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    Home » Instant Pot Recipes

    Instant Pot Whole Tandoori Chicken

    Published: Nov 9, 2018 · Modified: Sep 15, 2022 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 56 Comments

    2587 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Who would have ever thought that it was possible to make a whole chicken in the Instant Pot? I was up to the challenge and decided to take this on. Could I actually fit the whole chicken in there and will it come out as delicious as the authentic whole tandoori chicken?

    Well... the experiment worked and the results are out of this world! I am SO excited to share my delicious Whole "Roasted" Chicken marinated in a tasty tandoori spice blend. To top it off you can also make flavorful gravy at the same time.

    Whole Tandoori Chicken in a platter
    Jump to:
    • Instant Pot
    • Modern Technique
    • Inspiration
    • Whole Chicken Cook Time
    • Marinade
    • Steps
    • Tips
    • Variations
    • Video
    • Recipe

    You might be asking yourself right now why would I make a whole chicken in the Instant Pot?

    Instant Pot

    Few reasons why I love to cook whole chicken in the Instant Pot:

    1. Hands-off process - You do not need to flip or turn the whole chicken, simply set and forget.
    2. Perfectly cooked chicken - There is no need to worry if the chicken is fully cooked as the Instant Pot cooks the whole bird evenly. No need to take out your thermometer. Just make sure to follow the recommended cook time.
    3. No more dry chicken - As the pressure cooker uses steam to cook, the chicken does not get dry and comes out moist and flavorful.
    4. Also, make gravy - You have the option of making a delicious gravy from the drippings at the same time as the chicken. After the pressure cooking completes, take out the chicken and use the immersion blender to make the gravy.

    What is Tandoori?

    Style of cooking that is based on the use of a clay oven AKA Tandoor.

    Modern Technique

    So you may ask, Is this really a tandoori chicken if I am not using the tandoor or the clay oven?

    You can absolutely argue that Tandoori chicken must be dry roasted in a clay oven. I personally do not have access to a tandoor clay oven. And I find, making a whole chicken in the oven is a long-tedious process. I always need to use a thermometer to make sure that the chicken is fully cooked and the times for different parts of the chicken sometimes may vary. At times I have overcooked the chicken making it dry. So for me using the Instant Pot is a matter of convenience and saving time! This also frees up your oven for more bread and pies when hosting.

    whole roasted chicken

    Inspiration

    What was the inspiration to make whole tandoori chicken in the Instant Pot?

    I have made Tandoori chicken drumsticks and Tandoori wings in the Instant Pot and was amazed to see how delicious the chicken comes out. Since most of the marinade stays on the chicken, it is so much more flavorful. And although my tandoori chicken recipe has an optional broil step, I have almost never broiled the chicken and enjoyed it straight from the Instant Pot.

    Whole Chicken Cook Time

    Instant Pot size and cook times to make whole tandoori chicken:

    • If making whole tandoori chicken in a 6-quart Instant Pot make sure your chicken is no more than 4 pounds as it may not fit the pot
    • I have tested this recipe with 5 to 6 pounds of chicken in my 8-QT Instant Pot
    • Cook time for 1 pound of bone-in chicken is 6 minutes. So for a 5-pound chicken, the pressure cook time is 30 minutes and for a 4-pound chicken it will be 24 minutes
    • 10-minute natural pressure release is recommended

    Marinade

    Here are the main ingredients and spices I like to use for marinating whole tandoori chicken:

    • Kashmiri red chili powder - A mild chili powder that adds a brilliant hue to the chicken without adding too much heat
    • Ground cumin - Adds nutty warm flavors
    • Ground coriander - Paired with cumin adds an earthy flavor
    • Ground turmeric - The bright, healing spice that adds a peppery-woody taste and a deep golden color to the marinade
    • Garam masala - “warm spice mix” adds warmth and depth, added with other spices makes for a perfect homemade tandoori masala
    • Fresh Ginger & Garlic Paste - Must have in Indian cuisine, fresh ginger and garlic adds authentic taste, flavor, and nutrition
    • Lemon juice - helps tenderize the meat and the acidity balances the spices
    Bowls of spices lines up in a triangle shape

    Steps

    Here are step by step instructions on how to cook Whole Tandoori Chicken in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker:

    Step 1: Remove the bag of giblets from inside the chicken. Pat dry the chicken from outside and inside with paper towels and remove any excess moisture. Trim any excess fat from the chicken (photos 1 - 4).

    steps showing how to clean whole chicken and trim fat off

    Step 2: Make small slits on the chicken so that the marinade can reach inside the chicken. Stuff the inside of the chicken with onions, lemon slices, whole black peppercorn, cloves, and a cinnamon stick. Tie the legs with kitchen twine (photos 5 - 8).

    steps showing how to make slits in chicken and stuff it

    Step 3: Spread the marinade evenly on both sides of the chicken. With the breast side up, spread the marinade under the chicken skin with a spoon. Marinate the chicken for 6 to 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Take out the chicken an hour before you are ready to cook (photos 9 - 12).

    steps showing how to spread marinade evenly over chicken

    Step 4: Lightly brush or spray the chicken with oil. Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat ghee or oil. If you are making gravy with the tandoori chicken, add onions and garlic cloves and saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth. Place the chicken on the trivet and carefully put the trivet inside the Instant Pot (photos 13 - 14).

    steps showing onions, chicken broth and placing whole chicken in Instant Pot

    Step 5: Close the lid and pressure cook for 30 minutes. Allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release and then open the Instant Pot. Carefully take the chicken out and blend the gravy using an immersion blender. Add all-purpose flour mixed with water to thicken the gravy and bring it to a gentle boil (photos 15 - 16).

    steps showing how to make the gravy

    Serve the Chicken with the hot gravy

    Whole chicken with gravy

    Tips

    Here are my Pro tips for making perfect Whole Tandoori Chicken:

    • Pat dry the chicken completely inside and out. Make sure the chicken is fully thawed as much whole chicken is previously frozen and if it is not fully thawed it may not cook evenly.
    • Trim any excess skin and fat. I like using kitchen sheers for this and I do it directly in the pan that I use for marinating.
    • Traditionally yogurt is also added to tandoori marinate. I have tried this recipe with and without the yogurt and there was not much difference in taste.
    • Use the mild Kashmiri red chili powder that adds a brilliant red hue to the final dish.
    • Homemade garam masala adds a more authentic flavor and aroma to the chicken.
    • Try to spread the marinade under the skin with the breast side up.
    • Make sure to marinate the chicken overnight or at least 8 to 10 hours.
    • Lightly spray the chicken with oil before broiling for smokey flavors.
    • Do not broil the chicken for too long as that may overcook and make the chicken dry.

    Variations

    • If you do not want to make the gravy, simply add 1 cup of water to the inner pot and place the trivet with chicken inside the pot
    • Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt
    • This is also a great way to make rotisserie chicken for meal prepping

    Video

    Here is a quick video showing how to make Instant Pot Whole Tandoori Chicken:

    Excited yet to try whole chicken in the Instant Pot? As much as we love the turkey for Thanksgiving, do try this new twist to this year's holiday feast. Whole chicken cooked perfectly in the Instant Pot and then broiled for a flavorful meal that everyone will enjoy.

    Ready for more? What if I told you that you can also make a whole turkey in it too? Last year, I tried this recipe using a turkey and it was the most delicious turkey I have ever had. Just make sure to pick a small 5 to 6 pounds bird that will fit in your 8-QT Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Follow the same recipe and cook times for a perfectly cooked, spicy turkey!

    Love all the Thanksgiving drinks, side dishes, and desserts? Here are a few I have been making for years that everyone loves:

    • Mulled Apple Cider
    • Pomegranate Juice
    • Instant Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
    • Kale Salad with Parmesan and Almonds
    • Mango Salad
    • Arugula Salad with pear and lemon balsamic dressing
    • Mushroom Tartlets
    • Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
    • Smitten Kitchen Apple cake
    • Instant Pot Cornbread with boxed mix
    • Indian Sweet Potato Halwa

    Recipe

    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    whole tandoori chicken served on a white platter with grilled red onion wedges, chilies, cilantro and lemon wedges.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    4.54 from 56 votes

    Instant Pot Whole Tandoori Chicken

    Whole Tandoori Chicken, smothered in a spicy tandoori spice mix served with a flavorful gravy.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time50 mins
    Marinating Time8 hrs
    Total Time9 hrs
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 368kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Ingredients

    • 4 to 5½ pounds whole chicken

    Stuffing:

    • 10 whole black peppercorns
    • 8 cloves
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • ½ large yellow onion chopped

    Marinade:

    • 1 to 2 tablespoons Kashmiri red chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • 1½ tablespoon kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon garam masala
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
    • 2 tablespoons ginger paste
    • 2 tablespoons garlic paste
    • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 3 tablespoons oil

    Gravy:

    • 1 yellow onion diced
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
    • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
    • ¼ cup water

    Instructions

    • Remove the bag of giblets from inside the chicken. Pat dry the chicken from outside and inside with paper towels and remove any excess moisture. Trim any excess fat from the chicken.
    • Make small slits on the chicken so that the marinade can reach inside the chicken
    • Stuff the inside of the chicken with onions, lemon slices, whole black peppercorn, cloves, and a cinnamon stick. Tie the legs with kitchen twine.
    • Spread the marinade evenly on both sides of the chicken. With the breast side up, spread the marinade under the chicken skin with a spoon. Allow the chicken to marinate for 6 to 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, take out the chicken an hour before so it comes to room temperature.
    • Lightly brush or spray the chicken with oil. Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and heat ghee or oil. If you are making gravy with the tandoori chicken, add onions and garlic cloves and saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth. Place the chicken on the trivet and carefully put the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
    • Close the lid and pressure cook for 30 minutes. Allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release and then open the Instant Pot. Carefully take the chicken out and blend the gravy using an immersion blender. Mix all-purpose flour in water and stir in to thicken the gravy and bring it to a gentle boil. Serve the chicken with the hot gravy.

