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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This recipe makes my life simpler and is a regular part of my weekly meal prep. One chicken, an hour or so and my husband has lunch meat for the week! I sometimes use water instead of the broth and haven’t noticed a difference – it still comes out juicy and flavourable.
Excellent. I only had vegetable broth on hand and the flavor with that was amazing. It is one of our favorites!
Unfortunately, my chicken didn’t come out crispy at all… however, it was well cooked and delicious… just doesn’t look like on this picture(((
The instant pot does not crisp. If you want crispy you need to bake it.
My chicken turned out so delicious…forget grocery store rotisserie chicken!
Yes! Very true. A most easy, versatile & delicious recipe.
Better than grocery store rotisserie chicken by far. Very easy My chicken was about five pounds do I added three minutes to the pressure time. It was fantastic.
Easily became a family favorite!
Question: has anyone who has an IP Duo Crisp Air Fryer tried using that feature after the chicken has been pressure cooked?
I had the same question. Anybody??
Yes and it works great! I actually place my whole chicken in a steamer basket so it’s easy to pull out of the pot when it’s done without it falling apart!!!
Hi Melanie, what feature did you use to finish – air fry? How long? Looking to try this with my first whole chicken.
Wow! This was so moist and delicious! The rub is spot on rotisserie chicken flavor!
I loved this recipe and make it often. Love the herbs used and keep a batch ready in my cupboard.
I don’t have an Instant Pot-any idea how to do this in a Sliw Cooker? Recipe looks amazing.
My suggestion would be 8 hours on low.
One of our favorite recipes — I make it 3 or 4 times/month at least. Tips: I don’t use the sautee feature on my 6qt IP to brown things because I find it awkward (I’m not very tall & reaching down into the pot without burning myself isn’t that easy). I season the chicken well inside & out, toss in a quartered lemon, truss the legs together with string & sautee it until dark golden in a heavy cast iron frying pan on the stove top, turning it until I get most of the skin browned. I use the herbs in the recipe but blend sweet & smoked paprika & add a tsp each of chili powder & cumin OR a generous tsp of lemon-herb seasoning, the stuff I use on salmon — it’s amazing on this chicken! I often add a squeeze of lemon juice to the broth & toss in some chopped celery or celery tops, a spring or two of fresh parsley & a carrot for added flavour. Cook as directed. When it’s done I shove it under the broiler for 10-12 minutes to crisp up the skin while I thicken the broth with a bit of corn starch. I’m a pretty good cook & roast a damned good chicken, but this recipe makes me a Damned Delicious Cook every single time with none of the guess-work that arises when you’re oven roasting a chicken & trying to make sure it’s cooked but not drying out. Can’t recommend this recipe enough!
love this recipe, came up just right and crispy skin. will use this again
BEST CHICKEN RECIPE EVER!!! I am a huge fan of all Damn Delicious recipes. This one, I make once usually twice a week. It is SOO EASY and SO delicious. The leftovers are perfect for meal prepping, chicken sandwiches, add to salads, or even toss into tacos or pizzas. The possibilities are endless and everyone must try!!!! It makes the most tender, fall apart, juiciest chicken every single time. Follow the recipe exactly, and you too will have the best dinner ever to look forward too.
I’ve made this recipe many times and it’s always turned out amazing, one thing I did try was adding a small squeeze of lemon juice to the broth in the pot. Makes a nice twist in the flavor of the gravy.
Made this last night for dinner and it was “damndelicious”!!! I was a bit skeptical about cooking a whole chicken in the Instant Pot but I’m glad I got over that. The chicken turned out perfectly! Served it with Greek style roasted potatoes and a Greek salad which garnered me huge superstar points. This recipe will definitely be a part of my meal planning rotation going forward.
The seasoning mix for this is spot on! Rotisserie chicken has always been a favorite and this takes it up a notch. I have done the traditional whole chicken as well as skinless boneless chicken thighs and it always comes out amazing. When doing chicken thighs I shake them in the seasoning blend in a ziploc to fully coat and then layer in Instant Pot on trivet skipping the sauté step. 20 minutes on high for 3.5 lbs and they are perfect.
Wow, this was EXCELLENT! I saved the drippings and have a soup in the crock pot as I type. This will definitely be a consistent staple in my meal planning. My chicken was 5 1/2 pounds and so I did 44 minutes (8 minutes per pound) and natural release for 30 minutes as suggested and it was a little dry. I’ll know next time how to plan and I guaranteed there will be a next time! Thanks!!!!
I keep going back to this, and use. I do the math and know it os more like 90 minutes. Well worth both the wait and the truth
Making it now and smells delish! Though, I thought you always need some liquid in the pot for it to come to pressure and not burn in an IP? I added a little just in case, I’m a newbie and I got a little nervous, lol – hope I didn’t ruin it! :O
You’re supposed to add chicken stock! Check the recipe again.
At which pint in the recipe do you put the chicken under the broiler? After natural pressure realease, but before resting? Or other?
Turned out great.