Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Herb Butter and Homemade Gravy Recipe
This Instant Pot Whole Chicken recipe delivers a juicy, flavorful roast chicken cooked quickly using pressure cooking. The chicken is seasoned with a mixture of herbs, spices, and butter both under the skin and on top for rich, aromatic flavor. A tender, well-browned bird finishes under the broiler or in an air fryer to crisp the skin, accompanied by a homemade savory chicken gravy made from the cooking liquid.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Total Time: 59 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Salt
Ingredients
Scale
Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- 4 lb whole chicken
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 sprig of rosemary, leaves stripped and minced
- 1 sprig of thyme, leaves stripped and minced
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (divided)
- 1/2 lemon (juice 1 Tbsp and use the same lemon half to stuff chicken cavity)
Chicken Gravy
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Remove the giblets bag from inside the chicken. Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels. Place the chicken breast-side up. Starting from the drumstick side, gently loosen the skin from the breast using the back of a spoon and set aside.
- Make the Seasoning Butter: In a small bowl, combine fine sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, minced rosemary, minced thyme, and 1 Tbsp lemon juice with one stick of melted butter. Stir thoroughly to combine and set aside.
- Set Up Instant Pot: Place the rack inside the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Pour in 1 cup of low sodium chicken broth. Place the chicken breast-side up on the rack. Stuff the chicken cavity with the smashed garlic cloves and the half lemon.
- Apply the Butter Mixture: Using your fingers, carefully massage half of the seasoned butter mixture underneath the loosened skin of the chicken breast to distribute evenly. Spread the remaining butter mixture evenly over the top of the chicken skin.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 24 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure. Remove the chicken along with the trivet, letting excess juices drip back into the pot; reserve this liquid for gravy.
- Broil or Air Fry for Crispy Skin: Transfer the cooked chicken to a foil-lined baking sheet. Optionally season with additional salt, pepper, and paprika for color. Broil in a preheated oven at 500˚F for 3-5 minutes or air fry for 5 minutes until the skin is browned and crispy. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- Make the Gravy: Pour all reserved cooking liquid from the Instant Pot into a bowl or measuring cup. Skim off excess fat from the top; you should have about 2 cups of liquid. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode, melt 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, and whisk in 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour. Cook for about 1 minute until golden. Slowly whisk in the reserved cooking liquid and cook until simmering and thickened. Remove from heat and serve alongside the sliced chicken.
Notes
- As a general guideline, cook chicken on high pressure for 6 minutes per pound followed by a 15-minute natural pressure release before manually releasing any remaining pressure.
- For best results, ensure the chicken is thoroughly dried and the butter mixture is evenly applied under the skin for maximum flavor.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to control salt levels in the recipe.
- Resting the chicken before slicing allows juices to redistribute, resulting in a moister bird.
- Broiling or air frying at the end crisps the skin nicely without overcooking the meat.
Keywords: Instant Pot chicken, whole chicken recipe, pressure cooker chicken, crispy skin chicken, homemade chicken gravy