Instant Pot Honey Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
This Instant Pot Honey Teriyaki Chicken is a quick and flavorful meal featuring tender shredded chicken breasts cooked in a sweet and savory honey teriyaki sauce. The recipe uses the Instant Pot for fast pressure cooking and produces a delicious, thickened sauce perfect for serving over steamed or fried rice. Garnished with sesame seeds and fresh green onions, this dish is an easy weeknight dinner that combines simple ingredients with bold Asian flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 6 chicken thighs, see note 1)
Teriyaki Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce (low sodium recommended)
- ½ cup water
- ⅔ cup honey
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (use ½ teaspoon for more heat)
Thickening Mixture
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
Garnish & Serving
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
- Diced green onions (for topping)
- Steamed white rice or fried rice (for serving)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken and Sauce: Place the chicken breasts in the Instant Pot. In a separate bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, honey, minced garlic, rice vinegar, ground ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken in the pot.
- Pressure Cook the Chicken: Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the vent to the sealing position. Select the 'Pressure Cook' function and set the timer for 20 minutes if the chicken is frozen, or 10 minutes if thawed.
- Release Pressure Naturally: When cooking finishes and the Instant Pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally by waiting until the float valve drops down on its own. Do not manually vent.
- Remove Fat and Shred Chicken: Use a slotted spoon to skim and remove any fat floating in the liquid. Then, set the Instant Pot to the 'Soup' mode to begin heating. Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks.
- Thicken the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk corn starch and cold water until smooth. Slowly stir this mixture into the simmering sauce in the Instant Pot, whisking until the sauce thickens. Stir in the sesame seeds.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Turn off the Instant Pot. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir well to coat all the meat with the thickened teriyaki sauce.
- Serve: Garnish the dish with chopped green onions. Serve the honey teriyaki chicken over your choice of steamed white rice or fried rice for a comforting and delicious meal.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken breasts with 6 chicken thighs for a slightly richer flavor and juicier texture.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce.
- If you prefer not to use the Instant Pot, you can cook the chicken and sauce in a covered skillet over low heat until the chicken is cooked through and then proceed with thickening the sauce.