Roast chicken is a fantastic thing to cook on a Sunday, not only because it makes a delicious and satisfying dinner, but also because you can use the leftovers for other meals throughout the week. But what if you want to roast a chicken on a weeknight? If you’re like most people, you don’t have that kind of time after work. Enter the Instant Pot or another electric pressure cooker. It's the fastest, easiest way to cook a rotisserie-style chicken.
The best thing is that the pressure cooker seals in moisture, so you don’t have to worry about the chicken drying out like you do when oven roasting. I love to use the leftover chicken to make enchiladas, chicken salads or chicken tacos. And, of course, the bones can go right back into the Instant Pot and turned into broth overnight.
Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken
8
10 minutes
20 minutes (plus 15 minutes to come up to pressure)
45 minutes
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (3-1/2 to 4 pounds)
1 cup chicken broth or water
In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and stir to make a paste.
Loosen the skin from the breasts of the chicken by running your fingers underneath it. Rub one-third of the spice paste underneath the skin and rub the rest of the paste all over the outside of the chicken.
Heat the Instant Pot by turning on the sauté function. Add the half tablespoon of olive oil and of vegetable oil. Once hot, add the chicken, with the breast side down, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Turn over the chicken over and cook for 5 minutes more, until the second side is browned. Remove the chicken from the pot to a plate or bowl.
Add the broth or water to the pot and place the trivet in the pot. Place the chicken on top of the trivet with the breast side up.
Close the pot and turn the valve to the sealing position. Select high pressure and set the cooking time for 18 to 24 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken (18 minutes for a 3-pound chicken, 24-minutes for a 4-pound chicken).
When the cooking time finishes, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, and do a quick release to let out any remaining steam.
Serve immediately or brown the chicken under the broiler for a crispier exterior.