Instant Pot Garlic Sesame Chicken
Instant Pot Garlic Sesame Chicken is one of the easiest dump-and-cook meals that I can always rely on during a busy weekend night. It is incredibly delicious with complex flavors yet ready in just 30 minutes. It features juicy chicken meat soaked in a garlic, ginger, and brown sugar sauce. The dish is sweet and savory, with a hint of spice from red pepper flakes, and is served topped with crunchy toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions.
This quick and easy Instant Pot recipe is way better than takeout. Making it in the Instant Pot is a breeze; it takes me just 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients and 5 minutes to pressure-cook. Such a type of fuss-free, tasty dish is a weekday staple in my house. Another family favorite is this Instant Pot General Tso chicken.
Table of contents
I am obsessed with using my Pressure Cooker to make easy weeknight meals, and this dish is so flavorful and easy to make that it will quickly become a family favorite. Instead of going out or ordering takeout, it’s more budget-friendly and time-efficient to just cook it at home. All I have to do is dump all the ingredients into the pot and sip wine while a great meal cooks in 30 minutes or less, considering the pressure and natural release time! Winner, winner – tasty, easy, and with just one pot to clean!
Why you will love this recipe
- It is easy to make: There is not much prep work to worry about. Slice the chicken, measure the remaining ingredients, dump everything in the pot, set it, and let it cook.
- You can have dinner in minutes: Instead of waiting for delivery or getting way more expensive takeout, you can have a comforting and satisfying home-cooked meal on the table in about 30 minutes.
- Easy clean up: You only have one pot to clean. The Instant Pot.
- Yummy leftovers: Even if you don’t have a huge family, you can have delicious leftovers. I intentionally doubled the recipe, so I have lunch the next day.
- Chicken – I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they are juicy and have a bold flavor. You could also use chicken breasts if you prefer.
- Liquids — I recommend high-quality sesame oil for the freshest, nuttiest taste. You will not need much because it is so robust. Also, always use low-sodium soy sauce, as regular can be so salty that it overpowers the other flavors. Organic low-sodium chicken broth for the best flavor. Rice vinegar, for its subtle sweetness and milder flavor, is one of my favorites for Asian dishes.
- Aromatics and spices – Fresh garlic for a robust, rich, garlicky taste and aroma. I keep a knob of ginger in my freezer so I can grate it fresh whenever I need it. You get a nice tangy flavor with a kick. You could use ground, but you get a better flavor from freshly grated ginger. A bit of red pepper flakes.
- Sweetener – I prefer this meal with dark brown sugar because it is so rich; it almost tastes like molasses.
- Thickener – I make a slurry using water and cornstarch, and add it at the end for a few minutes to thicken the sauce and make it glossy.
- Toppings – I like to toast these myself before using them to enhance their nutty flavor. Simply heat them in the oven for 10 minutes at 350°F. Roughly chop fresh green onions for the best flavor.
How to prepare
Dump and cook: I prep the ingredients, add them to the instant pot, and stir well to combine. Then close the lid and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure.
Release the pressure: Afterward, I let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure and open the lid.
Thicken the sauce: I set the pot to sauté and mix two tablespoons of cornstarch with water until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Then, I add the slurry to the pot and stir gently as it cooks and thickens for five minutes.
Rest and serve: I let the sauce rest for 5 to 7 minutes, until it thickens. Then, serve the dish warm over rice or noodles.
Expert tip
Using frozen chicken
This fuss-free, dump-and-cook Instant Pot meal can also be made with frozen chicken. Run the chicken under warm water, if possible, to separate the pieces if they have been chopped. Add everything to the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 10-12 minutes, then perform a 10-minute natural release. After that, give everything a good stir on the saute and check if the chicken is fully cooked. Add the slurry, thicken the sauce, and serve.
More tips to consider
- You do not have to adjust the cooking time if you use boneless chicken breasts instead of thighs.
- Do not use flour instead of cornstarch in this dish. It is one of the key ingredients.
- Also, mix it with water until it dissolves before adding it to the pot, or it will clump.
- If the sauce is too runny after adding the slurry, mix another 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water and add it to the Instant Pot. Please note that the sauce will thicken over time, so definitely wait a bit before adding more cornstarch.
