KateYou don’t have to rely on the grocery store or get take-out for delicious, tender chicken. Break out that Instant Pot or Crockpot Express and make “Rotisserie” Whole Chicken In the Pressure Cooker!
When I worked outside the home, sometimes (many times…ok, all the time) we would find ourselves getting home at 6:00, starving after a long day, but with no idea what to make. In those hunger fueled panics, Mr DIY frequently suggested a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. They are pretty darn delicious and usually only cost about $6.
I have a few gripes with those birds though.
1) They are tiny. There is hardly enough meat on those things to feed our family of 2 adults plus 2 kids. And if my boys were teenagers? I would probably have to buy 3 which is no longer cost effective!
2) I don’t really know anything about how the rotisserie chickens were cared for or raised. In a perfect world, I would prefer to buy pasture-raised from a local farmer but those birds are basically gold. With a tight budget, I just can’t afford that cost but maybe one day! For now, I just do the best I can.
Making Your Own Whole Chickens
So I started making my own whole chicken in the Crock Pot and I never went back! You can purchase a decent sized chicken, season it, throw it in, and 8 hours later, it tastes like you’re a culinary goddess.
But now that I’ve been making it in the Crock Pot Express? I’m a die-hard Pressure Cooker convert! It’s just so fast and tender and delicious. I can get it made in the same amount of time it would take to run to the grocery store to pick up a dinky little Rotisserie Chicken.
If you want to go the slow cooker route, just do the exact same steps listed below but cook for 8 hours on low.
After tummies are full and happy, we always have enough meat leftover for another meal so I just toss the extra in the freezer. Then you can turn around and throw the bones back in to make an amazing broth for future meals, soups, and gravies. That broth will add so much more flavor than any box of so-called “broth” from the store!
Do you own a Crock Pot Express or Instant Pot? What is your favorite meal to cook in these handy dandy gadgets?
“Rotisserie” Whole Chicken in the Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 3 – 4 lb Whole Chicken
- 1/2 large Onion
- 1/2 medium Lemon
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 – 2 tbsp Butter
Instructions
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Remove neck (if still attached) and giblets from chicken cavity
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Stuff cavity with onion and lemon
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Mix all spices together and rub generously on top and underneath the skin on all sides.
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Tuck pieces of butter underneath the skin on the breast side. Place chicken in pressure cooker, breast side up.
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Add 1 cup water to the side of the chicken, being careful not to wash off spices.
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Close lid, set Steam Valve to closed. For Crock Pot Express, select Poultry Setting and change time to 30 minutes for a 3 – 4 lb chicken. Since my chicken was almost 5 1/2 pounds, I cooked for 35 minutes. For an Instant Pot, you can choose Manual, High Pressure, 30 minutes.
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After finished cooking, let steam release naturally for about 10 minutes before carefully opening steam vent. Slowly open lid, taking care not to force it open.
Don’t forget to make Homemade Chicken Broth in the Instant Pot here and get every penny’s worth out of your whole chicken!
Looking for more great Instant Pot recipes? Check out “Instant Pot Cookbook” by Jennifer Smith featuring 500 easy recipes!
I will use your recipe today.
Thank you!