Instant Pot Sticky Chicken
Tender, deliciously juicy, fall-off-the-bone sticky chicken prepared in the Instant Pot with a sweet and savory sticky sauce.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For The Chicken Thighs
- 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
For The Sticky Sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce like Sriracha, use less or more to taste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger or to taste
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds for garnish
- chopped fresh cilantro optional, use for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Brown the chicken. Season the chicken thighs with paprika and ground black pepper, and add the chicken, about 3 chicken thighs at a time, skin side down, to the Instant Pot. Brown the thighs on all sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining chicken thighs.
- Make the sauce. In the meantime, prepare the sauce by whisking together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, minced garlic, and ground ginger.
- Combine the sauce with the chicken. Make sure to arrange the browned chicken evenly on the bottom of the Instant Pot. Pour the prepared sticky sauce over the chicken thighs. Stir the chicken around so it is coated on all sides with the sauce.
- Cook. Lock the lid and pressure cook on HIGH (or Poultry Mode) for 20 minutes. Then, turn off the pot and allow it to release the pressure; about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving plate. Set aside.
- Thicken the sauce. If you'd like to thicken the sauce (optional), scoop out 1/4 cup of the liquid and whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch in it. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and stir the cornstarch mixture into the sauce inside the instant pot; cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened.
- Serve. You can serve the sauce separately or pour it over the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro, and serve.
Notes
- Chicken: This recipe uses bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. However, if you want to use chicken breasts instead of thighs, follow the same method, but cook on the poultry setting (or on manual HIGH) for 10 minutes.
- For a lighter meal, remove the skin: One medium chicken thigh without the skin is 90 calories. One medium chicken thigh with skin is 140 calories. This is all before adding the sauce.
- Browning is Essential: Make sure to brown the chicken thighs adequately. This step not only seals in the juices but also adds a deeper flavor to the final dish.
- Natural Pressure Release: After cooking, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for a few minutes before quick releasing. This helps in keeping the chicken juicy.
- Vegetable Addition: Before pressure cooking, add veggies like bell peppers, onions, or snap peas. They'll cook along with the chicken and absorb the flavorful sauce.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1chicken thigh | Calories: 433kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 633mg | Potassium: 389mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 704IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
