Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

Name: Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts; salt and pepper (to taste); 1 cup honey; ½ cup soy sauce; ½ cup diced onion; ¼ cup ketchup; 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil ((or canola oil or olive oil)); 2 cloves garlic (minced); ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes ((more or less, depending on how much heat yoou prefer)); 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (dissolved in 3 Tablespoons of water); sesame seeds (optional topping); sliced green onions (optional topping)

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4.67 from 3 votes

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Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken has quickly become one of the most popular recipes on our site! Dinner is ready in a matter of minutes using your Instant Pot, including the rice.

I love a good Instant Pot chicken recipe, and this Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe is even better than eating at the Chinese restaurant.

Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken on a plate over rice with broccoli

With simple sauce ingredients, and not much meal prep, you will have a tender chicken recipe served over either some jasmine rice or cauliflower rice (if you are trying to be healthy), that the whole family will love.

Since you will be cooking the chicken in a savory sauce in high pressure you will have your easy chicken recipe made for dinner tonight in less cooking time than if you were to make it over the stove top or in a slow cooker, and it will be a huge hit!

Ingredients needed to make Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

Ingredient Notes

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
Honey
Soy sauce
Diced onion
Ketchup
Vegetable oil (sesame oil or canola oil or olive oil)
Cloves garlic minced
Red pepper flakes (more or less, depending on how much heat yoou prefer)
Cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tablespoons of water
Sesame seeds optional topping
Sliced green onions optional topping

How to make Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

Place your chicken in the bottom of the Instant Pot.

In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour sauce over chicken.

Chicken breast in the Instant Pot with sauce poured over the chicken

Place the lid on top of the Instant Pot and move the valve to SEALING. Press the MANUAL (PRESSURE COOK) button and set timer for 25 minutes if chicken is frozen (or 18 minutes if chicken is thawed).
When the timer is done, do a QUICK RELEASE of the pressure (move the valve from SEALING to VENTING to release the pressure).
Remove the lid and remove the chicken from the pot.
Dissolve 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch in 3 Tablespoons of water in a small bowl and pour into your Instant Pot. Stir to combine with sauce. Push the SAUTE button and cook sauce for about 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Shred the chicken and then return to pot and toss with sauce before serving.

Pouring thickened sauce over shredded chicken

Serve chicken on cooked rice and top with sesame seeds and diced green onions, if desired.

Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken on a plate with rice and broccoli

Storing and Other Tips

When the entire family is done eating and if there are any left overs, the best way to package this recipe is in an airtight container for next time.

You can store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or even freeze the chicken until you want to eat it again for an easy weeknight meal. If you freeze it, it will last for about 3 months in the freezer.

Want to cook your rice in the Instant Pot as well?

Rinse and drain 2 cups of rice (I like white rice and jasmine rice) and dump it into your Instant Pot. Add 2 cups of water. Place the lid on top of the Instant Pot and move the valve to SEALING. Press the MANUAL (PRESSURE COOK) button and set timer for 10 minutes, then do a QUICK RELEASE of the pressure. You will have PERFECT rice!

How to turn this into a freezer meal:

Place chicken, salt, pepper, honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, vegetable oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes into a gallon-sized freezer bag. Place freezer bag into freezer and it will last up to 90 days.

When ready to use, dump ingredients from bag into Instant Pot and add 1/2 cup of water in with the frozen food. Place the lid on top, move the valve to SEALING, and press the MANUAL button. Set timer for 25 minutes. Do a 5 minute NATURAL RELEASE when the timer is done. Follow the rest of the instructions as written.

