Honey Sesame Chicken
By :Chop Secrets
Votes: 13
Rating: 4.77
Rate this recipe!
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Cuisine Modern
Difficulty Easy
Browse Category Kid-Friendly, Poultry, Rice & Pastas
Duration 15-30 min
Cooking Technique Pressure Cook
Prep Time 0 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
4 - 6 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp scallions thinly sliced
  • sesame seeds
Cuisine Modern
Difficulty Easy
Browse Category Kid-Friendly, Poultry, Rice & Pastas
Duration 15-30 min
Cooking Technique Pressure Cook
Prep Time 0 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings
4 - 6 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp scallions thinly sliced
  • sesame seeds
Votes: 13
Rating: 4.77
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Instructions
  1. Add olive oil to the Instant Pot. Using the display panel select the SAUTE function.
  2. When oil gets hot, brown the chicken on both sides, 3-4 minutes per side. Meat will not be cooked through. Do not crowd the pot--you may have to work in batches. Transfer browned meat to a shallow dish and cover loosely with foil.
  3. Add onion to the pot and saute until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
  4. Add soy sauce, ketchup and red pepper flakes to the pot and deglaze by using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
  5. Put the chicken back into to the pot, turning once to coat.
  6. Turn the pot off by selecting CANCEL, then secure the lid, making sure the vent is closed.
  7. Using the display panel select the MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK function*. Use the +/- keys and program the Instant Pot for 5 minutes.
  8. When the time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure.
  9. Carefully remove the meat from the pot to a cutting board and chop into bite-sized pieces.
  10. Add honey and sesame oil to the pot and stir to combine.
  11. In a small bowl mix together 1/4 cup of pot liquid and cornstarch. Stir into the pot until thickened.
  12. Add chicken back to the pot and stir to coat. Adjust seasonings.
  13. Serve hot over rice, noodles or zoodles, garnished with scallions and sesame seeds.
Recipe Notes

*The MANUAL and PRESSURE COOK buttons are interchangeable.

19 replies
  1. Instant Pot
    Instant Pot says:

    Hi Christine,

    If there are no instructions for setting the pressure after selecting Manual or Pressure Cook, it will automatically be set for High Pressure. You only need to change the pressure if the recipe instructs you to.

  2. JoleneMesser
    JoleneMesser says:

    Used bone in chicken thighs and upped the time to 8 mins. Delicious, fall off the bone chicken!

  3. MarleenB
    MarleenB says:

    Did not have any liquid when i opened it so I did not have anything to mix corn starch in. i added honey etc and added chicken .it was delicious but would have liked

  4. Larsor4
    Larsor4 says:

    If there’s one thing I love, it’s sweet heat and this is perfect. I had to substitute less ground cayenne pepper in lieu of the pepper flakes I was lacking. I have problems with cubed chicken brest falling apart in the IP, so i left mine whole, added 2 more minutes to the cook time, and then broke it apart before sauteeing. I also added 1/4 cup water before pressure cooking since it didn’t seem I had enough liquid. Added cornstarch without the water after and it thickened nicely.

  5. Msbaileyv
    Msbaileyv says:

    Great amount of kick.
    Flavorful and fun to make !

    Slightly runny liquid.
    But so good, I saved the juice to top on some white rice.

  6. Hstark72
    Hstark72 says:

    This was the 1st thing we made with our instant pot. The recipe was easy to follow start to finnish it only took like 40 minutes..i am sure the prep time will be shorter next time now that we know what we are doing. The dish was every bit as good as Chinese from a restaurant.

  7. Billworth
    Billworth says:

    Family said to make this every Sunday night – most honest praise there is.
    Use low salt soy sauce. Adjust pepper flakes to taste. Tastes great with white rice.

  8. Cindyagray
    Cindyagray says:

    I like this recipe, but had a hard time tasting any Sweetness in the recipe. When we had this as reheats I added another 1/4 cup honey and that helped.

  9. Fyrftr
    Fyrftr says:

    Loved it! Though l think this would be better with more garlic and instead of chicken use the sauce as a glaze on miami ribs basting them over a bbq!

  10. Onneka
    Onneka says:

    This sounds amazing but I have the Gem Multicooker and I don’t have the manual/pressure cook option. What do I do instead??

  11. Amberkberringer
    Amberkberringer says:

    Not exactly the flavor I was expecting. Wish it had more of a honey taste. Next time I will add a 1/2 a cup of honey and twice the sesame oil.

  12. myrvold.oak
    myrvold.oak says:

    Followed the reviews of others and doubled the amount of honey. It came out delicious on too of steamed rice! The left overs tasyed just as freat.

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