Instant Pot Sesame Chicken

Get excited folks, because this famous Chinese dish is getting the Instant Pot treatment! Yeap, this delicious Instant Pot Sesame Chicken recipe is easily made in your pressure cooker waaaaaay faster than it takes you to order it, run to the local restaurant to pick it up, and get back home.

This absolutely delicious Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken is a well loved family favourite. It’s got the perfect balance of sweetness from the honey and nutty flavoring and aromatics from the sesame oil and seeds.

Like this Instant Pot Chicken Curry and easy Instant Pot Butter Chicken, you can cook up a batch for an easy weeknight meal for the entire family, then serve up the leftovers for lunch the next day. This easy recipe is a huge hit.

What is Chinese Sesame Chicken?

This Honey Sesame Chicken recipe, also known as Chinese Sesame Seed Chicken is a tasty, full of flavor dish found in Chinese Restaurant all over America. It’s usually made with deboned chicken thighs but can be made with chicken breast.

Typically, you batter and deep fry the chicken and then toss it with a sweet, thick sticky sauce. And then it’s garnished with sesame seeds. I have made it easier by cutting out all the frying etc so that you can make this for dinner tonight.

Why Make This Recipe

• You know exactly what goes into this dish
• Faster to make at home than order and pick up at a restaurant
• Freezer friendly meal #mealprepmaster
• Made with simple pantry ingredients you probably already own or can get from a grocery store.

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken – This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken thighs but you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer. Cut the meat into bite sizes pieces.
• Soy sauce – I used a gluten free tamari soy sauce version, you can use a low sodium soy sauce if you prefer. Regular soy sauce can be used but may be too salty.
• Honey – use your favorite honey.
• Water – just use some tap water.
• Sesame oil – I tend to use toasted sesame oil in this recipe.
• Ketchup – your favorite ketchup works here.
• Hot sauce – Feel free to add more or less to your taste.
• Vinegar – This recipe calls for rice vinegar. You can use white whine vinegar but you may need to add a little brown sugar or more honey.
• Ginger and garlic – This recipe calls for fresh ginger and fresh garlic. But you can use the powdered version.
• Sesame seed – for the best result use toasted sesame seeds.

Soooo, let’s gather up these ingredients and I will show you just how quick you can make one of the best Instant Pot Chinese Recipes…..

How to Make Instant Pot Sesame Chicken 

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. Add the chicken pieces, the soy sauce through to the minced ginger from the ingredients list into the Instant Pot insert.
2. Mix everything, close lid, seal, pressure cook on high pressure on the pressure cook (or manual setting depending on you electric pressure cooker model) for 4 minutes.
3. When done perform a Quick Pressure Release and open lid. 
4. Carefully remove the chicken pieces and leave the sauce behind (or you can leave chicken in).
5. Select the Sauté setting.
6. Make the cornstarch slurry by combining the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth.
7. Add mixture to the Instant Pot and combine. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the sauce thickens, anywhere from about 5-7 minutes (or done to your preference).
8. Switch the Instant Pot off, add chicken back in, let stand for a few minutes then serve over some jasmine rice or brown rice topped with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Steamed broccoli or roasted broccoli makes a great side.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chinese Sesame Chicken

1. Start by browning your chicken and adding into the slow cooker. 
2. Next, add the low sodium Tamari soy sauce through to the minced garlic from the ingredients list into the slow cooker. Mix everything.
3. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. 
4. Make the cornstarch slurry, mix it in, and cook for another 30 minutes or until done. 

Recipe Tips

• Usually for this recipe, you’d coat the chicken in flour and fry it, but I’ve changed this up a bit to avoid getting a burn notice. 
• It’s better to remove the chicken when thickening the sauce so that it does not overcook the chicken. But if you prefer, you can leave it in and keep an eye on the chicken so it does not overcook.
• Use cornstarch to keep this gluten free. 

• Make more sauce and serve the extra sauce on rice or roasted vegetables.
• For a thicker sauce, add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch and water.
• You can make this a Dump and Start recipe by not thickening the sauce. But I think it tastes best thickened. 
• Cooking time listed does not include time for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure, or for the pressure to release.
• If you want to know more about the pressure cooker setting then check out my Instant Pot Buttons post.

Delicious Recipe Variations

• Chicken thighs work best as they stay nice and moist during pressure cooking. But you can use chicken breast instead.
• Sweetener options: maple syrup or brown sugar. Coconut aminos for lower carbs.
• You can use garlic powder or ginger powder if you don’t have fresh garlic or ginger. 
• Add heat – with red pepper flakes or chili powder.

Prep Ahead And Storage

Prep ahead – This delicious dish can be cooked up to a few days in advance and reheated. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Double the recipe – Make double the recipe and freeze for some other time or save for another day and serve the sauce over other chicken you have. A quick weeknight supper solution!

Freeze – Freeze the cooled eat in an air tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Meal Prep – Feel free to make some extra batches of this and freeze it for future use. If you’re prepping to use this week, store in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

FAQs

What Kind Of Pressure Release Do You Use?

You may see some Instant Pot Asian Chicken recipes that use a natural pressure release. But with this recipe, I recommend using a Quick Pressure Release. Using a natural release will take too long and dry out the chicken. 

More Instant Pot Asian Recipes

If you want more easy meals then check out these delicious recipes.

• Instant Pot Butter Chicken. This version is better than take out.
• Instant Pot Chicken Curry. Mild and creamy and loved by the whole family.
• Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli. An easy meal to serve over rice.
• Easy Instant Pot Ramen. Quick and easy for weeknight suppers.
• Instant Pot Hibachi Fried Rice. Goes with just about everything.

Serving Suggestions And More Recipes You Might Like

• Instant Pot Rice. Complete this homemade takeout meal.
• Garlic Butter Sesame Instant Pot Green Beans. I love this as a side.
• Perfect Instant Pot Broccoli. Make the perfect side.
• Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Instant Pot Chicken Breast So juicy and easy.

Weight Watchers Points 

There are 8 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving.

Tools You Need 

• An awesome Instant Pot.
• A sharp knife.
• A cutting board.
• Measuring cups and measuring teaspoons.
• Handy mixing bowls.
• The best ever sea salt flakes
• Meal prep glass containers for storing your food.

Thank you for reading my Instant Pot Chinese Sesame Chicken recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

Get the Sesame Chicken Instant Pot Recipe: