Instant Pot Chinese Sesame Chicken
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
20 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
295 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
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Cuisine
Chinese
Instant Pot Chinese Sesame Chicken
Description
Instant Pot Chinese Sesame Chicken uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts cooked directly in a flavorful marinade made of low sodium tamari soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, ketchup, hot sauce, and rice vinegar with minced garlic and ginger. The use of an Instant Pot ensures the chicken cooks evenly and remains tender.
After pressure cooking, the chicken is removed to prevent overcooking while the sauce is thickened using a cornstarch and water slurry on sauté mode. Once thickened, the chicken is returned to the sauce to coat before serving. The dish is garnished with fresh sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds to add mild onion flavor and a light crunch.
This dish pairs well with steamed rice or noodles, making for a complete meal. Adjust seasoning and sauce thickness by adding more cornstarch mixture if desired. Preparing the sauce separately from the chicken during thickening helps maintain the chicken’s tenderness without risk of burning or drying out.
The recipe notes emphasize avoiding flour coating for frying, sticking with cornstarch for thickening, and recommend removing the chicken before thickening the sauce to avoid overcooking. The dish retains 8 Blue Plan SmartPoints per serving, according to the notes.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken thigh or breast, boneless skinless, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup tamari soy sauce low sodium
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup water 60 ml
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp garlic minced
- 2 tsp ginger minced
Cornstarch Slurry:
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 1/2 Tbsp water
Toppings:
- 3 green onions sliced
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds toasted
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Add the chicken through to the minced ginger from the ingredients list into the Instant Pot insert.
- Mix everything, close lid, seal, pressure cook on high pressure/manual for 4 mins.
- When done perform a Quick Pressure Release and open lid.
- Remove the chicken and leave the sauce behind (or you can leave chicken in).
- Select the Sauté mode.
- Make the Cornstarch Slurry by combining the cornstarch and water in a mixing bowl until smooth.
- Add mixture to the Instant Pot and combine. Cook, making sure to mix regularly until the sauce thickens, anywhere from about 2-4 mins (or done to your preference).
- Switch Instant Pot off, add chicken back in, let stand for a few mins then serve over rice topped with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Start by browning your chicken.
- Add low sodium Tamari soy sauce through to the minced garlic from the ingredients list into the slow cooker. Mix everything.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hrs.
- Make cornstarch slurry, mix it in and cook for another 30 mins or until done.
Notes
- Remove chicken from Instant Pot while thickening sauce to avoid overcooking; alternatively, keep chicken in but monitor carefully.
- Use cornstarch, not flour, to thicken the sauce; add extra slurry if a thicker sauce is desired.
- The recipe can be prepared as a dump-and-start method if sauce thickening is skipped, though thickening improves taste.
- Cooking times do not include pressure build-up or release time.
- Each serving contains 8 Blue Plan SmartPoints.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 295 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 295kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 32g | 64% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 144mg | 48% |
| Sodium | 1298mg | 54% |
| Potassium | 452mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
| Vitamin A | 109IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 36mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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