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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The chicken was inevitably fantastic!
The only problem I had was the cooking time. I set my 6qt. InstaPot on high for 30 mins and let rest in the sealed pot for another 30 mins, but the thighs were still pink. So I cooked in the oven a little then broiled to make the skin crispy.
I recommend cooking for longer than indicated by recipe.
trying this right now! go instapot go! I did the sear in a cast iron skillet before putting it in the instapot. on/ in my oven i made buttered new potatoes, and corn roasted in the shuck to accompany it… I am still new to this whole instapot pressure cooker thingy LOL but although the chicken went in with crisp-ed skin, it came out looking boiled. still tasted great though!
The taste was fine but the chicken split in half, so the look wasn’t great (it looked exploded from the inside ) and the skin did not stay crispy. Perhaps I’ll try sauteeing longer next time.
Just broil it in the oven for 5 mins AFTER cooking. It’s the only way to make the skin crispy.
I have tried this twice, followed your recipe EXACTLY and neither time did it come out crispy as in your picture. Taste was excellent but it did not come out as you show in your picture.
This turned out great! The seasoning was right on point. After the chicken was done, I popped it under the broiler for about three minutes to crisp up the skin. I also reduced the drippings, adding the chicken liver to it. This made a great gravy to go over the chicken and an added gravy for the white rice too.
I’m glad that I tried this recipe. I have an 8-quart unit that cooked a 6 lb bird. I pressured for 40 minutes and let it NPR for 25 minutes before manually releasing the final pressure.
Thanks!!
Started off my IP with some boneless pork chops, came out excellent. Wife was very excited for me to try the roasted chicken, so giving it a try now. Mixed the spices as suggested, coated the bird, sauteed on both sides and added a little extra broth because planning to make gravy, put it on for the 28 minutes and can’t wait, it smells amazing. Will repost with reviews from the Family in a while. Love the recipes, and the instant pot.
Oh my goodness. Tender, juicy, tasty and the leftovers are awesome. Great recipe. Thank you.
Today are the pork ribs, prepped and waiting for dinnertime to crank up the instant pot.
Best chicken ever! We make it several times a week. Thank you!
Did anyone brine their chicken first?
I did, and it was amazing!
I have a 3qt Instant Pot and was wondering what size Chicken would work and how do you suggest adjusting the seasonings. I have never used it before since most all recipes need a larger cooker. I love rotessire chicken so I would love to make this. Thank you.
Just wondering about the pressure release. You let it sit 20-30 minutes more after the 28 minutes of cooking time? Thanks!
This recipe is fantastic! We always consider Costco rotisserrie chicken the best until now. This recipe was amazing , I followed the recipe exactly and it was so wonderful. Several people said that the skin stuck to the pan. What I found is that if you heat the sautee function on high until it says hot; then add the oil ( i used avocado oil since it is good for high heat), it does not stick. It was tender and moist. Thank you for this great recipe.
Do yourself and your family a favor and just make this! It….is….amazing. I have 4 boys and a husband who were drooling over this..it literally falls apart..I did put some of the seasoning inside the cavity, cut my lemon in quarters and gave them a little squeeze as i put them in. I also did season it, wrapped it in plastic wrap and put in the fridge for a cple hours prior to cooking. 1 thing I did differently like another gal is I seared the outside in a pan on the stove, Like her i am not crazy about doing it in the IP and when u do it you need to get a really good dark sear. This will become a regular meal in my house, we had it with a vegetable and jasmine rice. Mine looked just like in the pics, as long as you get a good sear it will for sure!
Super Yummy! I followed the directions verbatim, just added a little extra onion and lemon on the inside of the chicken. I suggest sautéing the chicken and getting it really brown on both sides! Mine turned out so awesome, had tons of amazing flavor and juice for gravy. We paired this with rice, and also a salad.
I’ve made this recipe 3 or 4 times now, and it’s become on of my favorite go-to recipes. It really is damned delicious! The only criticism I could give is that it looks nothing like the picture when it comes out of the pot heh. It kinda resembles the turkey in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation . So in light of that, I might not make it for company that I was trying to impress. But for an easy delicious meal for the family? Hell yeah!
Broil it after cooking!! It crisps up the skin!
If you season it as per the recipe and sear it for 4 or 5 minutes before pressure cooking it looks just like the picture!
This was so delicious, tasty, and moist. Thank you for sharing. I will be using this again and again.
It was so delicious and moist. I followed the recipe exactly as it was listed. My husband and I really enjoyed it, will definitely make it again!!
I plan to make this recipe tonight. I have a 6 lb chicken vs the 4 lb in the recipe. I’m a newbie with IP as it was a Christmas gift. How should I modify the cooking time to be sure it’s cooked thoroughly and still has good flavor?
4 3 min per lb conversion so 36 min plus same rest time. Standard conversion for roast chx in IP. I am making recipe 2nd time the dry rub is so tasty! I am using smoked paprika it adds that little sumpin sumpin. Thank you for the awesome recipe!!!!
A 4lb bird at 28 minutes is 7 minutes per pound.
If that’s how you calculate it, that would be 42 minutes for a 6lb bird.
I’m cooking one now that is just over 6lb.
Jack, how did the 6lb chicken go at 42 minutes? I have a 6lb chicken and curious as to the best cooking time for it.
I just made it before we went for the family walk with the dog. And I already had one wing. Gotta stop myself to finish the whole chicken!!! Haha
I’m not sure if it makes difference, but I did put the whole chicken into the salted water for 48 hours tho.
Wasn’t sure which recipe that I’m going to follow, but I’m glad I made it with this one.
I made this last night and note sure what went wrong but it did not turn out like the photo. The chicken, especially, the legs were very difficult to brown so the legs and wings tasted good but had to take that awful uncooked looking skin off.
It sounds like maybe you didn’t brown it enough before pressure cooking it? What did it look like?
This is really good, it will never look like the photos after cooking due to photos being taken of uncooked chicken . In real life its much duller looking but and this is why I love this recipe ITS CRAZY JUICY!!!so yummy. Light delicate flavor