Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot? It's so easy! This whole poached chicken is rubbed with lemon herb seasoning, browned right in the pot and then pressure cooked until it's soft, juicy and ready to carve or shred. It's naturally keto, with 0g net carbs and about 41g of protein per serving.
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Like many people, I received an Instant Pot for Christmas - and I'm finally getting round to publishing some recipes! When I saw that I could cook a whole chicken in my new gadget, I couldn't wait to try it! And it didn't disappoint - the results were moist, tender chicken that was super delicious!
(By the way, if you haven't heard of an Instant Pot - it's like a modern-day pressure cooker that you can also use for slow cooking, sautéing, and more!)
The flavors I used for this dish were some of my favorite to go with chicken: garlic, lemon, and tarragon. I think you can be fairly flexible with which herb you choose - most will go well with chicken!
How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
To prepare the chicken, remove the giblets (if there are any), and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Sprinkle some lemon herb seasoning over the skin, and place a halved lemon in the cavity of the chicken.
Switch the Instant Pot to sauté mode, and melt some coconut oil or ghee in the bowl. Carefully place the chicken (breast side down) into the pot. Cook for about five minutes on each side - you'll find some poultry lifters useful for turning the chicken!
Press Cancel, then carefully lift the chicken out of the pot, and place it on a board. Place a trivet inside the Instant Pot, then add chicken broth - I love the Kettle & Fire products!
Return the chicken to the pot, close the lid, and switch the vent to the sealed position.
Switch it to High Pressure, and set the timer for 25 minutes. Release the pressure naturally (which takes about 15-20 minutes), then allow the chicken to rest for five minutes before removing and carving. (25 minutes is right for a chicken of about 4 lb - see the timing tips below for bigger birds.)
Note: Remember to wash any utensils and boards between using them for raw and then cooked chicken.
The chicken is soft, moist, and delicious - it's almost like it was poached! Both wings fell off as I removed the chicken from the Instant Pot - but that wasn't a big deal. It should be noted that the chicken looks a lot paler than a traditionally roasted chicken. The texture is wonderful, but if you're used to the deep brown of a roasted chicken, then this is a little different.
Also, you won't get crispy chicken skin if you use this method. I missed it, but the rest of my family removes it anyway!
I will definitely cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot again. The clean-up was much less than a grease-spattered pan that couldn't go in my dishwasher. With my 6 quart Instant Pot I'd say that a 5-6 lb chicken would be the maximum size - and even then it was hard to manhandle!
A chicken of this size serves three to four people - but it's up to you what you do with the cooked meat! It would be perfect for shredding and using for tacos, enchiladas or a dish like that!
Key Ingredients
- Whole chicken. A 4-6 lb bird is the sweet spot for a 6 quart Instant Pot. Check that the lid will close with the chicken sitting on the trivet before you start browning it. If your chicken came with a bag of giblets tucked inside, pull it out first.
- Lemon herb seasoning. This is where most of the flavor comes from, so don't be shy with it. A good store-bought blend like Fody Lemon Herb Seasoning makes it a one-shake job. You can also mix your own with lemon zest, dried thyme or tarragon, parsley, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Check the label on any blend you buy: some sneak in sugar or starchy fillers.
- Lemon. The halved lemon goes inside the cavity, where it steams and perfumes the meat from the inside out. We don't eat it, so it adds flavor but practically no carbs.
- Coconut oil or ghee. Either one handles the heat of the sauté setting for browning. Avocado oil works too. Butter on its own tends to burn.
- Chicken broth. You only need about a cup to bring the pot up to pressure. Use a broth with no added sugar; bone broth adds extra body to the juices left in the pot.
Tips for the Best Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Time it by weight. A good rule of thumb is about 6 minutes on High Pressure per pound of chicken. The 25 minutes in the recipe suits a 4 lb chicken. Give a 5 lb chicken about 30 minutes and a 6 lb chicken about 36 minutes. A bigger bird also takes longer to come up to pressure, so build in a few extra minutes before dinner.
Always use natural release. Letting the pressure drop on its own (15-20 minutes) is part of the cooking time. It finishes the meat gently and keeps the juices inside. A quick release can leave the inside of a whole bird underdone and the breast meat tough.
