with garlic, herbs, and a rich butter mixture, it’s an effortless, flavorful way to prepare a comforting classic dinner accompanied by a luscious homemade chicken gravy.
Ingredients
Scale
Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- 4 lb whole chicken
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 sprig rosemary, leaves stripped and minced
- 1 sprig thyme, leaves stripped and minced
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 lemon (1 Tbsp juice squeezed, lemon half used for stuffing)
For the Chicken Gravy
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Remove the giblets bag from inside the chicken. Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side-up on a surface. Starting from the drumstick side, gently loosen the skin from the breast using the back of a spoon to create space for the butter mixture. Set aside.
- Make the Herb Butter Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, minced rosemary, minced thyme, 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and one stick of the melted butter. Stir thoroughly to combine all the seasonings evenly. Set the mixture aside.
- Prepare the Instant Pot: Place a trivet or rack inside the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Pour in 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth. Position the chicken breast-side-up on the rack. Stuff the chicken cavity with the smashed garlic cloves and the half lemon used for juicing.
- Butter the Chicken: Carefully pour half of the herb butter mixture underneath the loosened skin of the chicken breast, massaging the mixture evenly to coat the meat. Spread the remaining butter mixture over the top of the chicken skin evenly.
- Pressure Cook the Chicken: Seal the Instant Pot lid and set it to cook on high pressure for 24 minutes. After cooking, allow a natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure. Remove the chicken from the pot using the trivet, letting excess juices drip back into the pot for the gravy.
- Crisp the Skin: Transfer the cooked chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet. Optionally, sprinkle additional salt, pepper, and paprika for extra color. Broil the chicken in a preheated oven at 500°F for about 5 minutes or air fry for 5 minutes until the skin is nicely browned and crispy. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Make the Chicken Gravy: Pour all the juices from the Instant Pot into a bowl or measuring cup and skim off excess fat to retain about 2 cups of liquid. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and whisk in 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Cook the roux while whisking for about 1 minute or until it turns golden. Gradually whisk the reserved drippings back in and cook until the gravy thickens and simmers. Remove from heat and serve alongside the chicken.
Notes
- Cook chicken on high pressure for approximately 6 minutes per pound to ensure it is fully cooked.
- Always perform a natural pressure release for 15 minutes to retain moisture before manually releasing any remaining pressure.
- Broiling or air frying after pressure cooking crisps the skin for a perfect texture contrast.
- Skim the fat from the reserved cooking liquid before making gravy for a lighter sauce.
- Resting the chicken after cooking and browning helps juices redistribute for optimal tenderness.
Keywords: Instant Pot, whole chicken, pressure cooker chicken, garlic herb chicken, easy chicken dinner, chicken gravy, weeknight meal