This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

In need of some quick dinner inspiration? This Instant Pot sesame chicken recipe is super quick and easy, and everyone in the family will love it! Instant Pot chicken to save the day!

instant pot sesame chicken

Ok, before I get into the deliciousness of this sesame chicken, let me tell you about the Harvest Sale I was at this past weekend! AAH. I think I’ve mentioned it before, but every year there is this sale, where produce distributors can sell off their surplus to the general public for cheap, cheap, cheap! The prices always get me so excited. I end up filling my kids’ wagon with papaya, pineapple, celery, tomatoes, soooo many apples, and other! The hardest part is deciding what to do with all of my newfound abundance. I plan on dehydrating apples, making applesauce, fruit leather and probably more than a few pies!

NOW with all of that talk of pies, we should think about dinner.

This SUPER EASY Instant Pot sesame chicken is something we make quite often. The recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs, and we almost always have these on hand. The other ingredients needed for this dinner are things that I always have on hand too!

instant pot sesame chicken

How do you make Instant Pot sesame chicken?

Firstly, you’ll need an Instant Pot! If you don’t have one, no problem. I’ve included stovetop directions below! BUT – come on. You need to get yourself an Instant Pot!!

You’ll need the following for this recipe:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp sesame oil

Sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chicken stock
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
cornstarch + water

And sesame seeds, green onions to top!

Start by heating up the sesame oil in the Instant Pot and browning the chicken in it. Then, mix together all of the sauce ingredients, other than the cornstarch, and set the pressure cooker to cook on HIGH for 3 minutes (3 minutes)!!

The Instant Pot takes some time to come to pressure, but once the cooking time is up, do a quick release of the pressure and remove the lid. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté, then add the cornstarch slurry and let the sauce thicken up.

Serve immediately, over rice, coconut rice or cauliflower rice, with sesame seeds and green onions to top!

Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs for this recipe?

Yes! I find chicken thighs to be so much juicier, but breasts will work well in this meal. The cook time will be about the same!

Is this Instant Pot sesame chicken freezer-friendly?

Once the meal is made, it’s totally freezer-friendly! Let everything come down to room temperature before placing it in either a freezer bag or an airtight freezer container. It’ll freeze for up to 2 months!

instant pot sesame chicken

I know September is often a crazy time for a lot of you (including me) and this year just feels even crazier. We need ALL of the easy dinners, right!?

Trust me when I think you’ll really love this!! Try some sriracha on top 🙂

Here’s some other Instant Pot favorites from the blog:

instant pot sesame chicken

Instant Pot Sesame Chicken

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 8 reviews

Author: Katherine | Love In My Oven
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 3-4 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

In need of some quick dinner inspiration? This Instant Pot sesame chicken recipe is super quick and easy, and everyone in the family will love it!

Ingredients

Scale

1 tbsp sesame oil
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1” chunks*
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chicken stock
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp sesame seeds
rice, green onions for serving

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and add the sesame oil. Once warmed, add the chunks of chicken in an even layer, browning on one side before turning and browning on the other side. Turn the Instant Pot off.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, chicken stock, garlic and ginger. Add the sauce ingredients to the Instant Pot, then close and seal the lid, ensuring the valve is sealed. Set the Instant Pot to cook on manual pressure on high, for 3 minutes. The IP will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure (a great time to start your rice).
Once the timer goes, use a long wooden spoon to turn the valve open and perform a “quick release” on the Instant Pot. Turn the IP to sauté again, stir together the cornstarch and water, and add this slurry to the pot. Stir until the sauce thickens up. Serve the sesame chicken over rice, topping it with sesame seeds and green onions, if desired.

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Once cooled, this recipe can also be frozen, in an airtight container or freezer bag, for up to 2 months.

Stovetop Directions

Heat up the sesame oil in a saucepan, before browning the chicken. Add the sauce ingredients to the pan and allow everything to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 7-8 minutes. Add the cornstarch slurry to the mixture, and once everything thickens up, remove from heat and serve immediately.