- Do not skip the 10-minute natural release. Otherwise, the chicken will be tougher due to the quick change in pressure.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Different cuts: If you prefer chicken breasts, the cooking time will remain the same, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Spice it up: Those who love spicy food enjoy it when I add extra red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce.
- No sugar: For a sweet flavor without white sugar, you could substitute a half-cup of honey or pure maple syrup. Also, you can use erythritol or Monk fruit sugar.
- Other meats: I have made this recipe with other meats for different flavors, like turkey, pork, or beef chunks. My kids really love it with ham, too.
- Different seeds: If you cannot find sesame seeds, substitute them with toasted almond slivers, sunflower seeds, or pepitas.
- Gluten-free: Make this recipe GF by using amino acids instead of soy sauce.
- Slow cooker: If you don’t have an Instant Pot, try this slow cooker garlic sesame chicken thighs.
Serving suggestions:
The traditional and most popular way to serve garlic sesame chicken is on rice, so I usually use my Instant Pot stick of butter rice for a scrumptious meal. Yes, you need a whole stick of butter for this rich buttery recipe. Or it also pairs with classic white rice, cauliflower rice, or egg fried rice. Another way to serve this dish is on top of a bed of Chinese noodles.
For a Friday American-Chinese dinner, I like to make hot-and-sour soup with shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu. I also added some crispy egg rolls on the side, along with steamed broccoli, cauliflower, or roasted bok choy. For dessert, I like to prepare something in advance, like these mini cheesecakes, so my evening isn’t as busy.
How to store:
- Reheating: To reheat, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for two to three minutes.
- Refrigerate: To keep your leftovers fresh, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Freezing: If you cannot finish it within a few days, put it in a freezer-safe container and freeze it for 3 months.
- Defrost: Always defrost frozen leftovers overnight in the fridge for the best texture and taste.
Frequently asked questions
Rubbery chicken is usually a direct result of overcooking. As it cooks, it loses moisture, and the fibers become elastic and rubbery. Because the Instant Pot cooks so quickly, it is easy to overcook the meat. That is why you have to follow the directions exactly and ensure that you slice the chicken into equal, thicker pieces so they cook uniformly.
Yes, you can reduce the sugar or replace it with honey, maple syrup, or agave. If you are trying to reduce the number of cards, you can use monk fruit sugar.
Yes, just double the ingredients, add them to the pot, and make sure you do not go over the max line. Also, you do not have to adjust the cooking time, it stays the same along with the natural release time, it will just take a bit longer for the pot to come to pressure.
Yes, you can totally add veggies. I recommend 1/2 inch carrot pieces, sugar snap peas, bell pepper chunks, Chinese corn, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and zucchini chunks.
Popular Instant Pot recipes:
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Instant Pot Garlic Sesame Chicken
Ingredients
Dump & Cook:
- 2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cornstarch Slurry:
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Garnish:
- 2 green onions sliced
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients from the "Dump & Cook" section to the Instant Pot: chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, chicken broth, and water.
- Please make sure to stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Close the lid, and make sure the pressure cooker is sealed. Set the pressure Cooker to cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
- Use a 10-minute Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Release the remaining pressure. Open the lid.
- 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 the 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 juice and add it to the pressure cooker.
- Let the chicken stand for 5-7 minutes; the sauce will thicken more.
- Serve over rice and garnish with fresh chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Video
Notes
Using frozen chicken
This fuss-free, dump-and-cook Instant Pot meal can also be made with frozen chicken. Run the chicken under warm water, if possible, to separate the pieces if they have been chopped. Add everything to the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 10-12 minutes, then perform a 10-minute natural release. After that, give everything a good stir on the saute and check if the chicken is fully cooked. Add the slurry, thicken the sauce, and serve.More tips to consider
- You do not have to adjust the cooking time if you use boneless chicken breasts instead of thighs.
- Do not use flour instead of cornstarch in this dish. It is one of the key ingredients.
- Also, mix it with water until it dissolves before adding it to the pot, or it will clump.
- If the sauce is too runny after adding the slurry, mix another 1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water and add it to the Instant Pot. Please note that the sauce will thicken over time, so definitely wait a bit before adding more cornstarch.
- Do not skip the 10-minute natural release. Otherwise, the chicken will be tougher due to the quick change in pressure.
Nutrition
I’ve finally started using my IP, and I can’t wait to try this one!
