Four words: Instant Pot chicken and gravy. (Okay, five words, if you count “and.”)
Instant Pot For The Win
Ever since I got my first Instant Pot back in 2013, I’ve been on a mission to convert all of my favorite slow cooker recipes into variations that can be made in a snap in the electric pressure cooker. (Yeah, I know that the Instant Pot has a slow cooker function, but I have to level with you: I only use my Instant Pot’s electric pressure cooker function. Why? ’Cause anything you can cook in a slow cooker can be made even tastier and faster in a pressure cooker. Exhibit A: Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Kalua Pig. I rest my case.) And while it does take a little finesse to convert slow cooker or conventionally cooked stew recipes into Instant Pot versions, that’s what I’m here for!
One of the most popular slow cooker recipes on my blog is Slow Cooker Roast Chicken and Gravy. It’s kind of a misnomer to call it “roast chicken” because the bird isn’t cooked in an oven or over a fire, and the skin doesn’t get crispy, but this dish still manages to scratch that roasted whole chicken itch without you having to turn on the oven. Even better: You only dirty one pot, and that pot can be thrown in the dishwasher.
Use Quick Release!
For this Instant Pot chicken and gravy recipe, you’ll need to use the quick pressure release method (i.e., manually vent the Instant Pot) to make sure the chicken doesn’t get overcooked. If it’s your first time doing it, don’t be scared: You’ll do fine! Plus, you’ll rewarded with lots of umami-packed gravy that you can freeze for later.
Okay—let’s get to pressure cookin’ a whole chicken!
Time to make Instant Pot Chicken and Gravy!
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 (4-pound) organic chicken (a bigger chicken won’t fit in a 6-quart Instant Pot)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional if needed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of ghee, divided
- 2 large onions, chopped medium
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- ½ cup bone broth or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (optional)
Equipment
- Instant Pot (6-quart or larger)
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Tongs
- Plate
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Silicone spatula
- Aluminum foil
- Small bowl
- Immersion blender
- Silicone ice mold
Method
Grab your chicken and sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper all over it, inside and out.
Tuck the wings behind the back.
Add 1 tablespoon of ghee to the pressure cooker, and hit the “Sauté” function on your electric pressure cooker. (If you’re using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook over medium-high heat.) Swirl the melted ghee to the middle of the pot if it looks like the fat is pooling on the sides.
When the fat is shimmering, sear the chicken breast-side down in the center of the pot for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Flip the bird (ha ha!) breast-side up. Cook for another 5 minutes or until browned on the back.
Don’t worry if the skin sticks and tears—the skin won’t be crispy when you’re done cooking anyway. You’re just browning the skin to deepen the flavor of the gravy.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and add the remaining tablespoon of ghee to the pot. Once the ghee melts, toss in the chopped onions, 6 garlic cloves, and a sprinkle of salt. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until softened.
Stir in 2 teaspoons tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.
Turn off the sauté function (or turn off the stove if you’re using a stovetop cooker). Pour in ½ cup broth, scraping up any browned bits.
Add a steamer insert to the bottom of the pressure cooker…
…and lay the bird on top of it, breast-side up.
Cover and pressure-cook on high for 20 minutes (or 17 minutes on a stovetop pressure cooker).
Then, turn off the electric pressure cooker (or remove the stovetop cooker from the heat), and immediately release the pressure manually.
Open the lid and transfer the chicken to a plate or carving board. Tent the cooked bird with foil, and rest it for 10 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to purée the contents of the insert to make a smooth gravy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
If you want to thicken the gravy, mix 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons water.
Then, turn on the sauté function and bring the contents to a simmer. Stir in the arrowroot powder slurry and cook until thickened.
Carve up the chicken and pour on copious amounts of gravy. Freeze the leftover gravy in a silicone ice cube mold so you can pop out a cube whenever your gravy cravings hit!
There it is: Instant Pot chicken and gravy!
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Chicken and Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 organic whole chicken about 4 pounds
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt plus additional if needed
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons ghee divided
- 2 large onions chopped medium
- 6 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- ½ cup Instant Pot bone broth or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder optional
Instructions
- Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper all over the chicken, inside and out. Tuck the wings behind the back.
- Add 1 tablespoon of ghee to the pressure cooker, and hit the “Sauté” function on your electric pressure cooker. (If you’re using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook over medium-high heat.) Swirl the melted ghee to the middle of the pot if it looks like the fat is pooling on the sides.
- When the fat is shimmering, sear the chicken breast-side down in the center of the pot for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Flip the bird breast-side up. Cook for another 5 minutes or until browned on the back. Don’t worry if the skin sticks and tears—the skin won’t be crispy when you’re done cooking anyway. You’re just browning the skin to deepen the flavor of the gravy.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate and add the remaining tablespoon of ghee to the pot. Once the ghee melts, toss in the chopped onions, 6 garlic cloves, and a sprinkle of salt. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until softened.
- Stir in 2 teaspoons tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Turn off the sauté function (or turn off the stove if you’re using a stovetop cooker). Pour in ½ cup broth, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add a steamer insert to the bottom of the pressure cooker, and lay the bird on top of it, breast-side up. Cover and pressure-cook on high for 20 minutes (or 17 minutes on a stovetop pressure cooker).
