Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken
by Chungah
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30 min for a whole rotisserie chicken? YES, please! And the chicken comes out incredibly tender, juicy, moist and packed with so much flavor!
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Why you’ll love this instant pot rotisserie chicken
- Tender, juicy goodness. Making a rotisserie chicken in the Instant Pot® will yield the most tender, juicy, fall apart and flavorful rotisserie chicken. So good, you’ll never want to go back to store-bought rotisserie chicken again!
- Cooks so fast. A rotisserie chicken will generally take about 1 – 1.5 hrs to cook in the oven, but it can finish cooking in the pressure cooker in just 28 minutes!
- Ridiculously easy. This recipe requires minimal prep, pantry staples and zero babysitting, the best kind of set-and-forget dinner. And the natural release of the Instant Pot even gives you time to prep your side dishes!
- Freezer-friendly and versatile. The chicken is perfect to freeze whole, in pieces or shredded, and has so many uses. It’s great on its own with a few roasted veggies or with pastas and soups as a fill-in for the quickest dinners.
Uses for rotisserie chicken
Rotisserie chicken is the ultimate meal-prep hack, repurposing leftovers for so many dishes for a quick and easy budget-friendly weeknight meal!
Tex-mex favorites
Shredded chicken can be used for tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas or even lazy enchiladas
Soups
Leftovers work so well for shortcut creamy chicken noodle soup, white chicken chili, or chicken tortilla soup
Salads
Transform leftovers into everyone’s favorite Chinese Chicken Salad
Wraps and sandwiches
Quickly whip up BBQ chicken sandwiches with your favorite BBQ sauce on toasted buns with coleslaw and pickles
Comfort food
Biscuit pot pie makes for the coziest comfort food dinner using up all the shredded chicken, topped with the flakiest biscuits
How to make instant pot rotisserie chicken
- Mix the dry seasonings. Combine the salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, oregano, onion powder and garlic powder – this will be used to season the chicken.
- Prep the chicken. Remove the giblets, if not done already, and dry the chicken thoroughly. This will prevent steaming and allow the seasoning to adhere while yielding that crisp, flavorful, golden brown crust. Rub the dry seasoning mix on the chicken, seasoning the cavity as well for even seasoning throughout.
- Sear the chicken. Using the saute function of the Instant Pot, sear the chicken until golden brown. This will help lock in all the moisture and build deep flavor through caramelization (and give it that classic rotisserie look!).
- Pressure cook. Add the metal trivet to the Instant Pot (this will ensure even steaming, drain excess fat and avoid the burn notice!) and the stock before returning the chicken to the pot. Pressure cook on high for 28 minutes, naturally releasing for 20-30 minutes.
- Let it rest. Let the chicken rest, allowing the juices to redistribute for maximum juiciness and tenderness.
- Broil. For crispy rotisserie-style skin, broil the chicken until golden brown and desired crispness is achieved, about 3-5 minutes.
- Serve or store. Carve and serve warm, or shred the meat for salads, tacos, soups, casseroles and so much more for time-saving meals throughout the week.
freezing and storage
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Separate the meat from the bones for easy reheating. Bones can be saved for later for homemade stock.
Freezing
Let the chicken cool completely; shred or dice into bite-sized pieces, portioning into 1-2 cup servings in airtight, resealable freezer bags, adding a few tablespoons of cooking liquid to prevent the meat from drying out. Squeeze out any excess air before sealing and lay the bags flat in a single layer in the freezer (this will help them freeze quickly). Freeze up to 3 months.
Defrosting and reheating
For best results and an even thaw, thaw overnight, adding directly to boiling soups or casseroles. It can also be warmed gently on the stovetop, covered, over medium low heat with a splash of water or stock, until heated through.
what to serve with instant pot rotisserie chicken
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt Instant Pot®
Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken: Frequently Asked Questions
The metal trivet helps elevate the chicken from the bottom of the Instant Pot, ensuring even cooking and avoiding the dreaded “burn” error.
Place the chicken back in the Instant Pot, cooking for an additional 2 minutes for every 5 degrees below 165°F.
For that crispy rotisserie-feel, broil the chicken for 3-5 minutes until golden brown. If you have the Instant Pot Air Fryer lid, you can also air fry the chicken for a few minutes without broiling.
Yes! But be sure to increase the chicken stock to 1.5 cups.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes! Rotisserie chicken is very freezer-friendly and can be frozen whole, in pieces or shredded in plastic freezer bags. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months.
Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (4-pound) whole roasting chicken
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup chicken stock
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, thyme, paprika, oregano, onion powder and garlic powder.
