This Instant Pot Spatchcock Chicken with Mustard Crust is the easiest way to make a juicy, roast‑style whole chicken in about 45 minutes. A quick mustard, garlic, soy sauce, and white wine crust keeps the meat tender and infuses every bite with flavor. Spatchcocking the chicken helps it cook evenly in the pressure cooker, making this a perfect weeknight Instant Pot whole chicken recipe.
If you've been wondering how to make a juicy Instant Pot spatchcock chicken that tastes like a roast chicken but cooks in a fraction of the time, this mustard crust version is for you. Flattening the whole chicken helps it cook evenly under pressure, while a bold mixture of Dijon mustard, garlic, soy sauce, white wine, and herbs creates a flavorful crust that soaks into the meat and drippings.
In about 45 minutes, you get an easy Instant Pot whole chicken recipe with tender meat, plenty of pan juices, and a beautiful, golden mustard crust that's perfect for weeknight dinners or a cozy Sunday meal.
If you're new to pressure cooking, my Instant Pot tips and tricks walk you through the basics so this recipe feels foolproof.
Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Spatchcock Chicken
- Juicy, even‑cooked whole chicken in under an hour: Spatchcocking helps the chicken cook evenly in the Instant Pot, giving you juicy meat and tender legs and thighs in about 45 minutes.
- Simple mustard, garlic, and herb crust: A quick Dijon, garlic, and herb rub creates a bold, tangy crust that adds tons of flavor with just a few pantry ingredients.
- Perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep: This easy Instant Pot whole chicken is mostly hands‑off, ideal for busy weeknights and provides plenty of leftovers for meal prep.
Prefer to use the oven instead? Try my similar Roasted Spatchcock Chicken with Mustard Crust for an easy baked version.
Key Ingredients
- Whole Chicken: Buy a smaller bird. For example, a whole chicken that does not exceed 4.5 pounds to ensure the juiciest result. Larger chickens will work but smaller ones are going to be more tender and have less added liquids.
- Mustard crust ingredients: Dijon, garlic, white wine, soy sauce, herbs/
- Broth and wine for pressure cooking.
How to Spatchcock a Chicken For the Instant Pot
Spatchcocking chicken requires splitting and flattening the chicken as well as removing the backbone. As a result, it exposes more skin to direct heat, which really makes it easy to brown it more evenly.
If you've never butterflied a chicken before, follow my step‑by‑step guide on how to spatchcock a chicken before you start.
Step-by-Step Spatchcocking Tips
Place the chicken breast‑side down on a cutting board with the cavity facing you.
Using sturdy kitchen shears, cut along one side of the backbone from tail to neck, then repeat on the other side to remove it completely.
Flip the chicken breast‑side up, press firmly on the breastbone with the heel of your hand until you hear a crack, then flatten the bird so it lies in one even layer that fits neatly in the Instant Pot.
Safety and Knife Tips
- Work on a stable cutting board set on a damp towel so it doesn't slide around.
- Keep your non‑dominant hand in a claw grip, fingers tucked back, and use sharp shears or a chef's knife so you're slicing cleanly instead of forcing your way through bone.
- Always wash your hands, board, and tools thoroughly with hot, soapy water after handling raw chicken to avoid cross‑contamination.
How to Make Instant Pot Spatchcock Chicken with Mustard Crust
1. Make the Mustard Crust Mixture
In a small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, minced garlic, olive oil, white wine (or broth), soy sauce, dried herbs, salt, and pepper until smooth and emulsified. Aim for a spreadable paste that clings to the chicken rather than a thin marinade.
2. Season and Coat the Chicken
Pat the spatchcocked chicken very dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. Spoon the mustard mixture over the skin side, then use your hands to spread it into an even layer, working some into the nooks around the thighs and wings.
3. Brown the chicken using Sauté
Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and heat a thin layer of oil until shimmering. Place the chicken skin‑side down and cook undisturbed until the skin is deeply browned and the mustard crust is lightly caramelized, then carefully lift it out to a plate.
4. Pressure cook the chicken on a trivet
Add broth and a splash of white wine to the pot, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Set a trivet in the liquid, place the chicken on top skin‑side up, seal the lid, and pressure cook on high until the thickest part of the breast and thigh reach safe doneness.
5. Rest, carve, and serve
Let the pressure release naturally for several minutes, then quick‑release any remaining steam and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Rest 10 minutes before carving so the juices redistribute, then slice and serve with the warm mustard‑y pan juices spooned over the top.
Instant Pot Spatchcock Chicken with Mustard Crust
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Ingredients
Mustard Crust:
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco hot pepper sauce
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- ½ teaspoon salt
Chicken:
- 3 ½ lb. chicken
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for coating bottom of pan)
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 cup unsalted chicken broth warmed
Instructions
- Mix the Mustard Crust Ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut along both sides the backbone of the chicken to split it open and remove the backbone. Spread and press on the chicken with your hands to flatten it. Cut along the keel bone enough to separate from the breast. Running your index finger down each side will make it possible to remove the keel bone completely.
- Place chicken in a bowl large enough to rest flat. Salt and pepper both the underside and the skin side of the chicken. Pour crust mixture over the chicken making sure both sides are coated well.
