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4.5 from 414 votes

Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

One of the best Instant Pot recipes with chicken thighs in a sweet and savory honey sesame sauce. This juicy and moist chicken will be an instant hit!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
13 mins
Servings: 4 People
Calories: 392 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients

Honey Sesame Sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha or chili garlic sauce Rooster brand, or most to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Wash and rinse the chicken thighs with cold water, then pat them dry with paper towels. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix all the ingredients for the Sauce together, stirring until well combined. Ensure that the honey and cornstarch are completely dissolved. Set aside.
  2. Turn on the Sauté mode on your Instant Pot. Once the pot is fully heated (to prevent the chicken from sticking), add the cooking oil. Pan-sear the chicken thighs until they turn slightly brown. If they stick too much, you can use a non-stick skillet for pan-searing or skip this step.
  3. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute. Pour in the sauce and top with white sesame seeds. Cover the pot, select Manual, and set it to High Pressure for 8 minutes.
  4. When it beeps, turn to Quick Release. Once the valve drops, carefully remove the cover, add the chopped scallions, and serve immediately. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode to reduce the sauce for about 2 minutes, or until it slightly thickens.
  5. If the sauce is lighter in color than shown in the pictures, you might consider adding some dark soy sauce to achieve a deeper color. Different soy sauces have varying colors; some are lighter, while others are darker. If you use a lighter soy sauce, the sauce will appear lighter, but the taste should remain about the same.

Notes

  • I used a 6-quart Instant Pot.
  • Dark soy sauce makes the sauce darker. If you don't have dark soy sauce at home, your sauce will be light brown in color.  The taste will be the same nonetheless.
  • If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can make this honey sesame chicken in a slow cooker, or on your stove top.
  • If you use a slow cooker, use high heat and cook for 3 hours. For stove top, just pan-fry the chicken and then add in the Sauce. Simmer on low heat and cook until the chicken meat is tender.
  • You can pan-fry the chicken on a non-stick skillet instead of using the Saute Mode. You can also skip the step.
  • If you use chicken breast, you can pressure cook for 10 minutes so the chicken is more tender.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 392kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 14g (5%) Protein 42g (84%) Fat 20g (31%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 15g Cholesterol 208mg (69%) Sodium 1096mg (46%) Sugar 11g (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4People

Amount Per Serving

Calories 392

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 392kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 14g 5%
Protein 42g 84%
Fat 20g 31%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 15g 88%
Cholesterol 208mg 69%
Sodium 1096mg 46%
Sugar 11g 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.