    Video

    Notes

    Instant Pot size and cook times to make whole tandoori chicken:
    • If making whole tandoori chicken in a 6-quart Instant Pot make sure your chicken is no more than 4 pounds as it may not fit the pot
    • I have tested this recipe with 5 to 6 pounds of chicken in my 8-QT Instant Pot
    • Cook time for 1 pound of bone-in chicken is 6 minutes. So for a 5-pound chicken, the pressure cook time is 30 minutes and for a 4-pound chicken it will be 24 minutes
    • 10-minute natural pressure release is recommended
    Tips:
    • Pat dry the chicken completely inside and out
    • Trim any excess skin and fat. I like using kitchen sheers for this and I do it directly in the pan that I use for marinating
    • Traditionally yogurt is also added to tandoori marinate. I have tried this recipe with and without the yogurt and there was not much difference in taste
    • Use the mild Kashmiri red chili powder that adds a brilliant red hue to the final dish
    • Homemade garam masala adds a more authentic flavor and aroma to the chicken
    • Try to spread the marinade under the skin with breast side up
    • Make sure to marinate the chicken overnight or at least 8 to 10 hours
    • Lightly spray the chicken with oil before broiling for smokey flavors
    • Do not broil the chicken for too long as that would overcook and make the chicken dry

    Variations:

    • If you do not want to make the gravy, simply add 1 cup of water to the inner pot and place the trivet with chicken inside the pot
    • Sprinkle the inside of the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt

    Nutrition

    Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1516mg | Potassium: 360mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 215IU | Vitamin C: 10.9mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    ♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

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    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    1. Darakhshan says

      November 27, 2020 at 8:10 am

      Thank you for this amazing simple recipe! My family and I loved it. I enjoyed making it specially in my insta pot . I am saving this recipe for every Thanksgiving . Keep those recipes coming5 stars

      Reply
    2. SR says

      November 27, 2020 at 7:29 pm

      I had a 5lb chicken I cooked for 30 mins, with 10mins. NPR as instructed - the meat was literally falling off the bones (lost a wing pulling it out of the IP) but the masala was still a bit wet so wanted to broil it but was afraid of overcooking it. Is that how it's supposed to be?4 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        November 30, 2020 at 9:38 pm

        Sometimes the weight of the chicken also includes the water weight and the giblets etc? Some chicken are more young and tender and they cook faster. Next time you can reduce the cook time by 5 mins.

        Reply
    3. ann k says

      November 29, 2020 at 11:43 am

      This was a big hit at Thanksgiving! ill definitely make it again.5 stars

      Reply
    4. Lazlow says

      December 09, 2020 at 8:50 pm

      This was tender and the gravy tasted nice but it looked nothing like your photograph. I followed your recipe exactly and it came out of the instant pot with barely any of the marinade on it, basically just a thin layer on the chicken and the rest in the gravy. I broiled after and it still didn't resemble the picture

      Did you brush the chicken with the gravy after and then broil it? How'd you get it to look like that?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        December 10, 2020 at 12:51 pm

        Was you marinade water or thin? Basically if it sticks as you spread it on it will stay on, at least the top one. Before Broiling I brush or spray the chicken with some oil

        Reply
        • Archana says

          December 10, 2020 at 12:51 pm

          Also I use Kashmiri red chili powder which gives a vibrant red color

          Reply
    5. VD says

      February 19, 2021 at 9:44 am

      Hi - can we use a store bought tandoori dry mix for the marinade?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 19, 2021 at 6:18 pm

        Yes! add to taste as some can be very spicy.

        Reply
    6. Stacy says

      March 02, 2021 at 2:02 pm

      What can I use in place of the kashmiri red chili powder to still achieve the same flavor?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 03, 2021 at 9:44 pm

        any mild red chili powder or paprika

        Reply
    7. Janhavi Patwardhan says

      March 02, 2021 at 9:29 pm

      How much time to broil chicken

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 03, 2021 at 9:44 pm

        5 mins

        Reply
    8. Ruhi says

      November 21, 2021 at 11:52 am

      Hi Archana,
      I am planning to make this, this TG. Is it must to have chicken giblet with skin? Is it okay if I get skin removed whole chicken?

      Would that make any difference in cooking time? Please advise.
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        November 22, 2021 at 4:06 pm

        You can remove the skin and the cooking time will be same

        Reply
    9. Bill says

      November 30, 2021 at 4:49 pm

      When I printed the recipe for a 4.18 lb. chicken. it said at the top that the cooking time would be 50 mins. Yet the recipe says 30 mins. then natural pressure release which would take about 10 mins. Which is correct ?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        December 01, 2021 at 10:59 pm

        For a 4.18 pound chicken, you should pressure cook for 24 minutes. Please check the notes. The time to pressurize and natural pressure release will be the same. Sorry, the recipe card is not able to adjust pressure cook time based on the size of the chicken.

        Reply
    10. Heidi says

      January 16, 2022 at 3:21 pm

      Easy to make and came out very flavourful! My family really enjoyed this, especially the tenderness of the entire chicken. My chicken was small, and the 6 min / pound rule worked perfectly. Thanks for a tasty and simple recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        January 16, 2022 at 5:24 pm

        Thank you! So glad you enjoyed the flavors.

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

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