Love that you’ve made a favorite take out staple so easy to make at home!
Looks so incredible! Gotta try this menu!
That looks so good, I want this for lunch!
Wow!! This looks terrific!! My family would really enjoy it!!
I love everything about this recipe. Simple, yummy, and perfect for the family!
It looks like a new favorite for weeknights! Adding this to my list!
what modification on cook time would need yo be made if using full bone in thighs?
I do 15 minutes for about 1.5 lbs.
This was very good!! Have you cooked from frozen? If so how long?
Glad that you liked it. If you slice the frozen chicken breast you can do 10 mins on HP with a 10 mins NPR.
Has anyone done this in an 8 qt POT? How much extra fluid, if any, was needed?
I made it! Super easy and soooooooo good!!!
Do I have to cook it longer if I double or triple to recipe?
no
Does it fit doubles or tripled in the 6 qt. Pot? I’m having a hard time figuring out which recipes I can double
this one doubles well, but probably not triple.
is it 1/2 pinch pieces or 1 to 2 inch pieces of chicken
1 – 2 inch, sorry
I’m new to the instant pot. This was so yummy, even my two picky eaters asked me to make it again. Chicken was really tender and sauce wasn’t overpowering just a nice flavor. I paired it with rice (noodles for one of my kids) and green beans, perfect weeknight meal. Thank you!
Hi Tiffany, thank you for the feedback, I am happy that your family liked it 🙂
I’m relatively new to the Instant Pot and have had a few unfortunate fails lately. Luckily that wasn’t the case with this recipe!!! Easy, quick and delicious—this dish will be joining my family’s weeknight rotation. Thank you for the great recipe!
What if you half the recipe? Does that impact cooking time at all?
cooking time stays the same
Hi there! I just want to let you know that I’m having difficulty “pinning” this recipe on pinterest. No matter how I do it (my browser pin button, searching pinterest, your pin button under the recipe), Pinterest continues to block your link and says it may be spam. Just FYI! It could be my computer, but it seems to be Pinterest that’s blocking it.
I know, and thank you for letting me know, I had Pinterest issues for a few weeks.
Delicious! Smells soooooo good cooking, my husband kept walking through the kitchen to see if it was ready. Thanks for a great and easy recipe!
This is just perfect super easy and delicious can’t complain!!!
What would cooking time, on high, be for boneless chicken breasts cut into one inch pieces? Also, Could I use white wine vinegar and peanut oil instead of rice vinegar and sesame oil or would that change the flavour too much? Thanks!
If I use boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into one inch cubes, how long should I cook it for on high? Also, can I use white wine vinegar instead of rice vinegar, and peanut oil instead of sesame oil, or will it change the flavour too much? Thanks!
5 minutes on High, skip the white vinegar, you can use canola oil, but it wont have that sesame flavor.
This is one of the BEST recipes for IP that I’ve found so far!! Made it for lunch today, and it was delicious ? My husband says it’s one of his favorites, by far.
happy that you loved it, and thank you for the feedback!
I am brand new to instant pot and was eager to cook some protein. This was fantastic. I did not use a real packed cup of brown sugar because I’m not a huge fan of sweet things. But this absolutely delicious. I did add some onion in the beginning and added broccoli during the sauté part. So great.
Hi Nicole, I am so happy that you liked it! Thank you for the feedback!
Can you cook the rice at the same time, I’m thinking pot in pot on a rack over the meat ???
Yes! Totally! Please check my recipe for Mongolian Chicken, it has a video that shows how I cook the rice. Same can be applied to this recipe.
I probably missed it, but how many servings is this
about 4-6 servings
How long if my thighs are frozen? Thanks!
10 minutes.
can I use apple cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar which I don’t have
just use some white wine or skip it.
If i double the recipe, how long do I cook it?
same time, as long as you cut the chicken into 1-2 inch pieces as required.
Hi there! Do I use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar? Thanks in advance!
both will work so whatever you have on hand.
I have to say this was absolutely delish! Family devoured it! Had a nice flavor, no one ingredient was too overpowering. I used only 1/4 cup of unpacked brown sugar and diced chicken breast, sautéed them in the pot first with a little salt and garlic powder then threw the sauce in and cooked it for 5 minutes. It was amazing, chicken came out tender and juicy (which can sometimes be hard with breast meat), paired it with jasmine rice and some garlic green beans. Definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Thank you for the feedback Sharon 🙂 I am very happy that you liked it!
