Instant Pot Sesame Chicken
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Looking for a quick and easy to make dinner? Instant Pot Sesame Chicken and vegetables takes just minutes to through together and makes a whole meal in a tasty sesame sauce.
I have a love and hate relationship with my Instant Pot. There are some great things about it and there are some not so great things.
What is an Instant Pot?
An Instant Pot is a small kitchen appliance that has multiple cooking functions in one device. It’s mostly used as an electric pressure cooker but can also be used as a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, yogurt maker, and even a warmer. The Instant Pot is popular for cooking meals quickly while retaining flavor and nutrients It’s a favorite for people who want to save time in the kitchen.
One of the great things is that it cooks food fast. It will also cook frozen meat in under an hour which is awesome for nights when I haven’t taken anything out of the freezer. I also like that it has many different modes so I can saute right in the pot or I can use it as a slow cooker.
One thing that isn’t so great is that it takes a little while to get up to pressure which adds time to the recipe. I also don’t love releasing the pressure because hot steam and water go everywhere.
However, the pros outweigh the cons and I’ve made a lot of great Instant Pot dishes. It makes everything from main dishes to desserts. I’ve made Instant Pot BBQ Chicken which is great on nachos, for sliders, or on top of a salad. One of my favorite meals to make is the five ingredient Instant Pot Mississippi Roast.
Making applesauce has never been easier with Easy Instant Pot Applesauce. The biggest surprise is that the best way to make cheesecake is in the Instant Pot and we love this Instant Pot Key Lime Cheesecake.
I’ve been making a lot of Asian inspired meals in the Instant Pot lately. I got some boneless chicken thighs on sale at Aldi and wanted to make a quick chicken dish for dinner.
This recipe for Instant Pot Sesame Chicken is really flavorful. I wasn’t sure how different it was going to be from other Asian chicken recipes I’ve made but it was good.
I used the boneless chicken thighs because they are more flavorful then the chicken breasts. I also added in bell peppers and broccoli for some color and nutrition. You could make your veggies on the stove top if you are afraid the Instant Pot will over cook them.
Can I use a different protein?
You can totally use boneless chicken breasts in this recipe. You could also use boneless pork chops or pork medallions. While I have not made it with beef I would imagine you can also make this with a beef roast but you would have to add to the cooking time.
Ingredients:
- boneless chicken thighs
- bell pepper (any color)
- broccoli
- salt and pepper
- vegetable oil
- garlic cloves
- soy sauce
- ketchup
- sesame oil
- honey
- cornstarch
- sesame seeds
To make the chicken first turn the Instant Pot to saute mode. Add the vegetable oil and heat. Add in the chicken thighs and saute for 3 minutes, turning several times.
Add in the bell pepper, onion, broccoli, salt, and pepper and cook for 2 additional minutes. Stir in the garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, sesame oil, and honey. Mix well so that the vegetables and chicken are covered in the sauce.
Cover the Instant Pot and heat on high pressure for 10 minutes. Release the pressure and uncover the pot.
In a small bowl mix together the cornstarch and water. Pour into the Instant Pot and mix well to thicken the sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Spoon the chicken and vegetables over top of rice.
What do you serve with Instant Pot Sesame Chicken?
I like to serve mine over top of jasmine or brown rice. You could even serve it over top of fried rice. I also like to have an egg roll with mine. You could serve it with a side of vegetables or wontons as well.
I like that this recipe is easy to make and is ready in under 30 minutes. My chicken thighs were semi-frozen and I was still able to have dinner on the table in 30 minutes.
I simply served the chicken over top of rice and we had egg rolls on the side. Since there were already vegetables in with the chicken I didn’t have to worry about making a separate side dish.
The sauce is delicious. It sounds like it’s going to be similar to a sweet and sour sauce but then you add in the sesame oil, garlic, and sesame seeds and it gives it a nice sesame flavor.
There isn’t any vinegar in this sauce so it isn’t sour either. I cut the honey in half so while it has some sweetness it isn’t overly sweet. Feel free to add a few more tablespoons of honey if you like your chicken sweeter.
How do you store Sesame Chicken?
Simple place the chicken and vegetables in an air tight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to eat reheat in the microwave or in a pan on the stove top. Serve with additional rice.
Instant Pot Sesame Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb. boneless chicken thighs
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 head broccoli chopped into florets
- salt and pepper
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/4 c. ketchup
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 c. honey
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute. Add in the vegetable oil and heat for 3 minutes. Add in the chicken and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add in the bell pepper, onion, broccoli, salt, and pepper and cook for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, sesame oil, and honey.
- Cover and heat on high pressure for 10 minutes. Release pressure and uncover the pot.
- In a small bowl mix together the cornstarch and water. Pour into the Instant Pot and mix well. Add sesame seeds and stir.
- Spoon over top of rice and enjoy.