Simple Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot

I make a really good chicken soup. Some even say it has healing powers! Today, my husband is under the weather, so I decided to make a batch.

Normally, I’d roast the chicken in the oven, then cut the meat into bite size pieces and add it to my soup at the last minute. This time, I thought, why not make it in the Instant Pot? It’ll keep my oven free (so I could make some brownies!) and it’ll get the soup going faster.

Here’s how I did it:

Tools: 8qt Instant Pot with rack

Basic Instant Pot Roaster Chicken

You’ll need:

• 5-6lb roaster chicken
• Seasonings of choice
• 1-1/2 Cups water

How to:

1. Place rack into Instant Pot, add water.
2. Clean chicken and place on top of rack, season as desired. I used Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning and a little thyme.
3. Secure lid on Instant Pot, set for 36 minutes at high pressure and walk away.
4. Once finished cooking, let it naturally release for 20 minutes, then release the remaining pressure.
5. Open lid and double check chicken temperature. Internal temp must be 165°F or above to be safe. Mine was actually reading at 180-190, but it was totally fine – moist and shredded easily!
6. I shredded half of the chicken (and used some of the liquid in the pot) for my soup, and the other half to add to salads and things for the week. Enjoy!