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Easy Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken with Broccoli

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A quick and healthy dinner recipe featuring tender chicken thighs cooked in a sweet and savory honey sesame sauce with crisp broccoli, all made effortlessly in the Instant Pot.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 680 g), cut into 1.5-inch chunks
  • 3 cups broccoli florets (about 300 g), fresh or frozen
  • 1/4 cup honey (85 g)
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (60 ml), low sodium preferred
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (30 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil (5 ml)
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (6 g)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch (16 g) mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (9 g)
  • 2 green onions, sliced (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger to prepare the sauce.
  2. Pat dry chicken thighs and cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss chicken in the sauce to coat evenly. Marinate for 5-10 minutes if time allows.
  3. Optional: Turn Instant Pot to ‘Sauté’ mode, add a teaspoon of oil, and brown chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Cancel ‘Sauté’ mode. Pour marinated chicken and sauce into the Instant Pot. Seal lid and set to ‘Manual’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ on high pressure for 8 minutes.
  5. Perform a quick pressure release. Open lid and add broccoli florets on top of the chicken. Seal lid again and set to ‘Steam’ for 1-2 minutes.
  6. Open lid and switch back to ‘Sauté’. Stir in cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce is glossy and thickened, stirring constantly.
  7. Turn off Instant Pot. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Stir gently and serve immediately.

Notes

Browning the chicken before pressure cooking adds extra flavor but can be skipped to save time. Add broccoli at the end to keep it crisp. Add cornstarch slurry slowly while stirring to avoid a gluey sauce. Marinate chicken briefly for better flavor. Fresh garlic and ginger are recommended for best taste. Adjust soy sauce and honey to balance sweetness and saltiness. Use tamari for gluten-free option and maple syrup as a honey substitute.

Nutrition

Keywords: Instant Pot, honey sesame chicken, broccoli, quick dinner, healthy dinner, pressure cooker, easy recipe

Find it online: https://evabake.com/easy-instant-pot-honey-sesame-chicken-with-broccoli-recipe-for-quick-healthy-dinner/