Hello food lovers! It’s world instant pot sesame chicken ‘s day. If you are trying to look that up, I hate to burst your bubble but you aren’t going to find that anywhere on any calendar. Well, except the food calendar in my kitchen?
For this recipe, I used tamari (gluten-free), rice wine vinegar (You can never go wrong with this, it’s my go-to ingredient any day, anytime), pure maple syrup, and red pepper. All this combined gave the chicken a flavourfFor this recipe, I used tamari (gluten-free), rice wine vinegarul taste to die for.
Also, I mixed the chicken lightly in cornstarch and tamari and fried it in just a little oil and I got what I wanted; light, tender, juicy, and crispy. Yum!Â
Let’s make the recipe already
Instant Pot Sesame Chicken
Ingredients Â
Chicken
- 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken breast (or thighs)
- 1 Tbsp Avocado oil
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch (or arrowroot)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Tamari
Sesame sauce
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 3 Tbsp Tamari
- 2 Tbsp Pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- Â Red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp Water
- 1 Tbsp Sesame seeds
InstructionsÂ
- Place diced chicken in a medium bowl. Add 2 tbsp cornstarch and 1/1/2 tbsp tamari. Use a fox to mix well.
- Turn Instant Pot to saute. Add 1 tbsp sesame oil into the pot and saute half the chicken for 3-4 minutes. Once it turns brown, turn to the other side and saute for 1-4 minutes.
- Remove cooked chicken to a clean plate. Repeat the process until you have fried all. Add more oil if necessary.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce.
- In a bowl, add water, pure maple syrup, tamari, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Mix vigorously.
- In another bowl, mix cornstarch with 1 tbsp water for the cornstarch slurry.
- When the chicken is fully cooked, reduce the heat in the pan to medium-low.
- Add cornstarch slurry to the sesame sauce mixture and mix vigorously till you get a milky look.
- Pour the sauce mixture into the warm pan and mix over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling, thickened, and more translucent.
- Place cooked chicken back into the pot and coat with the sauce. Set the instant pot to poultry and set the timer to four minutes.
- When the timer beeps, turn off the heat. Do a quick pressure release with a dishtowel.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve warm with cauliflower rice.
Recommended ingredients
I make sesame chicken all the time, all thanks to Popo (my baby girl), she won’t stop requesting it. It’s so easy to meet Popo’s unending demands for sesame chicken because the required ingredients to make this crispy, tasty and flavourful meal are readily available in my kitchen; The tamari, crushed red pepper, garlic, honey, and cornstarch. (I buy my ingredients in bulk, so I usually have a lot when needed)
Making sesame chicken in my instant pot gives me thrills similar to Christmas mornings but there is only one deal-breaker: I have to make an accompaniment (This may be stressful or time-consuming but it’s worth every single second you put into it). I alternate between serving cauliflower rice or steamed rice.
I am not big on deep-frying, and this treasured recipe of mine doesn’t fall on that list! So if you aren’t a fan of deep-frying as well, here is me raising a toast to more recipes like this instant pot sesame chicken that requires shallow frying ?.
Tip: Your instant pot sesame chicken will taste better and healthier if you keep the sauce in check. I suggest using a low-sodium tamari. In case, you feel there is a little too much salt in the sauce, add just a little water.
I am a yogi with a smoldering passion for nutrition and healthy living. I have been a Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach for over 11 years and now I want to help you. My mission is to inspire as many people as I can to expand their awareness and broaden their horizons by giving a voice to the choices that create abundant, radiant health. Here I share deliciously simple plant-based recipes, nutrition resources, detox tips, and a glimpse into my whole lifestyle.
