Pickles and chicken may sound like an odd combination, but it's the flavor you didn't even know you wanted to try and fall in love with. This Instant Pot Pickle Chicken dinner is made with three easy steps!
I don't know about you, but I am head-over-heels in love with the chicken from Chick-fil-A. I've always felt like they must be adding crack to it or something because it's definitely addictive. Well, come to find out, it's not crack - it's pickle juice! While we can't confirm that it's true, we've heard from several former employees that once upon a time, they used pickle juice in their brine, which gives it a unique flavor. Think about that the next time you bite into a sandwich, and I guarantee you'll taste it! So this Instant Pot pickle chicken is meant to remind us of our favorite chicken place. And you get to eat the pickles too!
More Whole Chicken Recipes
How to Make Instant Pot Pickle Chicken
And this is the AMAZING Result
FAQS
What is the flavor like? This recipe yields a moist and tender chicken with a mild hint of pickle flavor.
Can I get more pickle flavor if I marinate the chicken in pickle juice? Yes. You can marinate the chicken in pickle juice for 1-4 hours if you want a more intense pickle flavor.
Can I eat the pickles? Absolutely!
Can I use a frozen chicken? We have not tested this, or any of our recipes, with frozen chicken. As a rule, we don't recommend cooking from frozen. It's a quality thing. You can cook from frozen, but the quality will not be as good as cooking from fresh or thawed chicken. As we haven’t tested it, we cannot recommend a cook time.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken? You could do that, but I can’t say how good it will be. The whole chicken is really the best way to go. The cook time would be different as well. As we haven’t tested it, we cannot recommend a cook time.
★ Did you make this Instant Pot Pickle Chicken? Please give it a star rating below! ★
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Pickle Chicken
Ingredients
- 5 lb. whole chicken
- 24 oz. jar of kosher dill pickles
- 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper (and any other seasonings that tickle your pickle). Stuff the chicken cavity with the pickles.
- Pour the pickle juice from the jar (about 1 ½ cups) into the pot and insert the trivet. Place the chicken on top of the trivet, breast side up.
- Lock lid and cook for 35 minutes at high pressure. Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally. Crisp the skin using the following methods, or serve as is.
To crisp skin in Instant Pot Duo Crisp:
- Place air fryer lid on pot and set to broil for 10 minutes. Carefully remove from Instant Pot and enjoy!
To crisp skin in oven:
- Carefully transfer chicken to an oven-safe dish and place under a broiler for 5-7 minutes.
Vafarmer
Just tried this recipe in my offset smoker @250 for 4hrs until internal temperature was @ 175. It came out amazingly good. Definitely going to do this for my next cookout.
Thanks for the recipe..
Ashley
Just tried this. Despite being liberally coated in salt and pepper, and following the directions exactly, the chicken has no flavor. It nice and juicy but I’ve never had instant pot chicken that wasn’t. The smell of chicken broth and pickles is almost nauseating but there’s no hint of pickles in the taste. I don’t recommend this, it’s not bad just very bland.
Eilin Bowerman
How long should I roast in oven????? What temp ??? I REALLY want to make this for my grandbabies who LOVE pickles but I do not have a Insta pot. Please
Gary White
When I cook this in the oven, I first marinate the chicken overnight in pickle juice. Then, dry it really well. I like to top it with lots of coarse, fresh-cracked, black pepper and bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours at 425 F. Be sure to put lots of veggies in the tray to cook in the juices. I like onions, carrots, and fennel. Toss them in a little olive oil and season with s&p. A few thyme sprigs wouldn't hurt either.
Mickey
My chicken is too big for ip
How do I do it in the oven? Whole chicken
Gary White
When I cook this in the oven, I first marinate the chicken overnight in pickle juice. Then, dry it really well. I like to top it with lots of coarse, fresh-cracked, black pepper and bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours at 425 F. Be sure to put lots of veggies in the tray to cook in the juices. I like onions, carrots, and fennel. Toss them in a little olive oil and season with s&p. A few thyme sprigs wouldn't hurt either.
Toni Pronti
I could only get a 6lb chicken at the store... Do you think 40 minutes will work?
Gary White
Yes, that should be plenty of time.
Jan
Sounds very easy, and I'm putting it together now, but I could not find a 5lb bird. My chicken is only 3.85 lbs. How long do I cook it? Help!
Gary White
30 minutes should do it.
Cara Unrue
It was SO GOOD!! Hard to describe the flavor, somewhat pickley, but a good garlic and dill flavor from the pickle brine. So moist too. A+
Melmoe
I liked the hint of fill pickle flavor. Chicken was very tender and moist. I only seasoned with pepper and salt, so not so much flavor there. Will try again with some more interesting rubs/seasoning
Vickie Lilly
Gary....I remember you from Clarcona Elem. days. I worked in the Media Center and you were on our TV crew if I remember correctly. I was there from opening day (Nick Gledich, principal) until I left to go to the district office (two principals later) .Not sure what years you were there but in my later days of Clarcona I taught the Computer Lab. Our son, David, was also there at for all of his elementary years. Going to try this recipe real soon. I have 4 IP's - 2 -8qts. and 2-6qts. Use them regularly along with my Air Fryer Oven and Sous Vide cooker. Have you known anyone that might have used sweet pickles instead? We were also neighbors of Rachel & Matt DiSalvatore, Linda Weekley (also of Clarcona) is a friend and she and Jennifer Sanders visited in our home in East Tennessee last year).
Gary White
Hey Miss Vickie! Good to hear from you again. I hope you like the chicken. We love it!
Sandy Brady
I made this tonight and it was so good. I have an eight quart, so the only thing I will do differently next time is to let the rest of the pressure out at 25min. NPR took 35 min. and the legs were falling off. It was still moist, so I’ll take it as a positive and say that with the legs off I had less to carve.
Valentina
Listened to you on Elaine Benoit's podcast today. I really enjoyed it, so I had to pop over to check out your site -- and more specifically, THIS recipe. I was so intrigued when you talked about it. I love this idea and bet it's fantastic. Putting it on my must-try list! 🙂
Jason
The chicken picked up a subtle but discernible dill and garlic flavor. I actually under seasoned. I was so afraid of the salt in the juice, but that didn’t takeover. I sautéed the pickles involved to serve alongside the chicken. It’s very tasty! The pickles were soft, but the chicken actually insulated them from mush status. Browning them up after actually crisp them back up a little.
The pickles actually tasted more like chicken, than the chicken tasted like pickles.
This will be made again.
Camdice
I’m doing this tonight. I seasoned my chicken and stuffed it this morning and it’s in the fridge marinating. Question, has anyone cut the chicken after IP cooking and tried breading and frying or air fried it? I’m going to try that with a few pieces tonight using a copycat recipe for CFA breading.
Jaime Thurston
Gary, can you use a frozen chicken or does it have to be defrosted?
Gary
Definitely defrost first. Even if you could use frozen, you'll get a better result cooking a thawed chicken.
Jaime Thurston
ok great, thanks so much! Going to make it later on this week!
Amy
I don't think you could shove the pickles in a frozen chicken?