Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

Instant pot honey chicken for kids made easily using frozen or thawed chicken. A simple dinner that goes well served with steamed broccoli and rice. Gluten-free, dairy-free.

I don’t know about your family but my kids LOVE Chinese take-out. It is a treat in our house to order take-out but when we do, a chicken dish is always the top pick. To my family’s surprise, I decided to re-create our favorite chicken dish by making this delicious Chinese Honey Chicken.

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Related: A Beginners Guide To Everything You Need To Know About Your Instant Pot  & How To Use An Instant Pot

The next time you are considering Chinese take-out, give this recipe a try, it pairs well with Easy Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls.

How to make

1. Turn Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat oil. 
2. Add chicken and sauté until browned.
3. While the chicken is cooking, in a small bowl combine honey, soy sauce, tomato paste, and garlic. 
4. Add the honey mixture to sautéed chicken, stir, then place the lid onto the instant pot and make sure the valve is turned to “SEALING”. 
5. Press pressure cook then set for 8 minutes. 
6. Once the timer goes off, carefully do a quick release and remove the lid. 
7. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken into a bowl and set aside. 
8. Turn Instant Pot to sauté mode. 
9. In a small bowl, whisk flour into the water, then whisk the flour mixture into the sauce in the Instant Pot. Bring to a boil. 
10. Add chicken back to the sauce mixture and serve with broccoli over rice. Top with green onions, sesame seeds, and sriracha if desired. 

If you’re thinking about purchasing an Instant Pot, I’d suggest you purchase the 8- quart model. It’s large enough to make every recipe and is perfect for families.

Start by turning the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heating the oil. Then, add the chicken chunks to the instant pot.

CAN I SKIP THE SAUTE STEP IN INSTANT POT RECIPES?

I recommend not skipping the sauté step in instant pot recipes. The sauté mode function is actually my favorite feature because it browns the meat without losing its texture, flavor or moisture. Additionally, the function can be used to thicken sauces. Always remember to keep the lid OFF when using the sauté mode to avoid pressure from building up. 

For this recipe, I use boneless skinless chicken breasts but chicken thighs could definitely be used if you prefer. Whether you decide to use chicken thighs or breasts, I recommend chopping the chicken into bite-sized pieces so each chunk can absorb the sauce to create more flavor.

PRO TIP: Keep frozen chicken breasts in the freezer and defrost on the morning that you decide to make this dinner recipe.

While the chicken is browning, combine the honey, soy sauce, tomato paste and garlic into a small bowl. After that, stir until the tomato paste is fully combined with the other ingredients. 

Next, add the honey mixture to the sautéed chicken, stir and place the lid onto the Instant Pot. Then, turn the valve to “SEALING”. After that, set the timer for 8 minutes. 

When the timer is complete, do a quick release and remove the lid.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken by setting the chunks into a bowl to the side while keeping the sweet sauce in the Instant Pot.

Once the chicken has been removed, turn the Instant Pot back to sauté mode. 

In a small bowl, mix together flour and water to create a slurry. The purpose of the slurry is to thicken the sauce.

INGREDIENT SWAP: If you are looking to make this recipe gluten-free, swap the flour with cornstarch.

Carefully pour the slurry into the sauce, stir and bring to a boil. It is important that the mixture comes to a boil because that allows the sauce to start thickening. 

Once the mixture boils, add the chicken pieces back into the sauce mixture and stir until each chicken chunk is covered. I usually let my chicken simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes. 

WHAT To Serve With

I love this recipe because there are SO many great side options to pair with the honey chicken. Some of my favorites are:

• Broccoli florets 
• Brown rice
• White rice 
• Rice noodles 
• Leafy greens

White rice is usually my go-to when I serve this recipe. I love to add salt, pepper & fresh lime juice to flavor my rice and then top with the honey chicken. 

Sprinkle the top of your honey chicken with sesame seeds & green onions. If you are looking to spice up your dish, drizzle the top with sriracha and/or sprinkle with red pepper flakes. 

One reason that my kids love to order Chinese take-out is the chopsticks that come in the bag. Kids get a kick out of chopsticks, but they can be hard to use for toddlers or beginners. Check out these beginner chopsticks that help little hands learn to use them easier.

I have been posting a bunch of new Instant Pot recipes for easy & delicious dinner options. The Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos, Instant Pot Pulled Pork, and Instant Pot Chicken Stew are my top suggestions to get on your menu sooner than later!

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to leave a comment and a star rating below! Then follow me on social media and tag #createkidsclub if you make the recipe. I love seeing what you come up with!