- Turn on your Instant Pot to Sauté and set time for 8 minutes. Add the olive oil to your Instant Pot to coat the bottom of pan. When heated put the chicken in SKIN SIDE DOWN. It should begin to sizzle and brown the skin. Sauté for 7-8 minutes, moving the chicken ¼ turn about half way through to keep it from burning.
- When sauté function turns off remove the chicken to a plate and deglaze the pan with the white wine being sure to scrape all browned bits off the bottom. Add the warm chicken broth.
- Place the chicken SKIN SIDE UP on the trivet and place into the Instant Pot.
- Close the lid ensuring the steam release valve is set to Sealing.
- Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes.
- Allow to Naturally Release pressure for 10 minutes before doing a quick release of the remaining pressure.
- Reserve the pan liquid to use as topping for the chicken or fluffy mashed potatoes.
Tips for Juicy Instant Pot Whole Chicken
Choosing the right chicken size: For best results, stick to a 3-4 pound chicken so it fits comfortably on the trivet and cooks evenly without drying out. Larger birds can overcrowd the pot, leading to uneven cooking and stringy breast meat.
Browning without burning the mustard crust: Make sure the pot is well‑preheated on Sauté and use a thin layer of oil so the skin sears instead of steams. Leave the chicken undisturbed while browning, but if the mustard starts to darken too quickly, lower the heat or flip it sooner to avoid scorching.
Adjusting cook time for larger birds: Use your base timing for a 3-4 pound chicken, then add a few extra minutes under pressure for each additional pound. Always verify doneness with an instant‑read thermometer in the thickest part of the breast and thigh, and let the chicken rest so the juices redistribute before carving.
Can I make this without spatchcocking?
Yes, you can cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot without spatchcocking, but it will take longer and may cook less evenly, especially around the thighs. Spatchcocking helps the chicken lie flat so it cooks faster and stays juicier, so expect slightly different texture and timing if you leave the bird whole.
Can I skip the white wine?
You can skip the white wine and replace it with an equal amount of chicken broth for a similar level of moisture and deglazing power. The flavor will be a bit less bright and tangy, but the chicken will still turn out tender and juicy.
Can I finish the chicken under the broiler for extra crisp skin?
Yes, transferring the cooked chicken to a sheet pan and broiling it for a few minutes is a great way to crisp the skin. Keep a close eye on it and rotate the pan as needed so the mustard crust browns deeply without burning.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Instant Pot spatchcock chicken with simple sides that soak up the juices, like Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or roasted vegetables. A crisp green salad, such as Arugula and Spinach Salad or garlicky green beans adds freshness and balances the richness of the mustard crust.
Using the Pan Juices as Sauce
After cooking, skim excess fat from the pan juices and taste for seasoning. Spoon the warm juices directly over sliced chicken, or simmer briefly to reduce and concentrate the flavor for a more intense, gravy‑style sauce.
Storage and Reheating
How to store leftovers safely: Let the chicken cool until just warm, then carve and transfer the meat to airtight containers with some of the pan juices to keep it moist. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking and use within 3-4 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Best way to reheat spatchcock chicken: For the juiciest results, reheat sliced chicken gently in a covered skillet with a splash of broth or reserved pan juices over low heat until warmed through. Avoid blasting it in a hot oven or microwave, which can dry out the lean breast meat.
Tanya says
Just followed these directions tonight with a pre-seasoned flattened chicken. I have never had a chicken come out so moist! I will always be cooking my chicken this way in the IP!!!
Olga says
Yes!!!! I'm glad you liked it!
Inna says
I made this in the oven but never in the Instant Pot. WHat would be the difference?
Olya at Whatsinthepan says
I made it in the oven as well. The flavor is the same as oven chicken, skin is not as crispy as the oven one. But this chicken is more moist.
Judy says
Flavorful recipe but I thought that 25 minutes was much too long for the chicken to cook. I cut my already spatchcock chicken in half to save for another time as I am cooking for 2 people and decided to cut the half chicken again in half. Then followed your recipe BUT put the pressure timer to 6 minutes instead of 25 minutes. The chicken came out moist and cooked through without any obvious shredded consistency which I usually find annoying when I want the chicken parts to stay together when plated.jp
Olga says
Thank you for sharing Judy. I like the idea of cutting it up further.
elizabeth says
Because you didn't follow the recipe and cut up the whole chicken into pieces it's to be expected that the cook time would be less. The whole spatchcocked chicken cooks perfectly in 25 minutes.
jerry thompson says
I made it as directed but as others I only cooked half. Delicious but a little dry. Now I know why after reading the comments
I’m marinating the other half in Mexican achiote sauce and will cook for 12 minutes substituting Mexican lager for wine.
I have high expectations
Olya Shepard says
I like beer in cooking so much btw! I hope you report back.
Kelly Rewerts says
What would be a good substitute for the white wine?
Olga says
A couple of table spoons of vinegar, but start low. You can also replace it with additional broth.
Porta says
Chicken turned out to be very moist.
Jeri says
It was very flavorful and chicken didn't overcook at all.