Whether it’s for a Sunday dinner, holiday, or busy weeknight, you’ve got to try this Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Potatoes recipe. This one-pot dish pairs hearty root vegetables like potatoes and carrots with tender, cooked chicken.

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whole chicken with potatoes and carrots

Cooking a tender and moist whole chicken with potatoes and vegetables has never been easier. The Instant Pot does all the work for you.

You can season the chicken with whatever rub you love the most, or just season it with salt and pepper! This dish is perfect for a no-fuss weeknight meal or an easy holiday dinner.

Why You Need This Recipe

  • If you don’t want to cook a whole turkey this year for Thanksgiving (or for any holiday or special dinner), try cooking a whole chicken instead. This chicken recipe serves 2-4 people, and you’ll still probably have leftovers.
  • Make this Instant Pot Whole Chicken with Potatoes and leave your oven open for your side dishes or pie.
  • Feel free to use whatever root vegetables you like. I recommend carrots and potatoes, but you could also use sweet potatoes, parsnips, or turnips.

Key Ingredients

Chicken broth is the perfect liquid base to cook all the vegetables while adding instant flavor to them. You can also use vegetable broth if you prefer.

Carrots taste amazing with potatoes. You can peel and cut up whole carrots or use baby carrots as a short cut.

Potatoes in any variety will taste great but waxy and all purpose potatoes will hold their shape better. Yukon gold or red potatoes work perfectly here.

Fresh herbs add flavor to the broth and vegetables.

Whole chicken that’s fresh or thawed will work the best in this recipe. A frozen chicken will take quite a bit longer to cook and the vegetables may be overcooked by then.

ingredients for instant pot whole chicken

Recipe Steps

Step One

Add the chicken stock to your 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot, and along with your chopped vegetables and herbs. You don’t need to use the trivet since the chicken will sit right on top of the vegetables.

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient list with measurements.

how to make a chicken in the instant pot

Step Two

Remove the chicken from any packages and discard the giblets and neck. Place the halved lemon pieces inside the chicken cavity and place the chicken on top of the vegetables inside the Instant Pot.

I prefer to cook the chicken breast side up, but it doesn’t really matter.

Sprinkle the top of the chicken with some salt and pepper.

Step Three

Lock on the lid and set the cooking time to 25 minutes at high pressure. When the cook time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for about 10 minutes, and then quick-release any remaining pressure.

Step Four

Use a spatula and tongs to carefully transfer the cooked chicken to a serving dish. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to the tray with the chicken. Discard the herbs.

Serve the chicken and vegetables with fresh lemon and chopped parsley, if desired.

Step Five

Let the chicken rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Slice the chicken before serving and serve hot.

Store any leftovers in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

whole chicken with potatoes and carrots

Pro Tips

  • Choose a whole chicken that weighs 4 pounds or less. You want to make sure you have room for the vegetables too.
  • Use whatever fresh or dried herbs you have on hand to season the chicken and veggies.
  • Place a halved lemon inside the chicken cavity while it’s cooking to give the chicken even more flavor.
  • Feel free to add your favorite seasoning to the outside of the chicken before adding it to the Instant Pot.
  • I prefer to cook the chicken breast side up, but it doesn’t really matter.

FAQs

Can I use green vegetables instead of root vegetables?

Green vegetables like broccoli will get too mushy in this particular recipe. Potatoes and other root vegetables work best because they can stand up to the long cooking time. 

Can I cook chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken?

Yes, but you can turn the cooking time down to just 12 minutes.

How can you make the skin of the chicken crispy?

If you want browned or crispy skin on your chicken, then you can place it under your oven’s broiler for a few minutes after you remove it from the Instant Pot.

What can I do with the leftover chicken?

You can use the leftover chicken for soups, sandwiches, chicken salad, or enchiladas. You could also add it to salads or nachos for an easy addition of protein. The opportunities are endless.

Can I make this in a slow cooker instead of a pressure cooker?

Yes! You’ll need to cook it for at least 6-8 hours.

close up of cooked sliced chicken with vegetables

Other Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes You Might Like

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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whole chicken with vegetables

Instant Pot Whole Chicken and Potatoes

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews
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Description

Whether it’s for a Sunday dinner, holiday, or busy weeknight, you’ve got to try this Instant Pot Whole Chicken and Potatoes recipe. This one-pot dish pairs hearty root vegetables with tender, cooked chicken. This easy recipe is gluten-free and so delicious.

Ingredients

Units
  • 1 cup chicken broth (or water)
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 3–4 medium potatoes, quartered
  • 1 small bunch of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage
  • 1 4–pound whole chicken, giblets and neck removed
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Add the broth to your 6-quart or 8-quart Instant Pot, and along with your chopped vegetables and herbs.
  2. Remove the chicken from any packages and discard the giblets and neck. Place the halved lemon pieces inside the chicken cavity and place the chicken on top of the vegetables inside the Instant Pot. I usually cook the chicken breast side up, but it doesn’t really matter.
  3. Sprinkle the salt and pepper on top of the chicken.
  4. Lock on the lid and set the cooking time to 25 minutes at high pressure.
  5. When the cooking time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for about 10 minutes, and then quick-release any remaining pressure.
  6. Use a spatula and tongs to carefully transfer the cooked chicken to a serving dish. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to the tray with the chicken.
  7. Let the chicken rest for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Slice the chicken before serving hot.

Notes

  1. You don’t need to use the trivet since the chicken will sit right on top of the vegetables.
  2. If you want browned or crispy skin on your chicken, then you can place it under your oven’s broiler for a few minutes after you remove it from the Instant Pot.
  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Instant Pot pressure cooker
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: instant pot whole chicken, one-pot chicken and potatoes, pressure cooker chicken

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