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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I made exactly as directed; followed advice based on reviews and put chicken in broiler after cooking. While the chicken was very moist, tender and tasty, it was no better than the rotisserie chicken you can buy at Costco, Smart and Final or Sprouts that is cooked fresh daily. They cost about $6.99 each and taking into consideration the cost of buying a whole chicken (to cook myself), the time it took to prep, cook, and clean up, I won’t be making this again.
The rotisserie chickens you buy at these stores are injected with unhealthy products. I would never eat store bought rotisserie chickens.
What a stupid comment. Your comment reflects why most of the USA and parts of Europe are over weight and sick. This recipe is about home cooking as opposed to buying processed food which you heat in the microwave and eat straight out the packaging but you don’t have any control over quality (mass produced hormone injected chickens) and unnecessary additives, preservatives, colourings, excess salt…. the list is endless. Most store bought rotisserie chickens have sugar added to their seasoning. Unfortunately yes it takes longer and may cost more. Cool from scratch = time, cost, better for you. Store bought = quick crap!
Kristie,
Sorry for the very rude and unnecessary comment by Shanila. As my mother would tell me…if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything at all.
you accused the wrong person of the rudeness, shanila was addressing donna’s comment, the recipe is in the pot as I type this and it’s the 3rd time making, we enjoy it and bonus the chicken was on sale for 99cents a lb so a 6 lb chicken for 6 bucks compared to store bought 3 lb for the price of 6.99 and I’m quite impressed with the outcome, fyi using a bigger chicken may require using more spice for those claiming no flavor tvm for the recipe
I very seldom post reviews. I am sorry you felt that way about my comment. However, I want to point out that in general I am a healthy eater; I am not fat, sick, or lazy. I want to thank Damn Delicious for their recipes.
Don’t worry Donna, I don’t think your cats could tell the difference, they probably prefer the 6.99 Costco deal. 😉
I’ve made this recipe several times with great success. My family loves it and there’s plenty of leftovers for soup the next day
I just have a question before making this. Can you substitute the chicken stock for chicken Broth.
Thanks!
I usually use chicken stock instead of broth 9 time out of 10 because it’s what is in my cupboard most and have never noticed a difference personally.
I have used vegetable broth and have not noticed a difference, the chicken is still delicious!
This recipe yielded the most juicy, tender chicken! I followed this recipe and after shredding off the meat I followed with the Instant Pot Chicken Stock recipe to get a great chicken noodle soup. I really appreciate how simple and effective both of the recipes were to produce a flavorful meal to feed us for a couple of days.
This is THE best whole chicken Instant Pot Recipe. I will make this again!
People! The instant pot will never crisp except in sauté mode. Meaning, after you cook it, you must put it under a broiler for crisp skin. It’s a pressure cooker, not an air fryer. When you post that it didn’t get crispy, it makes me laugh. Mine looked and tasted amazing. Just broil for 5 mins and you will be 100% HAPPY!~
I just tried this recipe however my chicken didn’t look like the photo at all! The skin was not crispy and actually fell off. It was not a problem this time because I wanted the meat for a soup and it fell right off the bones. Perfect if you want to make soups or casseroles. Any hints on how to crisp the skin for future dinners.
This recipe made my day. We had a slightly
frozen chicken & I kept insisting it could be done in the instant
pot. My sister was prepping for a 2 hour cook time. I hopped online looking for an instant pot & so happy I stumbled
on yours. We skipped the sauté step because our chicken was frozen & so glad we did. We broiled at then end for 10 minutes for crispness. So divine I couldn’t stop eating it. Reminds me of Swiss Chalet (I live in Canada). Just can’t say enough good things. The sauce was dreamy (only had 1/2 cup of beef broth & used water for the rest). Definitely printing out this recipe.
Meant to say I hopped online looking for an instant pot recipe.
The best instant pot whole chicken recipe!!! So delicious every time.
This recipe is so easy. I was in a hurry to make some lunch and had a whole chicken, It was ready in 30 minutes. I served it with a aside of veggies.
A fool-proof recipe for a newbie instant pot cook. Thank you from the whole family.
We are big-time membership store roaster chicken fans, so making one at home better be good. Our grocery store chicken came trussed which I’m sure helped the attractive outcome. It was delicious, better than expected considering some people’s experience. I followed the directions exactly, seasoning it and browning it on both sides. I greased a piece of foil to lay on top of the trivet to improve cleanup, then concluded with broiling the bird after pressure cooking. Will definitely make again!
It was really flavorful and moist and made an amazing broth to use with leftovers for Chicken Noodle Soup! Thanks for the great recipe. My family has never eaten so well as we have since being in quarantine… now that we have time to try all of these new recipes.
I made this in my Ninja Foodi. Overall was good, but a little on the dry side. After a 15 minute natural release, the temp of my chicken registered over 180. Can probably cut the cooking time down if you have a Foodi to closer to 20 minutes, to help maintain moisture, while still getting all the way cooked through.
Too much liquid. Shoulda left out the stock. Def bypass sauté and save that time to broil after for crispy skin. Almost the same amount of time to roast in the oven.
This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks
omg so good!!! I didnt have a whole chicken so used 4lbs of chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) instead.
Didn’t have paprika, use chile powder instead.
Also add lemon pepper seasoning to the salt mix.
Same cooking time.
Stuck it under the broiler for 5 mins, flipped it over halfway bc i like my chickens crispy.
SO YUMS! Thank you so much for this recipe! I was getting so bored w/my usual chicken recipes and this brought me LIFE. Super easy to make as well!!
Def going into the rotation.
Bomb-diggity chicken. I was thinking about a rotisserie unit. Not anymore.
I make this all the time now. It has become a staple in my home. I never take the time to sear because I generally use the meat (and the broth too!) for soup. I quadruple the recipe for the seasoning and keep it in the spice cupboard so I don’t have to mix the spices every time I make this chicken recipe. The seasoning mix comes in handy for other dishes as well.
The overall result was awesome, but I do suggest following the comments made by one poster + skipping the sauteeing beforehand and instead sticking the chicken under the broiler after. You’ll get the crispy skin you’re looking for + save a ton of time. Like someone else said, this bird comes out UGLY so you’ll definitely want to truss it or be cool with the idea that it won’t look like much but will taste great.
Delicious, but I wish you’d be accurate about cooking time.
8-9 minutes sauteing, 28 minutes pressure cooking, 25-30 minutes release time. That’s roughly an hour, not “28 minutes.” I’m not sure how you got 40 minutes prep time and 45 minutes cook time, either.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Prep time of 45 minutes can be broken down to actual prep time and the IP coming to pressure.
Cook time of 40 minutes can be broken down to the searing of the chicken and the 28 minutes on high pressure.
Prep time/cook time is simply an estimation, Mara. We are going to be okay! 🙂
Lol! Great recipe and we sure are going to be okay!
Best chicken I’ve ever made!
I had to modify a little bit since I only have a 3 quart InstaPot so I cut the whole chicken in half and reduced the high pressure cooking to about 19-20 minutes for each half. Seriously wonderful!