This pressure cooker beer can chicken is amazing! An easy and flavorful way to cook a whole chicken in a Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot or make Crockpot Express beer can chicken the easiest way! Fall off the bone in no time!
This pressure cooker beer can chicken was a game changer! Even if you arenโt a beer lover, but love fall off the bone chicken full of flavor, youโve got to try this easy Instant Pot recipe. (affiliate links present)
Pressure Cooker Whole Chicken
Ok so I grew up with this good olโ fashioned beer can chicken recipe that was always cooked on the barbecue. It did always come out great but had a much longer cooking time. Then came the pressure cooker! I couldnโt stop using it so I thought what the heck, letโs give this a whirl too.
One of the biggest factors as to whether this will work in yours is itโs size. Both the bird and your pot have to fit right so the lid will close with a bit of space in between. This works best in the Crockpot Express because it is taller but for an 8 quart IP you can do it too.
If you are new to pressure cooking we have a lot of easy one pot meal recipes for you here. To begin with letโs start with a few basic tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our InstaPot recipes page. We add new ones each week!
- Then PRINT this โโ> Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet that will help you understand how long meat, vegetables and beans take to cook in your pressure cooker.
- I HIGHLY recommend you buy this non stick pot.
- You should know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautรฉing but it wonโt have as many issues with this better liner.
For reference, this is the model I have (a 6 quart) and use for all recipe creations.
Instant Pot Beer Can Chicken
Seriously, you just open beer, pour some inside, set chicken on top, season and set to manual high pressure. Itโs not a dream any longer my friends. Itโs a favorite Instant Pot whole chicken recipe of ours. Youโve got to try this even if you arenโt a beer lover. ๐
Is it safe to use beer in a pressure cooker?
Yes, I have done it with this recipe as well as making corned beef and cabbage in the Instant Pot. I will tell you at first I left it open overnight so it wasnโt bubbly. Then I did my research and everywhere said it was fine. From then on out, the past year, I just pour it in and it is just fine.
How does beer can chicken work?
The can acts as a trivet of sorts. You put the can of beer into the open cavity and cook! The liquid in the can gets hot in the cooking process and starts to evaporate inside the cavity cooking it from the inside out. This is how we initially made chicken in the Instant Pot, before now!!
Can you make beer can chicken with a frozen chicken?
I figured out how to cook Pressure cooker frozen whole chicken last month because I am forever forgetting to defrost meat for dinner. I wanted to figure this out to save dinner on those days. It wouldnโt work in this case because the hole would be hard and not pliable enough to slide it on top unfortunately.
NOW weโre here to show you how to make the best beer can chicken in your pressure cooker!
Fall off the bone literally right??!! Itโs a wonder I was even able to get it out of the pot in kindaโ one piece in order to throw it under the broiler for a bit and crisp up the skin like you see here below (totally optional step but yummy).
How to Make Beer Can Chicken in Instant Pot
- When itโs winter time and itโs snowing outside, Iโm not about to cook outside
- When itโs summertime I donโt want to turn on the oven to cook a whole chicken. Then, my pressure cooker saves the day.
- Instant Pot beer can chicken takes approx. 30 minutes to go from a whole raw chicken to fall off the bone vs. several hours on the grill.
- You can control how crispy the outside skin gets under your broiler after itโs cooked vs. sometimes getting overdone and dry in your bbq.
- Beer can chicken in your pressure cooker comes out perfectly moist every time versus potentially drying out on the grill.
Of course the last step of broiling the chicken is optional, but we like it just a bit.
Tip: Remember that natural release means you donโt touch the pressure valve once time is up. Wait until timer on front says 10, then release the pressure by flipping the valve quickly. Be careful, itโs hot.
You NEED an 8 qt. pressure cooker โ This will NOT work in a 6 qt. size (it will be too tall and not close). We used our 8 qt. Crock Pot Express
Ingredients
- Whole chicken โ 4-4.5 lbs. is ideal (much more than 5 lbs. will take a longer time and may not fit)
- I prefer organic because thereโs more meat and less fat overall. A 4.5 lb. chicken will feed the 5 of us with very little fat to discard
- 12 oz. can of beer (larger will not work, it will be too tall)
- I choose whichever brand is on sale since I only use beer for this recipe and my favorite beer bread.
