Cooking chicken in an Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker is a quick and easy way to get delicious fall-off-the-bone meat. But when dealing with larger quantities like 5 pounds it can be tricky to get the timing just right. Undercooked chicken is unsafe to eat, but overcooked chicken can turn out dry and stringy.
In this article, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to perfectly cook 5 pounds of chicken in your Instant Pot, including:
- Suggested cook times based on the cut of chicken
- Tips for getting tender, juicy results
- How to adapt for frozen chicken
- Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Suggested Cook Times for 5 Pounds of Chicken
The cook time can vary depending on a few factors, like whether you are working with boneless, skinless breasts versus bone-in thighs. Here are some general time guidelines
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Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 breasts): Cook for 8-10 minutes at high pressure. The thicker the breasts, the longer they may need.
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Bone-in chicken breasts (about 3-4 breasts): Cook for 15-18 minutes at high pressure. The bones and skin insulate the meat so it takes a little longer.
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Boneless chicken thighs (about 10 thighs): Cook for 6-8 minutes at high pressure. Chicken thighs are dark meat and can withstand a bit more time.
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Bone-in chicken thighs (5-6 thighs): Cook for 18-22 minutes at high pressure. Again, the bone will add some time.
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Whole chicken, cut up: Cook for 12-15 minutes at high pressure. A mix of white and dark meat means a time in between.
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Whole chicken, not cut up: Cook for 22-25 minutes at high pressure. The bones and cavity can shield the inner meat.
These cook times should result in safe, cooked chicken that is moist and tender. However, adjust up or down depending on your specific cut of chicken. Older, larger chickens may need a little longer.
Tips for Perfectly Cooked Chicken
To get the very best results when cooking 5 pounds of chicken in your Instant Pot, keep these tips in mind:
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If working with skin-on chicken, score the skin before cooking. This will allow steam to escape instead of puffing up the skin.
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Don’t overfill the pot. Work in batches if needed.
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Add at least 1 cup of liquid to the Instant Pot to build up steam. Chicken broth or water both work.
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Arrange chicken pieces so thicker parts face outward.
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Once pressure cooking is complete, use natural pressure release if you have time. This will ensure the meat is fall-apart tender. Or quick release if you’re in a rush.
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Check that chicken is cooked through by cutting into the thickest part. It should show no pink and juices should run clear.
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Avoid overcooking. Chicken can go from perfect to dry and stringy in just a minute or two.
Handling Frozen Chicken
For safety, chicken needs to be fully thawed before pressure cooking. However, you can quickly thaw chicken in the Instant Pot:
- Place frozen chicken in pot and add 1 cup liquid.
- Close lid and cook on manual/pressure cook mode for 1-2 minutes.
- Use quick release to release the pressure.
- This “steam thawing” should thaw the chicken enough to cook.
- Proceed with full cook time based on cut of chicken.
Thawed or fresh chicken is ideal, but this method allows you to safely cook frozen chicken in a pinch. The steam thawing step ensures the chicken heats evenly for food safety.
Common Mistakes
Cooking 5 pounds of chicken in the Instant Pot is simple, but there are a few mistakes to watch out for:
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Not venting pressure before attempting to open lid. This can be dangerous.
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Quick releasing before chicken is fully cooked through. Always check with a thermometer.
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Overfilling pot, which prevents proper pressurization. Stick to 1/2 to 2/3 full.
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Not adding enough liquid to generate steam and pressure. Add at least 1 cup.
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Neglecting to debone chicken and assuming bones will become tender. Bones stay hard and can pose a choking risk.
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Cooking too little or too long. Follow recipe cook times and adjust as needed.
The Takeaway
Perfectly cooking 5 pounds of chicken in the Instant Pot just takes a little forethought. Follow the suggested cook times for each cut of chicken, use natural release if possible, and ensure chicken reaches safe internal temperatures. With the pressurized environment of the Instant Pot, you can cook moist, tender chicken in a fraction of the time of other methods. In just 20-25 minutes, you can have a family-sized batch of delicious chicken ready to go for meals all week long.