Serving Suggestions

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Questions & Reviews

Cathy says:

Do you have a recommendation of what to do for a slow cooker? I don't have an Instant Pot
Cherie Cabral says:

So is Instant Pot basically a pressure cooker?
Kris says:

Yes It is a Pressure Cooker!
Kris says:

Yes! Here is the recipe for the slow cooker: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/01/slow-cooker-honey-sesame-chicken-recipe.html
Michelle says:

Would I need to up the time if I used frozen chicken breasts?
Cyd says:

You will need to add about 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time for frozen chicken.
Rachelle says:

Would if I made this into a freezer meal? I'm trying to do some before baby comes. Do u know how much to cook for etc if it was all frozen? It have u done any freezer meals for the instant pot?
Kris says:

I have not done freezer meals with the Instant Pot yet. I'm still trying to figure out how the Instant Pot works, and my last freezer meal with the Instant Pot didn't work! ha ha! But stay tuned, I'm going to get the Instant Pot figured out!
Tami M. says:

I have a power cooker xl I received for Christmas. I am having trouble getting things done per recipes given in book that was included. I wonder if it is the high altitude. I live in Cedar City, Utah. Do you have any suggestions?
Rachel J. says:

This tasted really good, but when I did the quick release it splattered all over the place! I'm assuming this didn't happen to you? The only alteration I did was using only 2 chicken breasts.
panda says:

About to make this...but would like to add some veggies on the side or to the actual dish. Do you have any suggestions for which green vegetable might pair well with this chicken dish? Thanks.
Jessica says:

It happened to me too! Sesame Honey sauce EVERYWHERE!
Jessica says:

I am new to pressure cooking and made this last night. The flavor was great but my chicken was really overcooked. I used 3 large breasts, cut up. (they were really big!) I cooked it for 20 min on High - I have the Cuisinart PC, not IP - and then did the quick release which made a huge mess! Like I said, the flavor was good, but way overcooked. Was it because I cut up the chicken first? And why the big mess? Thanks for any advice!
Sian Leitz says:

May I ask how big the chicken breasts should be?
Cyd says:

4 chicken breasts is about 2 pounds of chicken.
Sian Leitz says:

Thank you!
Sian Leitz says:

me too! I have never had such an explosion
Sarah says:

Do you clean out the instant pot before you put the rice in it? I didn't know if the flavors from the chicken made the rice even better.
Stefani Hutchison says:

I just made this today and it was delicious! I did not change any ingredients, but I did reserve one cup of the sauce before I thickened it. To that I added one cup of water to make two cups of liquid and I cooked the rice in the Instant Pot in that. It was SO yummy!
Jodie says:

My family had this tonight and it was very good. This was my first recipe in my instant pot. My rice was a little gummy. Do you know why this might of happened? My husband thought the chicken was a little dry. I'm not sure what I did wrong. Any suggestions?
Mike M says:

For those who are having messy explosions when doing quick release: There are different sizes of Instant Pot, and a small one may be filled too full if following a lot of family recipes. There is a Max fill line inside my pot for pressure cooking. If the food gets above that level, it can be released through the valve and cause a mess and possible damage to the Instant Pot.
annorien says:

Snow peas, carrots, onions.
annorien says:

I am glad I read the comments. I did not quick release. I let it go naturally for 10 minutes then slowly released the rest of the pressure. You did not specify whether to set the he pressure cooker for high, medium , or low so I went with high. I used the sauce in my rice as commented on below but thickening the sauce for a glaze sounds good too. I did my rice in the microwave though but it still turned out good. I will make this one again.
Laurel says:

I would definitely do broccoli with this. Maybe some bell pepper, too.
wendy says:

This recipe christened my 8ltr Instant Pot soon after the water test! Yay! The chicken was melt in the mouth and the flavour was moreish. Hubby was so impressed too. I substituted tamari for soy sauce, but I think next time I'll use coconut aminos for a lighter taste. Oh, and I ran out of honey, so used ½ cup honey and ½ cup water to keep the liquid ratio. Turned out scrumptious but I'll use the full cup of honey next time. Total success. Thank you! Look forward to trying more of your recipes in Instant Pot and bookmarking sixsistersstuff.com. Why didn't I buy an Instant Pot sooner?! Again, thanks for an easy and yummy first Instant Pot meal.
Sue Cook says:

Hubby gave me Crockpot Express and I had never heard of it!! It' a bit intimidating, but I plan to try one of your recipes tomorrow.
Jamie says:

So the chicken breast go directly into the bottom of the pan? Not on the trivet?
Kristy Johnson says:

My exact thought as well. Trivet or no?
Kerianne Peaden says:

