New year means new resolutions, and food-related resolutions seem to always top the list. Eat clean. Exercise. Cook more at home. Diet goals vary from person to person, but almost everyone has a plan to be a little healthier in 2018. My goal is to help get you there with easy, healthy(ish) recipes that will make you want to keep up with those resolutions, and Instant Pot Roasted Chicken with Lavender and Thyme seems like a good place to start.
What’s so special about roasted chicken? Well, for starters, it’s probably the tastiest preparation of chicken there is (personal opinion, but also fact). Roasted chicken is just so homey and comforting, and can be prepared with a wide variety of flavorings and spices. Does anyone NOT like it? I didn’t think so.
The Instant Pot, as I’ve mentioned here, here, and here, is one of the greatest inventions to hit kitchens across the world. Long, slow cooking recipes can be made in well under an hour. Frozen meat can be cooked to perfection in minutes. Dried beans can be prepared in (almost) an instant. And roasted chicken can be cooked from start to finish in about in hour. What once was a somewhat daunting dish to the less experienced cook is now easy-breezy in the Instant Pot.
As far as roasted chickens go, this is one of the juiciest, fall-off-the-bone chickens out there. The texture is more like a rotisserie or even pulled chicken than a traditionally roasted chicken. It’s so much more tender than a chicken roasted in the oven, that I might exclusively make it in the Instant Pot from this point onward. I kept the flavors relatively traditional, using many of the herbs in Herbs de Provence, since that’s what I had at home. However, different flavor combinations could be used, making the recipe quite versatile.
I’m ashamed to say that I couldn’t even get a picture of the entire roasted chicken, because it fell apart when I lifted it out of the IP. I chose to brown mine for a few minutes under the broiler to get a little crispy (not too crispy, just a little), and then served it with some roasted veggies and aioli, which I highly recommend.
This recipe, as is, has five ingredients (not counting salt and water), is top 8-free (no peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, dairy, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish), is gluten-free, Whole30 compliant, and paleo. If you decide to change the spices and flavorings, but are trying to stick to a specific diet, make sure your changes are compliant with those needs!
I love to hear from you! Comment below if you tried the recipe, and let me know what your favorite flavors are for roasted chicken!

Instant Pot Roasted Chicken
Juicy and flavorful roasted chicken in about half the time (or less) in the Instant Pot!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried lavender
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 ~5 lb whole chicken (gizzards removed)
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
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In a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic, thyme, lavender, and salt. Stir together.
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Using your hands, spread the oil mixture underneath the skin of the chicken breast, thighs, and legs (if you can). Pour a little inside the cavity of the chicken, and then rub the rest on the outside of the skin.
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Place the trivet inside your Instant Pot, and place the chicken, breast side up, on the trivet. Close the pot, close the valve to the "sealing" position, and cook on manual mode (high pressure) for 25 minutes (note, time may be slightly more or less depending on the exact size of your bird. This time is for a 5 lb chicken).
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When the timer goes off, allow the pot to do natural pressure release (meaning do NOT open the valve), which takes about 15 minutes.
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Remove the chicken carefully from the pot (it will fall apart). If you would like to get a brown, crispy skin, place the whole chicken or chicken pieces on a sheet pan, and broil in the oven until the skin is browned (5-7 minutes).
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Cut the chicken and serve.
Recipe Notes
You can substitute a number of different herbs and spices for the lavender and thyme. Here are some ideas: herbs de Provence, basil and oregano, parsley and lemon zest, sage...the list goes on and on! Get creative.
This looks delicious! Pinning so I can make this later 🙂
Emma | Seeking the South
Thanks, Emma!
Yum. This sounds like the perfect winter dish. With the roasted veggies, as you recommended, so healthy too. I wanted an Instapot for Christmas, but I didn’t get one. So, I’m hoping for Valentine’s or Mother’s Day now!
It’s worth the splurge, especially since I’ve seen them on sale a bunch of times. Total game changer for weeknight dinners!
I have never used Lavender Thyme! I want to now!!
It’s a great flavor combo!
This looks like such a yummy and easy weeknight option! I have been looking into getting an Instant Pot!
Mariah
http://www.likehoneyblog.com
I definitely recommend the Instant Pot! There are so many things you can make with it.
this looks so good! I would never think to add lavender. Yum!
I never considered cooking something savory with lavender before reading this. Thanks for the inspo!
Never would have thought to use Lavender as an “herb”!