Instant Pot Chicken Teriyaki
Need a meal guaranteed to make the kids go nuts without breaking the bank? Try this better-than-takeout Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken that takes less than 10 minutes of prep time!
Making healthy and delicious Asian-inspired food at home doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming. Cooking Teriyaki Chicken in your Instant Pot takes less than an hour from prep to plate. Plus, you can control what goes in it! No more wondering if the restaurant prepared your take-out the way you requested.
My Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken has less than 10 ingredients, most of which you probably have in your pantry already. Prep time for this dish is almost non-existent. It’s also a good recipe to let your Littles have fun with. The measurements are simple, so you could let them try their hand at all of those life skills they need to master.
Making your own teriyaki sauce is so easy! There’s no need to buy the bottled stuff. If someone in your family watches their salt intake, you can use a low sodium soy sauce. Do you feed someone who struggles with gluten intolerance? Arrowroot can easily be substituted for cornstarch… just be sure to follow the conversions on the recipe. And be sure to use tamari instead of regular soy sauce.
You can add all kinds of extra veggies to Teriyaki Chicken and adjust them to fit your family’s needs and tastes. Why not give bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, and / or broccoli a try?
Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Teriyaki Chicken In An Instant Pot…
- chicken breast meat
- carrots
- soy sauce (or tamari)
- honey
- chicken broth
- rice vinegar
- brown sugar
- garlic
- ginger
- cornstarch
**Low sodium soy sauce can be substituted for those who are monitoring their salt intake.
**Substitute 3 tablespoons arrowroot for the cornstarch and tamari for the soy sauce to make this gluten-free.
If you’re concerned about your sugar intake, check your honey. The honey you find on the shelf at the grocery store has been filtered and may contain other sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. Raw honey contains JUST honey, straight from the beehive.
How To Make Teriyaki Chicken In An Instant Pot…
- Add chicken and carrots to Instant Pot
- Whisk together all remaining ingredients except for cornstarch
- Pour sauce over chicken
- Cover, seal, and set to high pressure for 10 minutes
- Remove chicken and shred
- Whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until smooth, then whisk into sauce
- Return shredded chicken to pot, turn pot to saute and let simmer 5 minutes until sauce thickens
Pro Tips:
You can use frozen chicken but you will need to increase cook time to 15 minutes.
If chicken does not shred easily, it is not cooked through well enough.
If your chicken breasts are larger than average, they may require additional cooking time.
Tastes great served with rice, cauliflower rice, or steamed veggies.
Presentation is everything! Top your Teriyaki Chicken with green onions and / or sesame seeds.
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken is better than takeout and a guaranteed family-friendly win! This pressure cooker chicken recipe combines a homemade sweet-and-savory marinade, sliced carrots, and chicken to create a juicy, tender dish to serve over rice. It’s a quick and easy dinner for weeknights or meal prep!
Equipment
- whisk
Ingredients
Marinade Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce or tamari
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Chicken Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 batch homemade teriyaki marinade about 1 cup
- ½ cup sliced carrots
- ¼ cup water or chicken broth
For thickening (after cooking):
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Whisk all the marinade ingredients together until fully combined
- Add chicken breasts or thighs to the Instant Pot in an even layer
- Add the sliced carrots
- Pour entire batch of teriyaki marinade over the chicken
- Add water or broth, and do not stir
- Lock and seal lid, then cook on high pressure for 10 minutes
- Allow a 5-minute natural release, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure
- Remove chicken and shred or slice as desired
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and cold water until smooth
- Set Instant Pot to sauté mode and whisk the slurry into sauce
- Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened
- Return chicken to pot and toss to coat evenly in teriyaki sauce
- Serve chicken teriyaki warm over rice, and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months (and defrost before reheating).
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.
- Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165℉. If it doesn't shred easily, it needs to cook for a few more minutes.
- The cooking time is the same for chicken breasts and thighs.
- If you use frozen chicken, add 3-5 minutes to the cooking time and expect a bit more liquid in the pot.
- The sauce is intentionally thin during cooking. The thickener is added afterward for a glaze-like finish without burning.
