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Instant Pot Mongolian Drumsticks

Instant Pot Mongolian Drumsticks take 5 minutes to cook and are covered in the most amazing sweet and savory sticky Mongolian sauce.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 5 drumsticks
Calories: 374 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese , American

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs. or about 5-6 drumsticks skin on
Sauce:
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or gluten-free Tamari sauce
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cornstarch Slurry:
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water
Garnish:
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • chopped scallions

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add all the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Now, you have a few options:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Option 1: Add the sauce and the chicken drumsticks to the Instant Pot and cook.
  2. Option 2: Add the chicken to the sauce and marinate for a few hours.
  3. Option 3: Add the chicken and the sauce mixture to a freezer-friendly Ziplock bag and freeze.
Cook:
  1. Add the sauce mixture to the instant pot when you are ready to cook the meal.
  2. Add the chicken drumsticks in one layer to the pot.
  3. Close the lid, seal the valve, and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
  4. Once the Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure naturally release for 5-10 minutes.
  5. In the meantime, turn on the oven broiler and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Gently remove the chicken drumsticks from the Instant Pot and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Brush them with some sauce from the pot and put them under the broiler for 2-5 minutes on each side. Watch them closely so as not to burn.
  7. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water until thoroughly combined.
  8. In the meantime, turn the Sauté button on, and add the cornstarch slurry to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Let it stand; the sauce will thicken.
  9. Serve the chicken over rice and pour the sauce on the chicken.
  10. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Chicken is a fickle meat and tends to be picky about how it should be marinated. First, let me just say that soaking the chicken for 15 minutes will do wonders when using acidic marinades with vinegar or lemon juice. The optimal time for marinating chicken in acidic marinades is one to four hours. Do not marinate them longer than 12 hours, or they will start to become mushy. 
  • Non-acidic marinades can be used a little bit longer without harming the texture of the chicken. Marinating it up to 24 hours in the refrigerator is fine, but I would not let it soak longer. Scoring the chicken lightly is fine, but only when using fattier cuts of chicken like thighs. Leaner cuts like boneless chicken breasts should be marinated for shorter periods.  
  • Be sure to get chicken with the skin on for this dish to get the crispy, crunchy coating. 
  • I use a six-quart instant pot with 1½ pounds of drumsticks (five) for this recipe. 
  • If the chicken legs are extra thick and meaty, I increase the cooking time to 6 minutes. 
  • Always let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes after cooking so the juices can be reabsorbed.
  • The cornstarch slurry doesn’t have to be added if the sauce is thick. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 374kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 125mg (42%) Sodium 1004mg (42%) Potassium 387mg (11%) Fiber 0g (0%) Sugar 21g (42%) Vitamin A 120IU (2%) Calcium 54mg (5%) Iron 1.8mg (10%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5drumsticks

Amount Per Serving

Calories 374

% Daily Value*

Calories 374kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Protein 25g 50%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 125mg 42%
Sodium 1004mg 42%
Potassium 387mg 8%
Fiber 0g 0%
Sugar 21g 42%
Vitamin A 120IU 2%
Calcium 54mg 5%
Iron 1.8mg 10%

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

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