Looking forward to trying this! Is there anyway to cook rice in the IP at the same time? I love these recipes but the rice takes sooooo long to cook
Yes, you can, check my Mongolian Chicken for directions 🙂
i Tried your orange chicken and it was amazing! I am going to try the sesame chicken next and wondered why the orange chicken needed to be sauteed and not the sesame chicken? Should I sautee it like I did with the orange chicken?
Thanks!
Carol
The Orange Chicken can also be made without sautéing the chicken. I made the Sesame Chicken to be super easy, kind of dump and cook method. You can sauté it if you prefer so. Thank you for trying my recipes and I am very happy that you liked the Orange Chicken.
I made this for my family for dinner tonight and it was awesome!! The chicken was so tender and it had great flavor too! This was also my first time using my Instant Pot, the recipe was easy enough to follow and it turned out great! We also added some crunchy chow mien noodles to give it a little more texture.
so happy that you loved it
OMG This is SO SO SO good. Followed the recipe exactly except for adding the 1/2 teaspoon of pepper flaks which was the perfect amount of heat. Will definitely, DEFINITELY be making again!!! Thank you!!!
Can you combine the chicken(raw) and the sauce in a freezer bag and freeze? Then thaw out and cook it in the IP? If so, any tips?
yes, just use the recipe for the sauce, combine and freeze. It will be amazing from marinating 🙂
Do you know if I can use sesame seed oil instead or is there any difference?
no difference 🙂
Hello if I double this recipe do I double the sauce and cook time.
you can double as its delicious
Have you ever made this as a freezer meal? Looking for freezer meals and this sounds delicious!
Yes we did, and it works out pretty well! Thanks for stopping by!
This recipe was so good. I used chicken breasts. I also used fresh ginger as suggested and it makes a difference. I will definitely make this again. Thank you!
I love all the additional notes you provided! As a beginner at cooking, these helped me so much!!!
Can you do veggies in this or will they turn to mush? Thinking carrots, baby corn, water chestnuts and snap peas. I want to cook the rice at the same time as well, should I cook the meat and rice and then remove the rice and add the veg?
the carrots, baby corn and water chestnuts will work well. The Snap peas – I would add them at the end on Sautés for a few minutes.
Wanted to finally stop by and thank you, Catalina, for your site—especially this recipe. As one of the first recipes we stumbled across when we bought our InstantPot, we lucked out with the delicious combination of flavors, as well as your clear, easy to follow instructions. This remains the favorite IP meal of both myself & my husband, and we make it at least three times a month, often as a double batch. 🙂
We do add a little onion powder to the sauce, since we normally don’t have scallions on hand, as well as a dash or two of fish sauce, but the recipe is wonderful ‘as is.’ Thank you again for sharing!
Thank you Crystalline for the kind message, it made me very happy 🙂
IP newbie here, looking for a ‘dump’ recipe for dinner, had everything in this recipe, and it was just perfect. Used only about 1 TB brown sugar (we’re not big on sweet entrees) and threw in a handful of frozen peas while ‘sitting’ the last few minutes. Served it as a ‘bowl’ over brown rice and lots of sliced green onions. The Hubs loved it and so did I. Thank you!
I am new to IP. How and when do you apply the 10 minute release?
It basically means that after its done cooking, you do NOTHING for 10 minutes, the pressure naturally starts to reduce, after that you open the valve to release the remaining pressure.
I have made this twice in the last month. By far, my favorite instant pot recipe so far..just delicious!
I made this in a 8qt IP. You need a minimum of 2 cups of liquid for pressure cooking, so I improvised by using 1 cup chicken broth + 3/4 cup water + all other sauce ingredients. Then I used 3 TBSP corn starch to thicken. The sauce thickened nicely, however, there was a lot of sauce because of the extra liquid. To even out the sauce-food-ratio, I stirred in a bag of Asian-variety vegetables that was steamed in the microwave to balance. I suppose you can add extra meat if you want. This dish was great! Very flavorful, and just like Chinese take out!
No extra fluid is needed in my 8-qt. Duo IP for a single batch, but we do also double the recipe frequently (no additional cooking time necessary).
thank you for the feedback!
