Instant Pot · All year
Instant Pot Whole Chicken
A four-pound bird, seasoned and cooked on a cup of broth. The meat is done in about half an hour. The skin crisps under the broiler if you want it.
About 1 hour · Serves 5 · One chicken, plus a pot of broth
“Every creature that lives and moves will be food for you.”
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds, not frozen
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 cup chicken broth, or water
- 1 lemon, halved
- 3 sprigs of thyme
Method
- 1
Pat the chicken dry, including the cavity. Salt, pepper, and paprika the skin. Tuck the garlic, one lemon half, and the thyme into the bird.
- 2
Pour the broth into the pot. Set the chicken in breast side up. If you have a trivet, use it. If you do not, the bottom will braise in the broth, which is still a good chicken.
- 3
High pressure for 6 minutes per pound — 24 minutes for a 4-pound bird. Let the pressure fall on its own for 10 minutes, then release the rest.
- 4
Check the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone. It should read 165°F. If it is lower, lock the lid and cook 4 minutes more at high pressure, then release.
- 5
Rest the chicken 10 minutes before carving. The skin will be soft, because the pot steams it. For a crisp skin, set the bird on a sheet pan and broil it 3 to 5 minutes, watching the whole time.
- 6
Save the liquid. It is a light broth. Skim it and salt it before you drink it or cook with it.
From the kitchen
- Do not cook a frozen chicken this way. It will still be icy at the joint when the clock says it is done. Thaw it in the refrigerator.
- A bird much over 5 pounds is awkward in a 6-quart pot and needs the same 6-minutes-per-pound rule, checked with a thermometer. The clock is a guide. The thigh is the answer.
My note
Kept on this device, beside the recipe, for the next time you cook it.
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