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honey garlic chicken instant pot

The Ultimate Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Recipe for Busy Weeknights


  • Author: David Andersson
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

At its core, this dish is a celebration of simple pantry staples coming together to create something extraordinary. The Honey Garlic Chicken Instant Pot method transforms humble chicken pieces into a gourmet-style meal by utilizing high-pressure steam to infuse the meat with flavor in a fraction of the time it would take in a traditional oven or slow cooker.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 500700g chicken (thighs or breasts)

  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)

  • 1/3 cup honey

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

  • 2 tbsp ketchup

  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or regular vinegar)

  • 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)

  • 1 tsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (for thickening)

  • 1 tbsp oil (for sautéing)


Instructions

1. Sauté

  • Turn on Sauté mode on your Instant Pot

  • Add oil, then lightly brown the chicken (2–3 mins each side)

  • Remove and set aside

2. Make the Sauce

  • In the pot, add:

    • garlic

    • honey

    • soy sauce

    • ketchup

    • vinegar

    • sesame oil

  • Stir well and let it simmer for 1–2 minutes

3. Pressure Cook

  • Add chicken back into the pot

  • Close lid and set to:

    • High Pressure for 8 minutes (chicken thighs)

    • 6 minutes (chicken breast)

  • Let it naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick release

4. Thicken the Sauce

  • Remove chicken again

  • Turn on Sauté mode

  • Add cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + water)

  • Stir until sauce thickens (1–2 minutes)

5. Serve

  • Add chicken back and coat in sauce

  • Serve hot with rice or noodles 🍚🍜

Notes

This honey garlic chicken is the perfect mix of sweet and savory, made quickly in the Instant Pot. It’s a great go-to meal for busy days and tastes even better with rice or noodles!

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Main Course
  • Method: Pressure
  • Cuisine: Asian-inspired

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 portion
  • Calories: ~320 kcal

Keywords: Pressure cooker honey garlic chicken, IP honey garlic poultry, sweet and savory instant pot chicken, sticky garlic chicken pressure cooker