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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Turns out delicious every time. However, it’s a bit misleading to say “cook a whole chicken in 28 minutes?!?” when in reality it is closer to an hour when you include the natural release time.
I agree, plus the ”let it sit” time…
I’m new to instant pot cooking so this tip of leaving it without releasing the pressure helped me out.
Absolutely delicious! I cooked the chicken as per this recipe and used the meat for a noodle soup, it worked perfectly and the meat was so juicy.
Thank you for this delicious chicken, cooked to perfection, tender, tasty, juicy, quick. No more oven roasted chicken for me: it will now be “my” recipe!
I’ve made it three times now, exactly as directed, and it’s delicious and tender — even the white meat is juicy. Skin is flavorful but not crisp, which is fine with me. I refrigerate the drippings and make a lovely gravy (with some all purpose flour) from them, and heat up the leftovers in the gravy. That’s if there are any leftovers — it’s awfully good, and my husband, teen, and I sometimes finish it off.
The smell was heavenly and the chicken is literally falling off the bone. Wow! Thanks! Can’t wait to send this recipe to my daughter for her family to try it.
this chicken looks ah….mazing!!!! Please tell me that there is a gravy recipe for these incredible juices.
Tasted pretty good but skin soggy. This is only the second time I have used my instant pot. Still practicing.
Oh my goodness is this ever good. I’ve made it a few times no with no adjustments and it’s perfection! So fast and easy too. It has quickly become my go to recipe.
Oh my gawd!!!! One of, if not the best whole
Chickens I have ever tasted. It melted off the bone and was so full of flavor. I doubled up on the spices as I wanted to make sure each bit was packed full of Flavour and it did not disappoint!!!
This is easily going to be my go to recipe for chicken from now on.
Thanks for posting. Easiest 5 star review I have ever left!!!!
Chicken cooked beautifully but absolutely flavourless
Thank for your recipe for Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken. It was fabulous, but I cooked it for another 20 minutes, meat fell off the bone.
Thank You,
Harold.
PS Good gravy
I used the juices to make a gravy by adding corn flour (not sure what you call it in the US?) and cooking it down a bit and it’s amazing. My kids are drowning their chicken in it. Thanks for a great recipe it’s perfect!
An fyi in the US it’s called corn starch! Thanks for the tip!
This was AMAZING Rotisserie Chicken! It was easy to prepare, delicious taste and fell off the bone. This recipe was the real deal!
Hi Chungah, this recipe is soooo damn delicious!!! I have made it several times in my IP, as it is my go-to to make a whole rotisserie chicken, and it’s amazing! Really flavorful, and not dry. Before turning the chicken over, I remove the base pot from the IP and place on my stove top, and use a spatula and mixing spoon to turn the chicken over (makes it a little easier because the IP is really hot, and I avoid pops of oil or other mishaps that may occur). I use pieces of potatoes and carrots seasoned with black pepper, onion powder and Italian seasoning and add to the IP and chicken before starting the 28 cooking period, and it’s so good! I use the left over chicken to make a chicken tetrazzini dish. Thanks for sharing!
Have a larger chicken (6 lbs) how much extra time do I add?
Usually it is 6 minutes per pound.
Can you cook the bag of giblets in the instant pot along with the chicken in this and in other recipes? Is it safe? If yes, how do we do this correctly? I have a Duo Plus 6 Quart Instant Pot. This will be my 1st time using my Instant pot and am scared, intimidated, have a mental block about it and am disoriented about how to use it. Thanks.
Hi Tamboliya, personally, I remove the giblets and as much fat off the chicken as possible (as part of the cleaning process before starting to cook). I have an IP Nova Plus, which holds a 4.5 lb. whole chicken nicely. I use a spatula and cooking spoon to flip the chicken over, but I remove the inside pot the chicken is in from the base before I flip. Removing the inside pot makes it easier to flip. Hope this helps, and enjoy!
Super easy recipe! Love it!
This is how I make my whole chicken! Always! It really is delish!
How’s recipe change with a 6lb chicken
Damn delicious is right! I will make this again and again and this is just my 2nd instant pot recipe…and fantastic!!
Will have it for dinner tomorrow and a soup the next day and use the bones for a soup.
In pot now, but pot still says “on” and it’s been 30 min. Float valve has popped up and down twice but cooking time has not started? I seem to have this trouble a lot with this pot…it’s the 6qt duo sv from Costco and only had since Xmas. What is up with this? I’m starting to get real annoyed with this so called “instant” pot!
Hey Laura, I get this (annoyance) all the time, too! I use the handle of a wooden spoon to tap on the float valve, since sometimes it doesn’t pop up perfectly and stay “up”, so letting it jiggle a few times usually gets it to stick. Once it stays up long enough to build pressure, the On will switch to the timer.
Sometimes the lock pops up but the gasket isn’t perfectly sealed. If you can hear pressure escaping from the sealed pot, you may have debris on the rim. Release the pressure, wipe the rim clean, have a look at your gasket to make sure it is okay, and re-start your cooker. Maybe inspect the small gasket on the plunger as well. I lost mine during cleaning one time and couldn’t figure out why it wouldn’t seal. I contacted customer support and they sent one out free of charge.
If you had your seal off make sure you replaced it all the way flat. Also to keep testing it just test with a couple cups of water. Shouldn’t take more than 10 min to build enough pressure to seal to float valve.