- Remove giblets and excess fat from the chicken cavity. Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towels. Season chicken and chicken cavity with salt mixture. Stuff cavity with lemon.
- Set 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Add canola oil and chicken, breast side down, and cook until evenly golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Using tongs, flip, and cook for an additional 4 minutes; set aside.
- Place metal trivet into the pot and add chicken stock. Gently place chicken on top of the trivet. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 28 minutes. When finished cooking, naturally release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions, about 20-30 minutes. Let rest 10-15 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Stuff the cavity. Seasoning and stuffing the cavity with lemon will add moisture from the inside out, allowing the flavors to penetrate even in the thickest parts of the chicken.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your chicken. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Don’t skip the metal trivet. After browning the chicken, place the chicken on top of the metal trivet. This will help ensure that the chicken does not burn and provide better circulation for even cooking throughout.
- Lift the trivet to remove the chicken. The chicken will be very fall-off-the-bone tender (quite literally). Working carefully, lift the trivet to remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and serve.
- Use an instant-read thermometer for the most accurate results. The internal temperature should reach 165°F, inserting through the thickest part of the thigh between the breast and leg but avoiding the bone.
- Natural release is key. Once the chicken is finished cooking, naturally release for 20-30 minutes, giving ample time for the chicken to rest. Quick release of pressure can cause the chicken to dry out.
- Broil for crispy skin. As an optional step, broil the chicken on a sheet pan until crispy (and for that rotisserie-feel!), about 3-5 minutes, watching carefully so that the skin does not burn.
- Let your chicken rest. Let your chicken rest for at least 5-10 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Save the chicken bones. Store the leftover chicken bones, skin and wing tips in an airtight, resealable freezer bag to repurpose for homemade stock.
Did you make this recipe?
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First, I love my 6 qt Instant Pot and Secondly, I love this recipe.
Followed all the directions, had no chicken stock. What I did have was rosemary, tarragon and sage from a friend’s garden.
So, added 1.5 cups water and 1/4 cup of the herbs into the water. The Instant Pot pressure pushes the flavors of the herbs into the chicken meat. Came out perfect, with subtle flavors of the herbs, along with the spices applied to the raw chicken. Will be making this again and again!
My chicken took about 45minutes not 28 minutes. Other than the time being off chicken was tasty.
This is a wonderful recipe. It was so delicious! Thanks for sharing.
This looks and sounds so good. I don’t have an insta-pot. Can you bake this in the oven? If so how high of temp. and how long?
I love this recipe and technique! We are having this instead of turkey for our small Thanksgiving gathering.
I subbed the paprika for smoked paprika and added 1 tsp. liquid smoke to the stock… it was amazing!!!
If I don’t care about the skin being crispy, is there a point to searing it first?
I haven’t made this yet, but for three solid years I use this website to make my family’s weekly meals. Every single one has come out superb and has majorly changed my cooking game! Thabn you.
I don’t have a trivet. Can I still make this chicken in the IP??
I’m surprised no one has responded yet, you can improvise with canning rings or make balls of aluminum foil for the chicken to rest on.
I have a 6lb bird what time changes should I make?
Excellent. So easy and yum. I’ve used the recipe several times. Usually use a 5 lb chicken and don’t make any changes. It’s great to make ahead and use the chicken in other recipes.
Made many times great/easy
This is so good and easy! Thank you
Great recipe, use monthly. Anyone know nutritional values for this bird, particularly calories? Or if maybe it’s posted somewhere? Thanks for the recipe!
Can it be done in pieces?
Have my second chicken cooking. Delicious and simple, thank you!
I used kitchen twine to tie around the chicken and keep it more secure & compact. It made it easier to turn & sear the chicken at the start & made it easier to remove the chicken from the pot!
Followed the recipe exactly! Perfect, concise and clear instructions. Came out perfect. This one is a keeper! Thank you!
best recipe ive tried
Delicious… also, it take 45+ minutes to release pressure normally. You’re looking at an easy 1hr 30min when you make this. Keep that in mind.
As stated at the top of the recipe
I love that the chicken stays so juicy! I found that it was super easy to turn the chicken and take it out to put the trivet in wearing the rubber gloves I use for washing dishes. No problem at all! (I wash my hands with the gloves on to get the yuck off.) I don’t eat the skin so took the advice of another reviewer and added some pats of butter and herb mix under the skin.
Such an uncomplicated recipe with great results.
I made this tonight and my husband said “this is the best roasted chicken he has ever had”. It was so moist and fell right off the bone.