Hey! I'm making this in about an hour but have a question- my chicken breasts are frozen (I forgot to thaw them). How long should I cook the chicken? Also, does it need to be on the meat\stew option or the pressure option? Thanks in advance!
Alissa says:

Me too! ?
Ashley says:

How much cooking time would you add, if the recipe is doubled?
vic says:

I loved it - very tender chicken, but next time I will use half the honey.
J says:

I saw a video where someone draped a kitchen towel over the steam vent before using tongs to release the steam. I think I will try this technique when I make this recipe!
Mar says:

In my experience, 20 min. is too long for chicken breasts. I get much better results cooking 10 min., then doing 10 min. natural release. Chicken retains juices and is more tender. Plus no splattering!
Mar says:

I meant to say boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Kirsten peay says:

Loved your sesame chicken recipe for the instant pot. It was my first time using the pot and I’m happy I made your recipe! It was fantastic! My husband was licking the serving spoon! Thanks?
Becky says:

made this yesterday but couldn't get the sauce to thicken! I followed the instructions and even added a little more corn starch/water combination but it still didn't help. Sauce ran all over our plates and didn't adhere to rice. Don't think I'll make this again, Disappointed.
Rose Castro says:

Absolutely Delicious. Easy and tender . We served this with steamed broccoli and Jasmine rice.
Tamara says:

I read through the comments, no one answered to the rice question. Do you rinse out the pot before doing your rice?
Tamara says:

AMAZING RECIPIE! I made it from frozen chicken so I added 5 min and that was all it needed. Rinsed out the pot before making rice. The idea that the insta pot saves dishes is a misnomer however....unless you own more then one pot! hmmmmmmm.....
Cyd says:

We did not rinse out the pot before cooking the rice. But you can if you want.
Sarah says:

This works very well with HALF the amount of honey (1/2 cup, not a full cup). 1 cup is way too expensive for me, and it’s plenty sweet with 1/2. Also, if you cut the chicken into chunks before putting in the pot (do while they’re partially frozen and it’s even easier to cut them) you can cook the meat in 4 minutes, with a quick release. Then just put the pot on sauté and stir in the cornstarch slurry and it thickens right up. Less than 15 minutes, including the time it takes for the pot to come to pressure with partially-frozen meat in it.
Barbara says:

I totally agree. 20 minutes for boneless chicken breasts is way too long. Other recipes I've done using boneless chicken breasts is right around 10 minutes with a natural release of at least 5. As far as doubling the amount of chicken, from what I've been told the number of breasts doesn't change the cooking time. Pressure cookers cook each piece "individually" not as a whole, so 2 breasts or 4 breasts doesnt really matter.
Melanie says:

Has anyone tried this recipe with agave instead of honey?
CLJ says:

I’ve read the recipe over and over... what do we do with the oil??
Kris says:

Hi there! You mix it in the bowl, with the ketchup, onion, soy sauce, etc. Then you pour it on! Hope this helps!
Kris says:

Yes you do rinse out your bowl. You want a fresh one to start the rice.
Tammy W says:

Made this and loved it (the whole family did)! A few things that helped this to come out just right: --For the amount of liquid this calls for, I used 3.5lbs of chicken breasts, I cut them in half bc they were large, and I only cooked them for 8 mins on high (and they were juicy) --I used 1tbsp avovado oil and 1.5 tbsp of dark sesame oil --I did 5tsp of corn starch in 6tbsp of water (and the sauce was perfection in regards to consistency) The next time I do it I will cut the honey in half though, realizing how sweet it is the second time around :)
Christine says:

I don’t use a trivet.
Kimberly says:

That is why I just gave in and got a instapot this Christmas! I couldn't following recipes with my xl. Sorry! I feel your pain!!
Abigail Kennedy says:

I made this recipe and used 1 pound of chicken tenderloins in the crockpot instead of the breasts. I cooked them in the instant pot for 6 minutes and quick released once done. I also as a personal preference halved the amount of honey so 1/2 cup of honey and added 1/2 cup of water. I also added some hot sauce for a little bit of a kick to the sauce. I paired this with some jasmine rice and it turned out delicious!
Kim Hefley says:

