Description
This Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken recipe offers a quick and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked in a sweet and savory honey garlic sauce. Ideal for busy weeknight dinners, this meal combines a rich blend of honey, garlic, soy sauce, and herbs, all cooked to perfection under pressure for juicy results and enhanced flavors.
Ingredients
Honey Garlic Sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup no-salt ketchup
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano (or any preferred dried herbs)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Chicken
- 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil (or vegetable oil or olive oil)
- 4 to 6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Make the Sauce: In a small mixing bowl, combine honey, minced garlic, low sodium soy sauce, no-salt ketchup, dried oregano, and chopped fresh parsley. Mix thoroughly until well combined and set aside.
- Prep and Brown the Chicken: Turn the Instant Pot on to sauté mode and heat the sesame seed oil. Season the bone-in skinless chicken thighs with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the chicken thighs in the Instant Pot and cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes on each side until browned, developing a nice crust.
- Add the Sauce: Pour the prepared honey garlic sauce over the browned chicken in the Instant Pot. Stir slightly to coat the chicken evenly with the sauce. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid securely.
- Pressure Cook the Chicken: Select the poultry mode or set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode manually. Cook the chicken under high pressure for 20 minutes. After cooking completes, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 5 minutes before performing a quick release if needed.
- Serve: Carefully open the Instant Pot and transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Spoon the flavorful sauce remaining in the pot over the chicken. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions to add a nutty crunch and fresh bite. Serve immediately for best taste.
Notes
- Bone-in skinless chicken thighs are preferred for juiciness; however, boneless thighs can be used with slightly reduced cooking time.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to control saltiness, especially if you use regular ketchup.
- Feel free to substitute dried oregano with other herbs like thyme or basil depending on your preference.
- The sauce thickens slightly when cooked under pressure, but if you prefer a thicker sauce, you can sauté it after cooking or add a cornstarch slurry.
- Serve with steamed rice or roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American Asian Fusion