How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
This chicken recipe is one of the easiest Instant Pot Recipes you can make. However, if you are new to using an Instant Pot, you may first want to check out How to Use an Instant Pot to familiarize yourself with some of the terms and steps.
- Place the trivet or rack inside the pressure cooker.
- Pour in 1 cup water of cold water for a 6-quart model and 1-1/2 cups for an 8-quart model. Be sure to use cold tap water, not warm water. Using warm water will cause the instant pot to come to pressure faster, which ultimately changes the cooking time needed.
- In a small bowl combine the seasonings for the spice rub.
- Remove any plastic or metal pieces from the chicken and the giblets from inside the cavity of the chicken. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Generously sprinkle the spice rub over the chicken, using your hands to rub the spice blend into the skin of the chicken. Be sure to season both sides of the chicken.
- Place the chicken, breast side up on the rack inside the prepared Instant Pot.
- Wash your hands well, and then place the lid on the Instant Pot, being sure to set the vent knob to the sealed position.
- Set to cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes per pound, by using the manual or pressure cook button, and then hitting the +/- buttons to adjust the cooking time.
- After the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to naturally release for at least 15-20 minutes. This will ensure the meat stays tender and juicy.
- After 10 minutes of natural release. you can do a quick release of remaining pressure by using a long utensil to hit the vent knob valve from sealing to venting. Just be sure to stand away from the valve to prevent being burned by steam.
- Use a digital thermometer, inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, to check to ensure the temperature of the chicken has reached 165 degrees F. If the temperature is below 165 degrees F, place the lid back on the pressure cooker and cook for an additional 2 minutes for every 5 degrees below 165 degrees.
Note: It is NORMAL for the meat to pull away from the bones after pressure cooking. It will still be incredibly juicy and delicious.
- If desired, you can crisp up the skin by placing the chicken onto a sheet pan, brushing the skin with oil, and broiling for 2-4 minutes, watching closely so as to not burn the chicken.
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes. This will allow the juices to redistribute.
- Slice the chicken into pieces and serve as desired. And don’t forget to save the bones to make Instant Pot Chicken Stock.
Instant Pot Whole Chicken is perfect for serving as the star of dinner along with a side of Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Carrots or a side salad. This Instant Pot Chicken is perfect for any recipe that calls for cooked chicken. Some of my favorite recipes are shared below.
The length of cooking time for a whole chicken in the Instant Pot will vary based on the size of your chicken. A safe rule of thumb is to cook your chicken on HIGH pressure for 6 minutes per pound with a natural pressure release of at least 15-20 minutes for perfectly cooked chicken.
- 3-pound chicken: 18 minutes on high pressure
- 4-pound chicken: 24 minutes on high pressure
- 5-pound chicken: 30 minutes on high pressure
To account for an additional 1/2 pound, add an additional d 3 minutes to the total cooking time. For example, if you were cooking a 3-1/2 pound chicken cook for 21 minutes (6 minutes per pound + 3 minutes per half a pound).
Please Note: If your chicken seems like it is really thick (the chicken breasts are on the larger side) you may want to increase the time to 7 minutes per pound.
If you happen to have an air fryer lid that fits on your Instant Pot, you can use your air fryer lid to crisp up the skin right inside the Instant Pot. After pressure cooking, use an air fryer lid on your pressure cooker to crisp up the skin. Set to 400 degrees F and air fry for 3-4 minutes or until the skin is crispy.
Instant Pot Frozen Whole Chicken
You CAN cook a whole frozen chicken in the Instant Pot if your frozen chicken already has the innards/gizzards removed and has no plastic ties around the feet. You will not be able to remove a plastic insert or bag of gizzards from a frozen chicken. Therefore, you can not put a frozen chicken with either of those items into your pressure cooker.
If you have a chicken that comes without the gizzards or plastic clamp around the legs, you would need to increase the time by 5 minutes per pound, for a total of 11 minutes per pound, with a natural pressure release of 20 minutes.
How to Cook a Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
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