Instant Pot Frozen Whole Chicken
Do you ever forget to defrost your chicken for dinner? The instant pot can cook a whole frozen chicken with no thawing required! Instant Pot Frozen Whole Chicken is so simple and easy that anyone can make it!
🍗Can you cook a frozen chicken in the Instant Pot?
Yes, a pressure cooker can successfully thaw and cook a whole frozen chicken in one hour, depending on its size. It is ok to cook a whole chicken from frozen so long as the internal temperature reaches a safe level of 165F.
Using the instant pot to cook frozen chicken is great if you are short on time, don’t want to thaw the bird in advance, or just plain forget. It’s also a great way to preserve flavors and juices that you would otherwise lose if you had to thaw it first!
You can also use the instant pot to defrost chicken breast to use in other recipes!
🧂Ingredients and Tools
- Frozen Whole Chicken – Look for a frozen chicken between 3-5 pounds.
- Chicken Broth – This is used to steam the chicken under pressure as it thaws and cooks.
- Cooking Oil – You’ll need cooking oil to brush onto the chicken to help the seasonings stick.
- Seasonings – A mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika enhance the natural flavors of the chicken as it cooks.
🔪Tools
- Pressure Cooker – The most well-known electric pressure cooker is the Instant Pot, but you can use any pressure cooker.
- Trivet – This will help keep the chicken elevated and out of the cooking liquid.
- Tongs – A must-have for safely removing the cooked chicken from the instant pot.
📖How To Pressure Cook A Frozen Chicken
1️⃣Add the trivet and liquid: Place the instant pot trivet in the bottom of your instant pot. Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth, water, or white wine into the instant pot.
2️⃣Prepare the chicken: Rinse the chicken with cold water, then pat dry with a paper towel. Brush the frozen chicken with a thin layer of cooking oil, then sprinkle with your favorite dried seasonings.
3️⃣Place frozen chicken on top: Carefully place the whole frozen chicken on top of the instant pot trivet. Make sure that all parts of the chicken are submerged and not touching the sides of the instant pot.
4️⃣Pressure cook frozen whole chicken: Close and lock your instant pot lid and set to manual HIGH pressure for 60 minutes.
5️⃣Natural Release: Once cooking has finished, allow the instant pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. After the natural release is complete, quick-release any remaining pressure.
6️⃣Check internal temperature: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the instant pot chicken. It should read 165°F or higher.
7️⃣Finishing touches: Carefully remove instant pot chicken and brush with melted butter or your favorite marinade. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with your favorite side dishes!
8️⃣For crispy skin: To get crispy chicken skin, carefully place the chicken onto a sheet pan. Pat dry with a paper towel and brush with oil and seasonings. Broil the instant pot chicken in your oven for 4-5 minutes or until the skin is crispy.
👩🍳Pressure Cooking Tips
- Different sized chickens may require different cooking times. A smaller chicken (3 pounds) may only need 40 minutes to cook, while a larger chicken may need 60 or 70 minutes to cook fully.
- You’ll want to make sure the frozen chicken fits in your pressure cooker before you start cooking. Typically, a 3-5 pound frozen chicken will fit in a 6 or 8 quart Instant pot.
- Be sure to use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. If the chicken is undercooked, cook under pressure for an additional 5-8 minutes.
- To keep the instant pot chicken juicy and flavorful, avoid quick releasing pressure after cooking is complete. Allow the instant pot to naturally release pressure first, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
- The chicken will be very delicate and hot after pressure cooking. Be sure to handle it carefully using heat-safe tongs and oven mitts.
- Don’t forget to save the bones and use to make a rich chicken bone broth!
🍗More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Instant Pot Frozen Whole Chicken
Ingredients
- 5 lb Whole Chicken frozen
- ½ cup of chicken broth water, or white wine
- 1 tbsp Cooking Oil avocado oil olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Paprika
Instructions
- Place the instant pot trivet in the bottom of your instant pot. Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken broth, water, or white wine into the instant pot.
- Rinse the chicken with cold water, then pat dry with a paper towel. Brush the frozen chicken with a thin layer of cooking oil, then sprinkle with your favorite dried seasonings.
- Carefully place the whole frozen chicken breast side up on top of the instant pot trivet. Make sure that all parts of the chicken are submerged and not touching the sides of the instant pot.
- Close and lock your instant pot lid and set to manual HIGH pressure for 60 minutes.
- Once cooking has finished, allow the instant pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. After the natural release is complete, quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the instant pot chicken. It should read 165°F or higher.
- Carefully remove the chicken and brush it with melted butter or your favorite marinade. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with your favorite side dishes!
- To get crispy chicken skin, carefully place the chicken onto a sheet pan. Pat dry with a paper towel and brush with oil and seasonings. Broil the instant pot chicken in your oven for 4-5 minutes or until the skin is crispy.
