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Home » Recipe Index » Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe

Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe

May 4, 2023 by Kara Cook 6 Comments

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garlic honey chicken recipe collage

This delicious honey garlic chicken recipe is perfect if you’re looking for a dinner recipe that is both quick and delicious! The instant pot makes it a snap to prepare.

With just a few simple ingredients and a bit of prep, you can enjoy a flavorful and satisfying meal in no time. It’s a great option on busy weeknights when you don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

bowl of honey garlic chicken sprinkled with green onions and sesame seeds

I have been on a quest to perfect this recipe for over a year! I’ve tried baking it, cooking it in the crockpot, and even cooking it in a skillet. And of course I’ve tweaked the ingredients in the honey garlic chicken sauce multiple times.

After many attempts, I finally came up with a recipe that I thought was worthy of publishing. The chicken is tender, and the sweet and savory sauce is packed with flavor. My entire family gobbled it right up!

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN

  1. PREP – Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces, dice the onion, and mince the garlic. Spray the inside of the Instant Pot with non stick cooking spray.
  2. SAUTE – Turn your Instapot to SAUTE, and add half of the oil. When it is hot, brown half of the chicken chunks. You just need to brown, not cook all the way through. Remove the chunks and repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. chicken chunks browning in an instant pot(Alternatively, you can brown all of the chicken at one time in a large skillet.) chicken chunks browning in a skillet
  3. SAUCE – Return all of the chicken to the pot and add the salt, pepper, onion, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, and red pepper flakes.chicken and sauce ingredients in the bottom of an instapot
  4. COOK – Add the lid, and make sure the valve is set to seal. Use the manual setting to turn the Instapot to HIGH pressure for 3 minutes. When it’s done, use the quick release. Remove the lid.garlic honey chicken in a pressure cooker
  5. THICKEN THE SAUCE – Set the instapot to SAUTE. Make a slurry by whisking together the cornstarch and cold water. Add to the sauce. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. process shots - thickening honey garlic sauce in an instant pot
  6. SERVE – This dish pairs perfectly with steamed rice and your favorite vegetables! Garnish with chopped green onions and additional sesame seeds for a beautiful presentation.

LEFTOVERS

If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, they are fantastic the next day! I like to store the chicken/sauce and the rice in separate containers. They will last 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

We simply reheat in the microwave for a minute or two, but you could also reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.

You can also freeze the leftover chicken and sauce. I like to use heavy duty ziplock bags. Just make sure your food is completely cool before transferring it to the freezer. It should last 2-3 months in the freezer.

HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN INSTANT POT VARIATIONS:

  • Feel free to use chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. Just brown them whole instead of chopping. You will need to increase the cooking time to 10 minutes instead of 3.
  • Instead of red pepper flakes, you can use 2-3 teaspoons of sriracha sauce.
  • If you are concerned about sodium intake, use a low sodium soy sauce.
  • For a nutty, earthy flavor, add 2-3 teaspoons of sesame oil.
  • My family likes this chicken best served over white rice, but you could use brown rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa for an even healthier dish.
honey garlic chicken sauce over chicken and rice in a bowl

MORE TASTY ASIAN RECIPES:

  • Ham Fried Rice Recipe
  • Korean Ground Beef
  • Easy Orange Chicken Recipe
  • Ground Beef Lo Mein
  • Baked Teriyaki Chicken
  • Sweet n Sour Chicken

HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN RECIPE

overhead shot of bowl with rice, honey garlic chicken, and sesame seeds

Honey Garlic Chicken Breast

Kara
Tender chunks of chicken in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce with just a bit of kick. A delicious Asian dish made even faster in the Instant Pot!
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 30 minutes mins
Course Main Dish: Chicken
Cuisine Asian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 314 kcal

Equipment

  • Aroma 20 Cup Digital Rice Cooker
  • Garlic Press
  • Instant Pot 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker, Stainless Steel, 6 Quart

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ⅔ cup diced onion 1 small onion
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup honey
  • ⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 Tbsp cold water

Instructions
 

  • Spray the inside of the Instant Pot with non stick cooking spray. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces, dice the onion, and mince the garlic.
  • Turn the Instant Pot to "Saute", and add half of the oil. When hot, add half of the cubed chicken and cook just until browned. Remove and repeat with the remaining chicken.
  • Add all of the chicken pieces to the pot and add the salt, pepper, onion, garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, and red pepper flakes. Use a metal spatula to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot.
  • Secure the lid, and make sure the valve is set to seal. Set the instapot to "Manual/High" for 3 minutes.
  • When it’s done, use quick release to let out the steam. Remove the lid.
  • Set the instapot to SAUTE. Whis together the cornstarch and cold water until dissolved. Add to the sauce. Cook and stir until the sauce is thick and bubbly.
  • Serve over rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

-You can brown the chicken in a skillet and then transfer it to the Instant Pot. There's another dish to wash, but it can be cooked all in one batch.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 314kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 34gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 906mgPotassium: 657mgFiber: 1gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 110IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
Keyword instant pot honey garlic chicken
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

This quick and easy honey garlic instant pot chicken recipe is sure to become a family favorite! If you make it, leave a comment letting me know how it turns out. 🙂

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Filed Under: Dinner in 30 Minutes, Instant Pot Recipes, Main Dish: Chicken, Recipe Index

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mandy

    March 15, 2024 at 2:44 pm

    Is it really cooked on high for only 30 minutes?

    Reply
    • Kara Cook

      March 19, 2024 at 9:50 am

      Since the chicken is cut into such small pieces, you really do only need to cook on high for 3 minutes. Keep in mind that it will also be cooking as the pot comes up to pressure.

      Reply
  2. Diana Melnyk

    May 11, 2023 at 3:44 pm

    How many does this serve?

    Reply
    • Kara Cook

      May 15, 2023 at 4:12 am

      It serves 6. You can see the serving size at the very top of the recipe card on the left. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Sharina

    May 10, 2023 at 5:22 am

    This is so easy and convenient with the aid of Instant Pot! The outcome is so addicting! This honey garlic chicken is definitely a must-try!

    Reply
    • Kara Cook

      May 15, 2023 at 4:17 am

      So glad you loved it Sharina, it was sure a hit at my house!

      Reply
5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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Hi. I’m Kara, and I've loved cooking since I was about 10. Great food brings people together and can create some amazing memories. I hope you will use my family friendly recipes to make memories with your loved ones!
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