- Seasonings you would normally use when you bake a whole chicken
- We used olive oil, minced garlic, seasoned salt and garlic salt
How do you get crispy chicken skin after pressure cooking?
Put it into a 9โณ square oven safe dish โ For browning once it is cooked (if you want crispy skin) throw it under your broiler in your oven for 3-4 minutes. OR use your air fryer at 400 for a few.
How long does it take for a pressure cooker to reach pressure?
Depends on the pressure cook recipe. In general I would say it takes 10 โ 25 minutes to start the total time countdown. Longer with larger cuts of meat or a fuller pot.
Ninja Foodi Beer Can Chicken
I havenโt tried this yet because I have the smallest model. If you have the 8 qt. and yours will close with the bird facing up then go for it like this. If not throw it into your Ninja Foodi or other brand to make air fryer whole chicken. You can see how amazing that turns out. Youโd omit the beerโฆ.but you could just drink that. ๐
You make this the same way, in an 8 qt. It doesnโt matter what brand you have it will work just as great. Here are Ninja Foodi chicken recipes. This one didnโt work in my model 6 qt. because their pot wasnโt tall enough, maybe the 8 would be. ๐ Instructions work for all types of electric pressure cooker models.
Other easy chicken recipes and side items that pair well with this:
Try our smoked beer can chicken too if you like! As a side item this is the best beer bread recipe, our chile rice is great, and potato rolls are yummy. Pair them up and have a great simple meal this week!
Pressure Cooker Beer Can Chicken
Equipment
- 1 pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken , 4-4.5 lbs.
- 12 oz beer, 1 can
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
Instructions
- NOTE: This only works with 8 qt. electric pressure cookers, will not fit in 6 qt versions.Wash your chicken and remove neck etc. from inside cavity if there is one. Discard all innards.
- Pour 3/4 of a cup of beer from your beer can into your pressure cooker.
- You do not need to season your chicken but we do. This way.Rub olive oil on the outside of your chicken along with the minced garlic. Sprinkle the seasoned salt and garlic salt on the outside of your chicken as well.
- Put your beer can with remaining beer inside on the bottom, middle, of your pressure cooker.
- Put the open cavity of your chicken facing down and lower it on to your beer can. Insert as far as it will go inside your chicken.
- Close your lid and steam valve and set to high pressure for 25 minutes.Instant Pot: pressure, high, 25 minutesCrock Pot Express: pressure adjust (or manual pressure button), high, 25 minutesAlternative: poultry button, 25 minutes
- Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes, release rest of steam.
- Carefully pull out chicken (it will be falling apart)
- If you want skin crispy: Set oven to broil. Put chicken in oven safe dish, broil for 3-5 minutes or until outside/skin is as brown/crispy as you'd like it. OR put into large air fryer, spray top with olive oil, set at 400 F for about 6 minutes or as crispy as you want it.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What a lovely idea and perfect browning too, canโt believe how good it turned out
Great concept, the chicken was succulent.
This was absolutely dreamy! The chicken literally fell off the bone, so tender
Do you think you can use the air fryer lids from your instant pot to crisp it?
Thanks
Made this tonight in my Insta Pot and it was the most moist chicken Iโve ever eaten.
I did put it under the broiler for about 6-7 minutes (kept checking it)
Iโm new to using insta pot and not 100% about pressure cooker etc, but it all came together.
Thank you for the recipe.
OH good so glad you loved it too!
I have the same question about using the Insta Pots air fryer to make beer can chicken crispy.
Thanks
If that is all you have, the CrispLid, yes you could use it. It just wonโt get as crispy as if you had a separate air fryer but I would remove the can, set it on itโs side as much as possible and set it to 400 for about 5 minutes or until as crispy as youโd like
I only have a 6 qt IP but am wondering if I can make a half chicken or pieces on my tall trivet with the beet as the cooking liquid. Hmmm. Canโt wait to try it. Only giving three stars for now because I havenโt tried it.
This recipe was outstanding! The chicken was just perfectโฆ I may always make beer can chicken in an Instant Pot now! Thank you ๐
Yeah!!
It is way too cold to grill, so this pressure cooker beer can chicken was perfect! So quick, tender and delicious!!