Check for 165°F. Before you carve, push an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone. It should read 165°F. If it doesn't, close the lid, seal the vent and cook on High Pressure for another 3-5 minutes, then release naturally again. Clear juices and legs that wiggle loosely are good signs too, but the thermometer is the one to trust.
Use thawed chicken. A frozen whole chicken cooks unevenly, and you can't season or brown it. Thaw it in the fridge first (allow a day for every 4-5 lb).
Want golden skin? Pressure cooking gives you that pale, poached look. If you'd like some color for the table, pop the cooked chicken onto a baking sheet and put it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, watching it closely. Or use an air fryer lid if you have one.
Save the juices. The liquid left in the pot is basically homemade broth. Strain it, chill it and lift off the fat. Then use it in soup or simmer it down into a quick pan sauce to spoon over the sliced chicken.
Variations
- Garlic and herb. Tuck a few smashed garlic cloves and sprigs of fresh thyme or tarragon into the cavity with the lemon.
- Smoky paprika. Swap the lemon herb seasoning for smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. It's great for shredding into tacos.
- Italian style. Use Italian seasoning and a little grated parmesan on the skin after cooking.
- Cajun. Rub the chicken with a sugar-free Cajun seasoning for a little heat.
Ways to Use the Chicken
One whole chicken goes a long way, and the tender, poached meat is perfect for shredding. If you aren't serving the whole bird at once, pull the meat off the bones while it's still warm and use it in low carb soups all week. Try a big pot of Chicken Kale Soup, creamy Keto Alfredo Soup or a spicy Low Carb Chicken Tortilla Soup. For a lighter bowl, try Low Carb Konjac Noodle Soup with Chicken and Spinach or Spaghetti Squash Noodle Soup.
It's just as handy for casseroles and bakes. The cooked chicken can go straight into Low Carb Chicken Pot Pies or Low Carb Green Chile Enchiladas. You can also use it in a Keto Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Bake: just bake until it's hot and bubbly, since the chicken is already cooked. And it makes great chicken salad, lettuce wraps and quick lunches too.
Serving Ideas
This makes a great low carb main dish for the holidays. It's a nice choice when you're cooking for a smaller group and a whole turkey feels like too much, and it frees up the oven for everything else. Carve it at the table and serve it with keto-friendly sides like Creamy Brussels Sprouts, Keto Green Beans Almondine or Roasted Asparagus with Bacon.
On a weeknight, keep it simple with a green salad, steamed broccoli or cauliflower mash, and a spoonful of the strained pot juices over the sliced meat.
Storing & Freezing
Let the chicken cool, then pull the meat off the bones and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep a little of the cooking liquid with it so it stays moist. Reheat gently in a covered pan or in the microwave with a splash of broth.
The cooked chicken freezes really well. Pack shredded or sliced meat into freezer bags in recipe-size portions, squeeze out the air and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or add it straight to simmering soup. Freeze the strained broth separately too. Don't throw away the carcass either: it makes a great batch of homemade bone broth.
More Low Carb Chicken Recipes
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with Rosemary and Lemon
- Keto Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
- Low Carb Mexican Shredded Chicken
- Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot
📖 Recipe
Whole Poached Chicken in the Instant Pot
Ingredients
Equipment
Step-by-Step Instructions
- To prepare the chicken, remove the giblets (if there are any), and pat the skin dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the lemon herb seasoning over the skin, and place the halved lemon in the cavity of the chicken.
- Switch the Instant Pot to sauté mode, and melt the coconut oil or ghee in the bowl. Carefully place the chicken (breast side down) into the pot. Cook for about five minutes on each side - you'll find some poultry lifters useful for turning the chicken!
- Press Cancel, then carefully lift the chicken out of the pot, and place it on a board. Place a trivet inside the Instant Pot, then add the chicken broth. Return the chicken to the pot, close the lid, and switch the vent to the sealed position.
- Switch it to High Pressure, and set the timer for 25 minutes (that's for a 4 lb chicken - allow about 6 minutes per pound, so about 30 minutes for a 5 lb chicken and 36 minutes for a 6 lb chicken). Release the pressure naturally (which takes about 15-20 minutes). Check that the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F; if not, seal and cook for 3-5 minutes more. Allow the chicken to rest for five minutes before removing and carving.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is my best approximation. Net carbs are calculated as the total grams carbs minus the total grams of fiber.
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