This was delicious!!
I have made this no less than 4 times in the past month and I’m making it again right now. This is just so delicious and simple! I’ve had my friends make it as well. The only change I make is to up the garlic and the ginger because I can never get enough of either. Serve over rice and yum!! This recipe is a must try!
I am happy that you enjoyed this easy recipe!
I love this recipe! I have Celiac and I’m allergic to dairy and eggs. This IS my go to recipe when I’m craving Chinese food. Yum!!!
happy that you loved the recipe, thanks for the feedback!
Hi, can you make this without pre-cooking the chicken?
yes!! totally!
I’m currently waiting for my saute / slurry mix to complete. My first time making this recipe and already my mouth is watering from the taste of the chicken after the NPR! I added a couple of cups of mixed vegetables and pineapple chunks also, and serving this over rice. I can’t wait to dig in!
Love the pineapple addition, I hope you enjoyed it!
I made this tonight & it’s delicious! I added carrots & mushrooms, because I had them & substituted Braggs liquid aminos for soy sauce (which I think explains the lighter color of mine). I had more liquid in the end than I’d have preferred. Next time I will omit the extra 1/4 cup water. But there will definitely be a next time!
Yummy!
If I wanted to leave the thighs whole (instead of slicing), how ling would I cook them for? Thanks!
just add one more minute
Thank you so much for such a quick reply. I’m making them tomorrow night!
I made this tonight using boneless breasts and it was fantastic! I halved soy sauce since I didn’t have the low-sodium kind, and I thought the saltiness level was perfect. I normally find chicken cooked in the instant pot to be too dry and stringy, but this was perfectly tender. I will definitely use this recipe again, and I might also experiment with other sauces using this same cooking method for the chicken since I just loved the way it came out.
Just for fun I doubled the recipe. Added bamboo shoots. Instead of the cornstarch slurry I added two packets of S&B Golden Curry (medium hot). Yeah, I know this is way off of the original recipe but I know the S&B Curry mix will thicken things up. That and jazz it up with curry flavor!! Thanks so much for the base recipe to go off from!!
Great idea!
I made this last night and it tasted delicious but mine was much lighter in color and I’m not sure why. Ideas?
Can you please add more crock pot recipes. I do not Have an instant pot.
Thank you..
This was great. I made it for dinner tonight adding the pot-in-pot rice. I added a bunch of veggies during the sauté portion and they cooked up really quickly with the cornstarch slurry. This was an easy “one pot” meal. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you very much for your feedback, I am happy you liked the recipe.
This Garlic Sesame Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I love how easy the Instant Pot makes it to prepare. Can’t wait to try this recipe for dinner, especially after watching the video—it made everything so clear. Thanks for sharing!
This Garlic Sesame Chicken looks amazing! I love how quick and easy it is to make in the Instant Pot. Can’t wait to try it for dinner this week! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
This Garlic Sesame Chicken recipe looks amazing! I love how easy the Instant Pot makes everything. Can’t wait to try it out this weekend! Thanks for sharing the video!
I tried this Garlic Sesame Chicken recipe last night and it was a hit! The flavors were fantastic and it was so easy to make in the Instant Pot. Can’t wait to add this to my regular rotation. Thanks for sharing the video too!
This Garlic Sesame Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I love how easy the Instant Pot makes cooking. Can’t wait to try this recipe for dinner tonight! Thanks for sharing!
This Instant Pot Garlic Sesame Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I love how simple the recipe is, and I can’t wait to try it out this weekend. The video tutorial is a great touch—it really helps to see the steps in action. Thanks for sharing!
This Garlic Sesame Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try this recipe in my Instant Pot. The video makes it so easy to follow along—thanks for sharing such a great meal idea! 🌟
This Garlic Sesame Chicken looks delicious and super easy to make! I love how quick the Instant Pot is for weeknight dinners. Can’t wait to give this recipe a try! Thanks for sharing the video too!
This Garlic Sesame Chicken looks amazing! I love how quick and easy it is to make in the Instant Pot. Can’t wait to try it out for dinner this week! Thanks for sharing the recipe and video!
This Garlic Sesame Chicken looks absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try it in my Instant Pot. The video makes it so easy to follow along. Thanks for sharing such a tasty recipe!