Name: Instant Pot Chicken in a Pot with Mashed Root Vegetables
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1 (4-pound) whole chicken , giblets discarded; 1¼ teaspoons table salt , divided; ¾ teaspoon pepper , divided; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 pound rutabaga , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 pound sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 onion , peeled and quartered; ¼ cup minced fresh chives; Lemon wedges

Why This Recipe Works

We started by browning the chicken to create a deeper chicken savor. Adding the vegetables and broth directly into the pot allowed us to scrape up all the tasty chicken fond before locking the lid. Cooking the vegetables under the chicken enabled them to soak up the concentrated meat juices from the chicken, creating a buttery, sweet-savory mash. The chicken was done in a mere 24 minutes, and as it rested we strained the beautifully flavored jus, then mashed the vegetables right in the pot, sprinkling in fresh chives for an herbal-allium finish. A spritz of fresh lemon juice added a final burst of acidity to this flavor-packed, one-pot dinner.

Before You Begin

You can substitute parsnips for the rutabaga, if desired.

Instructions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wingtips behind back. Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot until just smoking. Place chicken breast side down in pot and cook until well browned on first side, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to plate. Turn off Instant Pot.

Add rosemary to fat left in pot and cook, using residual heat, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, rutabaga, potatoes, onion, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper, scraping up any browned bits. Place chicken breast side up on top of vegetables and add any accumulated juices. Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 24 minutes.

Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while preparing vegetables.

Strain broth and vegetables through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator. Return vegetables to now-empty pot and mash with potato masher until nearly smooth. Stir in chives and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let broth settle for 5 minutes, then transfer serving bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Carve chicken and discard skin, if desired. Serve chicken with vegetables, passing broth and lemon wedges separately.