Instant Pot Chinese Chicken (Shredded)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Easy instant pot Chinese chicken recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in 20 minutes. This shredded Asian chicken is flavored with soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and sesame oil.
Better than takeout, this instant pot chicken is so versatile, delicious, and so easy to make you won’t mind actually making it. If you are looking for more homemade Chinese chicken recipes then try this Chinese Jalapeno Chicken (One Pot), Chinese Bourbon Chicken (One Pot), or Szechuan Chicken (One Pot). Shredded chicken is such a great base for so many different meals. I love to make a batch at the beginning of the week and then use it throughout for lunches or dinner. I have a recipe for just about any flavor profile that suits your family or needs best such as Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, Instant Pot Shredded Beef, BBQ Shredded Beef (One Pot), or Mexican Shredded Chicken (One Pot).
How To Make Easy Instant Pot Chinese Chicken Recipe From Scratch?
- Add ingredients– Including chicken breasts, green peppers, onions to instant pot.
- Whisk marinade– In a small bowl.
- Add marinade– To the chicken and peppers, and mix.
- Set Instant Pot– “Seal” the lid, select “Manual,” and set the timer.
- Quick pressure release– When the cook time is over, and remove lid.
- Shred chicken– With 2 forks.
- Check the consistency of the sauce– Thicken if needed.
- Finish it– Mix in green onions and garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Chinese Chicken Marinade/Asian Chicken Marinade
I did not marinate the chicken, but you can easily marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour or even overnight and then proceed with cooking in the pressure cooker. This will develop more flavor. To make the marinade, simply whisk together the following ingredients in a bowl.
- 1/3 cup Soy sauce, Low sodium
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 2 tsp Sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Ketchup, Or tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1-2 tsp Sriracha sauce, Adjust according to your preference
- 3 cloves Garlic , Finely minced
- 2 tsp Ginger, Freshly grated
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
How To Shred Chicken?
There are 2 different methods:
- Forks: Use 2 forks to pull apart the chicken.
- Stand mixer: Put the meat in stand mixer and shred with the paddle attachment.
What To Serve With Asian Chicken?
Enjoy in lettuce wraps, regular wraps, sandwiches, burgers, as a pizza topping, or in salads such as the following: Asian Ramen Noodle Salad (One Pot), Thai Chicken Salad (One Bowl), or Asian Slaw Or Coleslaw (One Bowl).
Serve it with steamed rice, zoodles, Cauliflower Fried Rice (One Pot), Vegetable Fried Rice (One Pot), Kimchi Fried Rice (One Pot), Chicken Fried Rice (One Pot), Bacon Fried Rice (One Pot), Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash, Sesame Noodles (One Pot), or Thai Peanut Noodles (One Pot).
It can be added to soups like this Egg Drop Soup (One Pot), in tacos for a flavor twist, or stuffed in purple potatoes.
Variations
Add peanut butter– For a nutty creamy twist on this Chinese chicken.
Make it spicy– Add jalapenos, more sriracha, or your favorite spicy peppers.
Add vegetables– Add broccoli, carrots, or other hearty vegetables that can hold up to the pressure.
Add lemon or lime– For a bright, tangy flavor addition.
Tips And Techniques
Use low-sodium ingredients– Because this prevents the dish from becoming too salty.
Why is my chicken dry? There was probably not enough liquid in the pressure cooker to keep the meat moist and juicy.
Can I put frozen chicken in the instant pot? Yes, you will just need to adjust the cooking time to 15 minutes, as opposed to 10 minutes for thawed chicken breasts.
How to thicken sauce? Continue cooking uncovered on the “Saute” mode until excess liquid is reduced OR you can mix in a cornstarch slurry and cook for 1-2 minutes on the “Saute” mode.
How to release the pressure? Quick release is all that is needed. The meat will be cooked enough and not need a natural release.
Mix marinade in the instant pot– Instead of mixing together the marinade ingredients separately in a bowl, you can just add all the ingredients in the instant pot and mix in there to save dishes.
Honey substitute– You can use brown sugar or maple syrup, but the flavor will be slightly different.
Storage
Refrigerate– In a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Freeze– In a sealed container for up to 2 months.
Reheat– From thawed, in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More One Pot Chinese Recipes
- Instant Pot Ginger Beef
- Instant Pot Mongolian Beef
- Chicken Pad Thai (One Pot)
- Mango Chicken (One Pot)
- Pepper Steak Recipe (One Pot)
- Sweet And Spicy Chicken (One Pot)
- Honey Sesame Chicken (One Pot)
- Black Pepper Chicken (One Pot)
- Honey Garlic Chicken (One Pot)
- Cashew Chicken (One Pot)
- Chicken And Broccoli (One Pot)
Instant Pot Chinese Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Chicken breasts, Boneless, Large
- 1/4 cup Green peppers
- 1/4 cup Onions, Finely chopped
Chinese Chicken Marinade
- 1/3 cup Soy sauce, Low sodium
- 1/4 cup Honey
- 2 tsp Sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Ketchup, Or tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1-2 tsp Sriracha sauce, Adjust according to your preference
- 3 cloves Garlic , Finely minced
- 2 tsp Ginger, Freshly grated
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
Thickener and toppings
- 1-2 tbsp Cornstarch , Dissolved in 1-2 tbsp water, Optional, For thickening sauce
- 3 stalks Green onions, Finely chopped
- 1 tsp Sesame seeds, Preferably toasted, For garnish
Instructions
- Add chicken breasts, green peppers, onions in an instant pot.
- Then, whisk together all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour this marinade on top of the chicken and peppers.
- Mix until combined.
- Note: Instead of mixing together the marinade ingredients separately in a bowl, you can just add all the ingredients in the instant pot and mix in there.
- Put the lid on and turn the valve to “Sealing.”
- Select “Manual” mode and set the timer for 10 minutes.
- When the cook time is over, do a quick pressure release.
- Remove lid and shred chicken with 2 forks.
- Check the consistency of the sauce. If it's too thin, continue cooking uncovered on the "Saute" mode until excess liquid is reduced OR you can mix in a cornstarch slurry and cook for 1-2 minutes on the "Saute" mode.
- Mix in green onions and garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave or stovetop