Easy Instant Pot Cashew Chicken
Easy Instant Pot Cashew Chicken combines cubed chicken breast or thighs with bell pepper and cashews in a rich, savory sauce made from soy, hoisin, and rice vinegar. Cooked pressure-style, the dish delivers tender chicken and crisp-tender vegetables together. The addition of a cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce to a glossy finish. Optional basmati rice can be steamed simultaneously in the Instant Pot for a complete meal. The balance of sweet, savory, and mildly spicy components make this a practical choice for a hearty, saucy protein dish with a satisfying crunch from cashews.
Ingredients
Dump & Cook:
- 2 lbs chicken breast or boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1 bell pepper cored, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup cashews unsalted
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 cup chicken broth or water, low sodium
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cornstarch Slurry:
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Rice (optional):
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Garnish:
- 2 green onion sliced
- sesame seeds
Instructions
Dump & Cook:
- Add all the ingredients from the "Dump & Cook" section to the Instant Pot and stir well to combine.
Rice (optional):
- Add the rice, salt, and two cups of water to an Instant Pot-safe dish/pot. Stir to combine. Cover with aluminum foil and pinch a few times with a fork.
- Add a long-legged trivet to the Instant Pot on top of the chicken. Add the pot with the rice onto the trivet.
Cook:
- Close the lid and seal the pressure cooker. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
- Use a 10-minute Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Release the remaining pressure. Open the lid.
- Remove the pot with rice and let it stand covered for 10 minutes. After, use two forks to fluff up the rice.
Saute:
- Select the Sauté function, on LOW.
- In a small bowl, combine two tablespoons of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water and whisk until well combined, with no lumps.
- Add the mixture to the Instant Pot and gently stir to combine.
- Cook on Sauté function for a few more minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- If you want the sauce to be even thicker, mix one more tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of water and add it to the pressure cooker.
- Turn off the heat. Let the chicken stand for 5-7 minutes; the sauce will thicken more.
Garnish:
- Serve over rice and garnish with fresh chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 641
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 641kcal | 32% |
| Carbohydrates | 70g | 23% |
| Protein | 42g | 84% |
| Fat | 20g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 97mg | 32% |
| Sodium | 870mg | 36% |
| Potassium | 890mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 900IU | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 28.1mg | 31% |
| Calcium | 47mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.