Instant Pot Chinese Sesame Chicken Video

Why We Love This Instant Pot Sesame Chicken Recipe

Everyone in our family is crazy over Asian cuisine, especially the kids. If I ask either of my kids what they want me to cook for dinner it’s almost always Chinese Hot Pots, Korean Pajun Veggie Pancakes, Beef Bulgogi, Cantonese Lo Mein, Thai Panang Chicken Curry, and so on. Now that I’ve (finally) bought an Instant Pot, I decided to try cooking some beloved Asian dishes in it, and I think I’ve got a winner! Today’s Instant Pot Chinese Sesame Chicken, is so fast and easy to make. Plus, it’s a healthy sesame chicken recipe, compared to takeout sesame chicken. And it is a definite family favorite! Our Instant Pot Chinese Sesame Chicken is not deep fried, so you lose the fat and calories from breading and fry oil, yet it still offers bold spicy-sweet flavors, and a deep nutty sesame note.

What’s the Difference Between Sesame Chicken, General Tso’s Chicken, and Orange Chicken?

People often get these three dishes confused, due to their similarities. All three are traditionally deep-fried chicken recipes, bathed in a sticky-sweet glaze. Think of sesame chicken as the “mother” recipe. It’s salty, sweet, and light on heat, with rich undertones and sesame seeds sprinkled over the bites of chicken. The glaze is usually brown to reddish-brown from the addition of soy sauce, brown sugar (or honey for Honey Sesame Chicken Recipes,) and sometimes tomato. General Tso’s is very similar. However, it usually does not contain sesame seeds, but does offer a good bit of spice from the addition of chiles. Of the three, General Tso’s chicken is the most likely to be served with additional vegetables mixed in, like bell peppers and onions. Orange chicken is usually the sweetest of the bunch. It is not normally spicy or covered in sesame seeds. However, it does have a unique orange essence from the inclusion of orange peel and/or orange juice. Although there is a stand-out element in all three dishes, they are very much alike, so recipes do overlap at times. In today’s Instant Pot Chinese Sesame Chicken Recipe, I’ve included all the best attributes of classic sesame chicken, yet have cut the fat and added a touch of spicy heat. Does this make it General Tso’s Chicken? Nah.

Ingredients You Need

Chicken – Chicken breasts or chicken thighs will work here, just dice them up into bite sized pieces. Cornstarch – For that crispy texture! Sesame Oil – Adds a nutty flavor. Aromatics – Includes onions, garlic, and fresh ginger! Sauce – The delicious sesame chicken sauce includes brown sugar, soy sauce, dry sherry, and chili garlic sauce! Garnish – Top it all off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions.

How to Make Instant Pot Chinese Sesame Chicken

Start by sautéing onions, garlic, and ginger in sesame oil. Coat chunks of chicken breast in cornstarch and then brown them in the oil while on saute mode. Add the ingredients for the sauce and stir to coat the chicken. Then lock the lid into place and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 3 minutes. Once it’s done, safely release the steam and remove the lid. Sprinkle your perfect pressure cooker sesame chicken with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve it with rice, or steamed vegetables for a low(er) carb meal! If you want to make the chicken and the rice in the pressure cooker, I would make the rice first, then clean out the pot and move onto the sesame chicken.

Serving Suggestions

One of the classic ways to serve this Instant Pot sesame chicken recipe is with a side of piping hot rice! You can also make rice in your Instant Pot, if you prefer. You can serve them with a number of other take-out inspired side dishes as well. Here are some of my personal favorites:

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