- Then, turn off the electric pressure cooker (or remove the stovetop cooker from the heat), and immediately release the pressure manually. Open the lid and transfer the chicken to a plate or carving board. Tent the cooked bird with foil, and rest it for 10 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to purée the contents of the insert to make a smooth gravy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- If you want to thicken the gravy, mix 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons water. Then, turn on the sauté function and bring the contents to a simmer. Stir in the arrowroot powder slurry and cook until thickened.
- Carve up the chicken and pour on copious amounts of gravy. Freeze the leftover gravy in a silicone ice cube mold so you can pop out a cube whenever your gravy cravings hit!
Jen F says
We absolutely love this recipe! I add extra of the gravy ingredients so we have plenty, we love gravy around here. I’ve never done it with the whole chicken, we use bone in skin on chicken breasts since it’s just my husband and I. I’m not a fan of leftover chicken and the whole one is too much. Works just fine this way.
Svetlana Kitto says
How long do you pressure cook for when using breasts only?
Christina says
Thank you for your comment about adding extra gravy ingredients. We love this recipe and take it to our extended family’s Thanksgiving dinner every year, since it doesn’t contain flour. I always wish I had extra gravy for the chicken that gets cooked during the process. Now I know I can! Do you add extra of everything except the chicken, salt, and pepper?
R says
Why the tomato paste?
Michelle Tam says
It adds umami and a depth of flavor to the gravy!
K. Nelson says
Is it possible to only use chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken?
Michelle Tam says
I think chicken breast alone will get overcooked…
Megan says
I made the whole chicken and gravy in the slow cooker a bunch of times. Can I use leeks in the Instant Pot like that recipe calls for instead of the onions? Just curious about the switch.
Michelle Tam says
For sure! I use whatever allium I have in the kitchen and they are totally interchangeable!
Vicki says
Could you pop this under the broiler for a couple minutes to crisp up the skin, or would it be overcooked?
Michelle Tam says
I don’t bother broiling it because the skin doesn’t get crispy.
LarryB says
I love being able to make this in the Instant Pot, but I never seen to get the thighs and drumstick done. I’m now up to 25 minutes under high pressure. It’s really making me and my family nuts. I’ve been browning the cr*p out of the thighs. Maybe 28 to 30 minutes? The breasts are perfect, but i don’t want my family to hear me curse when I carve the chicken. What’s the experience of the community?
Carissa says
I find whole chickens take 25 minutes in my Instant Pot. More liquid may help cook it better. Maybe try 1c instead of 1/2c of broth.
Melissa says
This sounds wonderful. Looking to purchase the instant pot pro but undecided about the size, 6 or 8 quart? It’s just the two of us, empty nesters, and I don’t cook large pieces of meat other than whole chickens (3-4pounds). I do make bone broth regularly, but don’t want to buy too small or to large. I don’t batch cook but everyone tells me to buy larger.they say that I’ll find new things to prepare. What do you think? I make long cooking grits/ polenta(1&1/2 hours of stirring) and steel cut oats and beans after soaking, but that’s about it for long cooking food. I would appreciate your opinion or suggestions.
Michelle Tam says
I think 6-quart is the ideal size!
Jackie Smith says
I used this recipe to make my gravy for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I bought turkey thighs and followed this recipe. Easy and delicious! And having extra dark meat to serve is always a plus for my family! Thanks for your awesome recipes. We own all of your cookbooks. Have not had a recipe fail yet! Excellent all around!
Gillian says
Just made this for meal prep. I like to buy a whole chicken and roast it for salads and such. Decided to finally try this method. Never again am I doing it the other way unless I want a crispy skin! My chicken was literally falling apart as I pulled it out and that gravy is going to be amazing on whatever I decide to put it on. Thanks again for another amazing recipe/process!
Krista says
This looks divine! I need to eliminate nightshades though, so do you have a recommendation for what I could sub for the tomato paste to get a similar vibe from the gravy? (I know I can just omit the black peper to make it fully AIP, it’s just the tomato paste I’m not sure what to sub with). Thanks!
Terri Fitter says
Try tamarind paste. I can’t have nightshades either and often substitute tamarind for tomato paste.
Judy says
When I was on AIP, I just left the tomato paste out. It was still delicious. Then when I found I could do nightshades, I added it back in.
Jfox says
Can you use a frozen chicken?
Michelle Tam says
I don’t like to cook frozen meat in the Instant Pot because it cooks unevenly.
Danica says
How can I make this deliciousness in the oven? Thank you
Michelle Tam says
Not sure! I’ve only made this recipe in the Instant Pot and slow cooker.
Kate says
I used bone-in thighs, and took the skin off to make Chicken Cracklins – so good! Pureed caramelized onions … genius!
https://nomnompaleo.com/chicken-cracklings
Angela says
Made this last night and served it with some mashed cauliflower. It was unbelievably tasty and pretty easy to prepare. Will definitely be making this again.
Jamie says
This recipe never fails me. Thank you.
Jfoxy says
Made this with one large chicken breast (bone in, skin on). Reduced onion and garlic by half, and the cook time by a few minutes. Tucked a couple small potatoes under the chicken. Perfect meal for 2!
Courtney says
What modifications need to be made for crockpot? Can’t wait to try!
Michelle Tam says
Here’s the slow cooker recipe: https://nomnompaleo.com/post/4807547385/slow-cooker-roast-chicken-and-gravy
Dori says
If you use chicken pieces, vs. whole, how long do you cook in the IP?
Beth Trimark-Connor says
The gravy here…it’s got a lot to offer! This one comes out perfect every time.