G: Yes! A pressure cooker is actually one of the easiest ways to cook a whole chicken. It comes out very moist and tender, though the skin won't be crispy (you can crisp it under the broiler afterward if you like).

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Here's a simple method:

• Use a chicken that's about 3–5 pounds (1.4–2.3 kg). Make sure it fits comfortably in your pressure cooker.
• Season the chicken inside and out with salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, herbs, or your favorite seasoning.
• Pour 1 cup (240 mL) of water, chicken broth, or stock into the pressure cooker.
• Place the chicken on a trivet or steamer rack so it's above the liquid.
• Cook on High Pressure:
  • 3 lb chicken: 18–20 minutes
  • 4 lb chicken: 24–25 minutes
  • 5 lb chicken: 28–30 minutes
• Let the pressure naturally release for 10–15 minutes, then finish with a quick release if needed.

The chicken is done when the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F (74°C) and the thighs reach 175–185°F (79–85°C).

If you want crispy skin:

1. Remove the cooked chicken.
2. Pat it dry.
3. Brush with a little oil or melted butter.
4. Broil for 5–8 minutes, watching closely until the skin is browned.

If you tell me:

• whether you have an electric or stovetop pressure cooker,
• the weight of your chicken, and
• whether it's fresh or frozen,

I can give you the exact cooking time.

G: You have several good options, depending on what you have in the kitchen. The goal is simply to keep the chicken from sitting directly in the liquid, although if it does, it'll still cook fine.

Good substitutes, roughly in order of preference:

• A metal steamer basket (the folding "flower" style works great).
• A heat-safe metal cooling rack that's small enough to fit in the pot.
• Several wide rings of onion or a bed of carrots and celery. This is my favorite improvised method because the vegetables also flavor the cooking liquid.
• A few whole carrots laid side by side.
• A few stalks of celery arranged as a platform.
• Three or four balls of tightly crumpled aluminum foil, each about 1½–2 inches across, arranged in a triangle to support the chicken.
• A small, oven-safe ramekin or inverted bowl, provided it's made of ceramic or tempered glass and fits safely in the cooker.

If you don't have anything to elevate it:

• You can cook it directly in the liquid. The bottom will be more like poached chicken than roasted chicken, but the meat will still be tender. The resulting broth will actually be richer because more of the chicken is in contact with the liquid.

One thing to avoid is using anything that could soften or melt under pressure, such as plastic or wooden items not specifically intended for pressure cooking.

Personally, if I were improvising, I'd put down two carrots, two celery stalks, and half an onion. They make a stable platform, keep the chicken mostly out of the liquid, and when you're done you'll have the beginnings of an excellent chicken stock.

G: Yes. Once the pressure cooker reaches pressure, you generally turn the heat down.

From your description—a weighted valve ("jiggler") that sits on the vent and rocks or jiggles—you have a classic stovetop pressure cooker.

Here's the sequence:

1. Put it on high heat until the weight starts jiggling/rocking steadily (or until the pressure indicator pops up, depending on the model).
2. Start your timer only once it's at pressure.
3. Reduce the burner to medium-low or low, just enough to keep the weight gently rocking. You don't want it hissing violently or rocking constantly—that just wastes steam and can boil off too much liquid.

For a whole chicken:

• If it's around 3–4 pounds, I'd cook it for 20–25 minutes at pressure, then let the pressure come down naturally for about 10–15 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure.

One safety note: Don't remove the weight or open the lid until the cooker has depressurized. Let the pressure indicator drop (if your cooker has one) before attempting to open it.

Out of curiosity, is it a Presto, Mirro, or All-American style cooker? Those all use slightly different weighted valves, and I can tell you exactly what the valve behavior should look like.

G: It depends when you took it off.

• If the cooker had completely depressurized on its own (no steam escaping, pressure indicator down if it has one), then yes, that's fine.
• If there was still pressure inside and you lifted the weight off, that's not recommended. It can release a jet of very hot steam, which can burn you. If you weren't burned and nothing violent happened, you likely got away with it, but it's not the safest way to do it.

A couple of questions so I can tell you where you are:

1. When you removed the weight, did steam come shooting out, or was there little or none?
2. Is the lid still locked, or were you able to open it?
3. About how long had the cooker been at pressure before you turned the heat off?

If the answer to #1 is "just a little steam" and you were then able to open the lid normally, you're probably completely fine. If there was a strong blast of steam, just be aware for next time to let the pressure drop naturally or follow your cooker's pressure-release instructions instead of removing the weight while it's still pressurized.

G: That actually sounds pretty reassuring.

Eight or nine minutes of natural release will have dropped the pressure quite a bit. If, when you removed the weight, you only got about 10 seconds of moderate steam instead of a forceful jet, it means most of the pressure had already bled off naturally.

The main risk was to you, not to the food or the cooker. Since:

• you weren't burned,
• it wasn't a violent release, and
• it vented only briefly,

I'd say you handled it without incident.

For next time, I'd suggest one of these:

• Natural release: Turn off the heat and just wait until the pressure indicator drops or the weight is no longer under pressure. This is best for a whole chicken because it keeps the meat juicier.
• Controlled quick release (if your model allows it): Follow your cooker's instructions. On many older jiggler-style cookers, that still involves moving the weight, but you should use a long utensil and keep your hands and face well away from the steam.

One other thing: when you open the lid, tip it away from your face. Even after the pressure is gone, a lot of very hot steam is trapped under the lid.

Out of curiosity, how long was the chicken actually at pressure before you turned the burner off? That'll tell us whether it's likely done or whether it might need another few minutes.

G: Twenty-two minutes at pressure for a chicken just under 4 pounds is right in the sweet spot. Combined with the 8–9 minute natural release you gave it, I'd actually expect it to turn out very well.

An older stovetop pressure cooker is often a good thing—they're simple, durable, and once you get used to the sound and behavior of the weight, they're very predictable.

When you open it, here's what I'd check:

• The legs should move fairly easily when you wiggle them.
• If you have an instant-read thermometer, the breast should be at least 165°F (74°C) and the thickest part of the thigh should be 175–185°F (79–85°C).
• If you don't have a thermometer, pierce the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear, not pink, and there shouldn't be any translucent meat around the bone.

If it's somehow a little underdone (which I think is unlikely), just put the lid back on and bring it back to pressure for 2–3 more minutes, followed by another natural release.

One bonus: don't throw away the liquid in the bottom. Between the onions and the chicken juices, you've probably made a very respectable light chicken stock. Strain it, skim the fat if you like, and save it for soup, rice, gravy, or freezing into portions.

I'm curious to hear how the onion "trivet" worked. My guess is the onions will be almost completely collapsed by the end, but they'll have done exactly what they were supposed to do: keep the bird from sitting directly on the bottom while flavoring the broth.