Instant Pot Sesame Chicken is a quick and easy weeknight meal made in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. Your family will love this delicious sauce! {gluten free}
We all have a handful of recipes we keep in the weekly rotation right? I do and this Instant Pot Sesame Chicken has become one of them!
I mean look at that sauce! I have been experimenting with my Instant Pot a lot these past few months and I'm getting the hang of it. It still amazes me that I can put something in there 30 minutes before dinner and quickly get a slow cooker tasting meal out of it.
It's a huge win for busy families like mine.
This Instant Pot Sesame Chicken is made with the simplest of ingredients that you will always have in your pantry: tamari or soy sauce, honey, garlic, crushed red pepper, and cornstarch. That's it!
Serve it with freshly steamed rice or cauliflower rice with a side of broccoli. New favorite dinner - I promise!
If you don't have an Instant Pot you can saute some chicken on the stovetop then pour the sauce over top. Or make it in your slow cooker and cook the chicken on low for 3-4 hours.
I think you'll love this Instant Pot Sesame Chicken because it's...
- EASY
- QUICK
- kid-friendly
- gluten-free if you use tamari
- covered in a savory, delicious sauce
- fun to eat with chopsticks
Instant Pot Sesame Chicken
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces, I used three large
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup tamari (or soy sauce if not gluten free)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (dried)
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 tsp water
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to saute. Add 1 tbsp sesame oil into pot and saute half the chicken. Get a bit of browning on all sides, about 3-4 minutes, then remove to a bowl. Add more sesame oil and saute the second half.
- In a small bowl mix the honey, tamari, garlic and red pepper with a whisk.
- Put chicken back into pot and add sauce. Turn chicken to cover with sauce. Turn Instant Pot to poultry and set timer for four minutes. Lock the lid in place.
- Turn off the heat when the timer beeps. Carefully use a dishtowel to do a quick pressure release.
- Whisk the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and turn pot to saute. Add mixture and stir well. Saute for a minute or two until sauce thickens to your taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from PressureCookingToday.
Hi, I'm Karen Kelly a certified health coach. At Seasonal Cravings you will find quick, healthy, gluten free recipes that can be made in less than 30 minutes. If you are new to eating gluten free dig into my resources starting with 
Sounds delicious! And, I love the idea of using chopsticks. I think my kids would get a kick out of that.
This would be a huge win at our house too Karen! I still have to get around to getting an Instant Pot! I've heard how easy meals are with one!
So easy! You would love it Maryann!
I used my Instant Pot all the time when I first got it, but it's kind of fallen by the wayside. I need to get that baby powered back up! My family would love this.
I know I forget about it too!
I love that sauce just by reading the ingredients. The instant pot makes cooking so much easier! Thanks!
I'm loving all the instant pot recipes! It's making my dinner prep so much easier, thanks for sharing 🙂
I think your sauce sounds incredibly tasty, sticky and yummy, your pictures are really beautiful.
This looks lovely, I really need to get an instant pot!
Made this last night and it was easy and delicious. So good I have to double the recipe next time. The chicken tastes like it has been marinaded all day, but who has time for that?!
Sue! Nice to see you here! Thanks so much for letting me know and I'm glad your family enjoyed it.
I followed the directions perfectly but the sauce at the consistency of water. Do I need to remove the chicken and then sauté the sauce down? Also my instant pot does not have a pain-free setting so I just use the manual
Hi David, Sorry the sauce wasn't right but I'm not sure we have the same Instant Pot so I don't know if I can give you good advice on this one. You did add the cornstarch right? Maybe you should do all the sauce ingredients and let it saute a few minutes like you suggested.
I can’t believe AutoCorrect – I meant to say portrait setting not pain free lol.
Poultry not portrait. I give up.
Can't believe how much flavor this had for being so simple! My family loved it! Will definitely be making it again.
Thanks so much for letting me know Shannon!
this is a very good recipe. We love spicy food, but think I will cut the pepper flakes in half next time.
Great Barb. Thanks for letting me know. Glad you can adjust it for your family's preferences!
The chicken was really tough and the sauce was too thin. Next time I will natural release and take the chicken out of the sauce to sauté the sauce until it thickens.
Question: Do you cut the chicken into bite size pieces before you saute?
Yes, I cut the chicken first then saute.
Can I use frozen chicken breasts?
I think you would need to thaw them first. If you do try it with frozen you would have to increase the cooking time.
I recently found out that I have Celiac Disease so I'm learning the ropes with being gluten free. We have tried MANY recipes & this is BY FAR my family's favorite. I especially love it because it's so ridiculously easy! It's seriously hard to believe that there are so few ingredients because it is incredibly flavorful!!!
When doubling the recipe, I use 1-2 TABLESPOONS of red pepper because we like the heat.
NOTE: FOR THOSE HAVING CONSISTENCY ISSUES WITH SAUCE.......2 things: 1: Be sure to drain the chicken before adding the sauce mixture. 2. I actually read the recipe wrong & backwards - I musta been one of those days. HA! When *doubling* the recipe, I made the slushy using 3 TABLESPOONS of cornstarch & 2 TABLESPOONS of water. The consistency of the sauce was PERFECT so in spite of recognizing the error, I continue to do it this way intentionally. Hope this helps! OH HAPPY MISTAKES! 🙂
Anyway, THANK YOU for sharing this! My family has enjoyed it tremendously & will continue to do so for years to come!!!
Wow, thanks for all the tips and so glad the recipe was a success!
Really good recipe and so easy! My family thought it would be great with more sauce and also some roasted broccoli. I added carrot ribbons as I had carrots on hand, which added a vegetable. Healthier than the takeout version!
Thanks so much for your great review!
This was delicious and so very easy! I omitted the red pepper flakes. Next time I will cut the soy sauce with water. It was a touch salty but still super yummy! My young kids do not normally like the texture of meats but they devoured every last bite! I usually just pop frozen chicken breasts in my Instant Pot but I was afraid the extra liquid would ruin the sauce so I made sure to thaw them first. I did not cut the chicken breasts into pieces but left them whole and cut them after they were cooked. I will double the recipe next time because we had nothing leftover 🙂
Patricia, thanks so much for letting me know. I'd love to figure out how to make it with frozen chicken breasts so I'll try that next. Glad your kids enjoyed it!
I see sesame seeds are in the ingredient list, but there is nothing in the directions of when they are to be added. Help?
Sorry they are just for garnish. Thanks!
SOO spicy! I thought I had a tolerance for heat but this made our mouths burn! I’d put a pinch, or maybe 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper. I also doubled the cornstarch & water because it wouldn’t thicken.
Oh no, I may make an adjustment to the pepper flakes bc you can always add more if you like it spicy!
when do you add the sesame seeds? It is not included in the instructions. Thank you
They are just for garnish so add them before serving.
Can you use chicken thighs?
Yes, that should work!
Super delicious and EASY/quick meal. I used part chicken breast and part chicken thighs and it worked out great.
My son has an intolerance to chicken. Do you think subbing boneless pork chops would work? Anything different for cooking instructions?
Hi Sheli I have not made pork chops in the Instant Pot. So sorry I can't be of more help.
What happened to your recipe?
Can't see the recipe. Is there anywhere I can find this?
So sorry! I fixed it!
Has anyone made the rice in a Pyrex at the same time as the chicken? I’ve read that it’s a possibility in the instant pot but wonder if it will work with this recipe? I made this last week for my first instant pot meal ever and it was a huge hit!!
Good idea - let me know what you figure out!