Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken is a fast and simple recipe for your Instant Pot. It involves cooking tender chicken breasts or thighs in a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce that is both sweet and tangy.
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
For those busy days when you crave a delicious homemade meal without spending hours in the kitchen, Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken is the perfect solution. This dish features tender chicken pieces glazed with a rich, savory teriyaki sauce, served over a bed of fluffy rice. Garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, it’s a visually appealing and mouth-watering meal.
Effortless Cooking with the Instant Pot
The beauty of using an Instant Pot lies in its ability to cook meals quickly while locking in flavors. With just a few simple steps, you can have a restaurant-quality dish ready in no time. The Instant Pot not only speeds up the cooking process but also ensures that the chicken remains juicy and flavorful.
A Harmony of Flavors
The teriyaki sauce, with its perfect balance of sweet and savory, is the star of this dish. It coats the chicken beautifully, creating a glossy finish that’s both appetizing and delicious. The sesame seeds add a subtle nuttiness, while the green onions provide a fresh, crisp contrast to the rich sauce.
Perfect for Any Meal
Whether you’re preparing lunch, dinner, or even a meal prep for the week, Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken is versatile enough to fit any occasion. It pairs wonderfully with steamed vegetables, making it a balanced and nutritious meal. Plus, it’s a great way to introduce a variety of flavors to your family’s diet.
A Crowd-Pleaser
This dish is sure to become a favorite in your household. Its simplicity, combined with the depth of flavor, makes it a hit with both kids and adults. The ease of preparation means you can enjoy more time at the table and less time in the kitchen.
Ingredient Notes:
- Chicken: You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs—choose based on your preference or what’s on sale.
- Teriyaki Sauce: For the best flavor, go for homemade Teriyaki Sauce. It includes pineapple juice, garlic, soy sauce, freshly grated ginger, honey, and rice wine vinegar, creating a perfect mix of sweet and savory. Opt for reduced-sodium soy sauce to manage the sodium level.
- Cornstarch: While not essential, if you want to thicken the teriyaki sauce, prepare a cornstarch slurry by dissolving cornstarch in water.
Helpful Hints:
- Frozen Chicken: If using frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, you can skip the searing step and cook for 11 minutes on high pressure.
- Sauce Thickness: While thickening the sauce ensures it coats the chicken evenly when serving, the chicken still tastes great even without a thickened sauce.
- Bone-In Chicken: For bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, adjust the cooking time to 9 minutes on high pressure after searing. If using bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, adjust the cooking time to 11 minutes on high pressure after searing the chicken breasts.
FOR MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES, CHECK OUT:
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Instant Pot Ranch Chicken Pasta
Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- ½ cup soy sauce low sodium
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 2 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs around 8 pieces
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup water divided
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Make the teriyaki sauce by mixing soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set it aside to add to the dish later.
- Use the sauté button on the Instant Pot, add oil, and let it heat briefly. While the oil is heating, lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper on each side. Put the seasoned chicken in a single layer in the heated oil (do it in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding), and sear the chicken on each side for 2 minutes or until it turns golden. Once the chicken is fully seared, take it out of the pot and place it on a plate. Turn off the sauté function by pressing cancel.
- Pour ¼ cup of water into the pot and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Put the chicken back in the pot and pour the prepared teriyaki sauce over it.
- Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and make sure the vent knob is sealed. Cook on HIGH pressure for 7 minutes by pressing manual/pressure cook and adjusting the time to 7 minutes using the +/- buttons.
- After the cooking time, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, release any remaining pressure quickly if desired, or let the pressure release fully on its own.
- Open the lid, take out the chicken, and place it on a clean plate. Press cancel on the Instant Pot to turn off the keep warm function. Then, press sauté to bring the sauce to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and the remaining ¼ cup of water until completely dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the Instant Pot and let it cook for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Once thickened, press cancel to turn off the Instant Pot.
- Serve the chicken with the thickened sauce, and if you like, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
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Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken