Recipes: How to Roast a Whole Chicken in a Pressure Cooker or Instapot

Pressure cookers can cook meat at incredible speeds. While there are those who think that chicken cooked in a pressure cooker has a grainy texture, the meat is indisputably moist. And the convenience of cooking a whole chicken in twenty minute can't be beat.

Prepare the Chicken

Before cooking the chicken it is a good idea to season the outside with salt and pepper. There are many ways of enhancing the flavor of a whole chicken. Some place cloves of garlic under the skin. Some like to halve a lemon and place it in the cavity. Do what sounds good to you.

Pre-heat your pressure cooker to get the water near boiling.

Cooking the Chicken

Place the chicken in the pressure cooker and lock the lid. Let the cooker come up to pressure and let cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the cooker slowly cool down. Once the cooker unlocks, remove the lid and check your chicken for doneness with thermometer. Carefully remove the chicken.

Crisping the skin

One of the common complaints about chicken cooked this way is that it lacks the crust of an oven roasted chicken. You can either scrap the skin altogether or you can finish the chicken under the broiler. Rub some herbed butter on the outside of the chicken and put under a low broiler until the skin begins to crisp.

Nothing goes with chicken as well as mashed potatoes.

Place washed potatoes in a metal bowl and place them in the pressure cooker with your chicken. At the end of the 20 minutes, the potatoes will be fully cooked and ready for mashing.

Mix the potatoes with milk and butter, mash them together and enjoy.

A pressure cooker is a kitchen appliance that cooks food faster than conventional cooking methods, by using steam pressure to raise the boiling point of water.

Inside the pressure cooker, there is a sealed pot with a tight-fitting lid. When the pot is heated, the liquid inside (usually water) begins to boil and produce steam. As the steam builds up, it increases the pressure inside the pot. This higher pressure forces the boiling point of the water to rise, which means that the food cooks at a higher temperature.

The steam also helps to cook the food by enveloping it in moist heat, which helps to retain its natural flavors and nutrients. This is why pressure-cooked food is often tender and flavorful.

One of the key features of a pressure cooker is its pressure-release valve, which allows you to safely release the steam and pressure when the food is done cooking. This is important because the high pressure and steam inside the pot can be dangerous if handled improperly.

So, in short, a pressure cooker works by using steam pressure to cook food at a higher temperature, resulting in faster cooking times and more flavorful, nutrient-rich meals.

Here are a few tips to help you use your pressure cooker safely:

1. Make sure the pressure cooker is properly assembled before using it. This includes properly attaching the lid and any other parts, such as the pressure regulator or pressure release valve.

2. Never fill the pressure cooker more than two-thirds full with liquid, as this can cause the pressure to build up too high.

3. Do not place the pressure cooker on a high heat source, as this can cause the pressure to build up too quickly and potentially damage the cooker or cause an explosion.

4. Always use the pressure regulator or pressure release valve according to the manufacturer's instructions to safely release the steam and pressure when the food is done cooking.

5. Never try to open the pressure cooker while it is under pressure, as this can be dangerous. Wait until the pressure has been properly released before opening the lid.

6. Always be sure to follow the recipe and cooking times carefully, as overcooking food in a pressure cooker can lead to mushy or overcooked results.

By following these simple safety tips, you can enjoy the convenience and speed of pressure cooking without any mishaps. Happy cooking!