This was excellent! Even better with broccoli, which I added in after the chicken 😋
Jennifer Getter says:

It says to use the meat setting. My instant pot has a poultry setting. Which should I use?
Cyd says:

Do not use poultry setting. Use Manual/Pressure cook in place of meat.
Summer says:

What is the serving size and calories due this dish
Kimberly C says:

Actually it’s the power cooker xl. I had been using pressure cookers prior to buying the xl. I cooked a few times in the xl. It was very difficult to use and resulted in a lot of inconsistencies in my meals. I was so frustrated that I gave it away and then went and purchased both the 6- and 8-quart Instant Pots and have been thrilled with the ease of use and consistency. In fact, I don’t even use my previously and frequently used pressure cookers because they are nonstick and have slightly ambiguous controls. I so prefer the Instant Pot machines. I use my several times throughout the week.
Shirlene Kohnlein says:

I put baby carrots in with my rice and they were perfect! My husband couldn't get enough of it!
Francine Scheufler says:

Made the honey sesame chicken tonight and could hardly believe how delicious it is. This is definitely going to go in my lineup of favorites. Thank you, Sisters!
Sara French says:

This recipe is the easiest and has amazing flavors
Jill w says:

I got a burn message. I don’t know how long it was cooking when this came up. Chicken came out rubbery. What did I do wrong ?
Janessa Kimmel says:

Did the chicken come out over cooked? I usually only cook chicken breast for 8-10 minutes.
Janessa Kimmel says:

I usually only cook chicken breast (with no bone) for 8-10 Min. 20 is way too long.
Monika says:

was looking for something easy to throw in the instant pot for my lunches this week at work. This is very good and very easy. Husband was sad I had none left for his lunches!
Shelley says:

I am new to Instant Pot and am loving your recipes! This chicken was delicious and is my new favorite so far. I paired it with broccoli and enjoyed the sauce on the broccoli so much that I combined for our leftovers. Thanks for the wonderful recipes!!
Momma Cyd says:

This is an easy Instant Pot recipe. We are so glad you like it!
Amy says:

Why did you take down the slow cooker recipe? I get a 404 error now.
Momma Cyd says:

It's still there. Here is the link. https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/slow-cooker-honey-sesame-chicken-recipe/
Leslie says:

My husband and I love this recipe! We make it once a week! Because it’s just the two of us, I halve the ingredients in my 6 quart instant pot and decrease the cooking time by 3 minutes. Your recipe is 5 star for sure!
Bronwyn Moore says:

It’s me and my 3 guys. I have 2 of the pickiest eaters EVER… My guys loved loved loved this chicken. In fact I doubled it and when dinner was over there was NO leftovers..lol Thank you so much. Love from Carrollton, Ga
Momma Cyd says:

We are so glad to hear that your picky eaters loved the Honey Sesame chicken!
Danielle Ibsen says:

I'm so happy I found your Copycat book, that led me to your videos!
Paz Thomas says:

Tried this to tonight and my family loves it thank you so much!
Brianne M. says:

This was a staple in our house for years. I hadn't made it in a while and was planning on using my instant pot. I panicked when my pinned recipe link ended in a 404 error! A quick search and I was doubly-delighted to find that you'd updated the recipe for the instant pot!
Shaine Genco says:

Hi! To make this as a freezer meal, do I need to cook the chicken before freezing? Thank you for any clarity!
Momma Cyd says:

Scroll down to the bottom of the recipe card and it tells you how to make this into a freezer meal.
Kristin says:

Do you think this could work inside of a crockpot?
Steph @ Six Sisters says:

Oh absolutely! You'll need to adjust the cooking time, but it should turn out just fine! It's similar to our Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken, if you are looking for a recipe time to model it after! Good luck - if you try it, let us know how it goes!
Jessie says:

Just pulled this out of my freezer to thaw so I can cook it tomorrow. The chicken is frozen solid, but the honey sauce is still softish because of the honey. Do you think it's good/safe to eat?
Bobbi @ Six Sisters says:

Yes it should be just fine to eat. I hope you let us know how it turned out!