I've had my Instant Pot for a few years now, and it wasn't until this past year that I finally used it to cook a whole chicken. Truth be told, as much as I have loved my IP, I was a bit skeptical about its ability to cook an entire chicken that was juicy all throughout. I've actually tried several different methods, and while all worked well, this method here is by far my favorite.
Serves 4 to 6 people
Ingredients
4 to 5 lb whole chicken
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup vermouth
1 cup chicken broth
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
Cornstarch slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water)
4 Tbsp cold butter
2 Tbsp melted butter
Directions
Remove the giblets from the chicken and save for another use. Take note of the weight of the chicken before throwing the packaging away. (You'll be setting the pressure time to 6 minutes per pound in your Instant Pot.)
Make a seasoning blend by combining the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine, if desired.
Pour the vermouth and chicken broth into the insert of the Instant Pot. Stir in the chopped shallots. Place a trivet then the chicken on top, breast side up.
Cook on manual, high pressure, for 6 minutes per pound. Let the pressure naturally release for 12 minutes before opening the valve. Using a meat thermometer, check that the chicken reads 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thighs. If not, replace lid, turn the valve to “seal”, and pressure cook for another 4 minutes, quickly releasing the pressure afterwards. Repeat as needed until the proper temperature is reached.
While the pressure is doing its initial natural release, preheat the broiler with the rack positioned in the middle of the oven. When the chicken has cooked, carefully remove it from the Instant Pot by using the handles of the trivet, or if no handles, by sticking a long fork in the cavity and using another utensil, such as a spoon or spatula to help lift it out and onto a baking sheet, breast side up. Brush the chicken with the 2 Tbsp of melted butter.
Place under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes to brown the skin. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, press the sauté button on the Instant Pot and set it to to high to bring the juices to a boil. Reduce the liquid by half and stir in the tarragon. Thicken the sauce by gradually adding the cornstarch slurry until you get your desired thickness. Press the “cancel” button to turn the heat off. Add the cold butter to the pot and stir continuously until it has melted into the sauce. Drizzle this over the carved chicken. Serve immediately with extra sauce on the side.
Visuals
Make a seasoning blend of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Rub the seasoning all over the chicken and inside the cavity.
Finely dice the shallot.
Pour the vermouth and chicken broth into the Instant Pot and stir the shallots in.
Place the trivet inside the pot. The one that came with my IP has handles, which is very "handy" for this recipe.
Place the chicken, breast side-up, onto the trivet. Close the lid and set for the appropriate time on high pressure. Let the pressure naturally release for 12 minutes before opening the valve. I decided not to tie the legs together this time, and you'll see what happened ...
Strip the tarragon leaves off of the stems and chop finely.
After the chicken has cooked, transfer it to a baking sheet. Pour the melted butter on top and broil in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes to brown the skin. Since I didn't tie the legs together, some of the skin over the breast broke. No big deal, but if you're particular about presentation, tie the legs!
While the chicken broils, set the Instant Pot to "sauté" and bring the cooking liquid to a boil. Reduce for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the tarragon and thicken the sauce by gradually adding the cornstarch slurry. You may not use the entire slurry, depending on your desired thickness. Turn the heat off, then add the butter, one piece at a time, mixing until melted.
After the chicken has rested, carve the legs and breasts and transfer to a platter. You're not seeing the wings here because I ate them ... treats for the chef. Save the carcass for making broth at a later time!
Slice the breasts cross-wise for easier portioning when serving.
Drizzle the sauce over the carved chicken. Serve with extra sauce on the side.
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