Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe

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4.67 from 3 votes
Published: November 8, 2021Updated: January 25, 2022Author: Kristen Hills
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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.
Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe

One of our very first recipes on Six Sisters’ Stuff was our Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken. Little did we know back then just how popular it would become!

It quickly jumped to our most popular recipe and it’s stayed there for about 6 years, even still today!

We knew we had to be able to convert this recipe over to the Instant Pot, and we’ve had so many requests to do so.

Turns out, it only takes about 30 minutes to make in the instant pot and is just as good, if not BETTER than the slow cooker version.

Another of our favorite Instant Pot recipes: Instant Pot Parmesan Ranch Chicken and Potatoes <- – – – so good!

Instant Pot

What is an Instant Pot?

Haven’t jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon yet? Well, you may want to consider it just for this recipe alone!

Instant Pot is a seven-in-one multi-cooker that works as an electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, warmer, and sauté pan all in one.

Sounds a little too good to be true, but we promise it’s worth every penny! I haven’t used my slow cooker in weeks, which is saying a lot for this 3-4 times a week slow cooking girl!

Check out the reviews on the Instant Pot on Amazon and join the 1000’s of people who LOVE it! You can read about it HERE.

Sesame Sauce in a bowl for Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

How to make Honey Sesame Chicken in the Instant Pot

  1. Place your chicken in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
  2. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken and put your Instant Pot lid on and seal.
  3. Cook on the Meat setting for 20 minutes and then quick release once the 20 minutes is up. Remove chicken from pot, leaving the sauce.
  4. Dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and pour into your Instant Pot with the sauce.
  5. Stir to combine. Push the Saute button and cook sauce for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
  6. Cut or shred your chicken into bite sized pieces, and return to pot and toss with sauce before serving.
  7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles.
  8. You can also sprinkle more red pepper flakes on top if you want more heat.

Related Recipe: Try our Sticky Sesame Chicken it’s ready in just 20 Minutes!

Shredded Chicken for Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
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Can I cook my rice in the instant pot?

Yes!

Remove your chicken and set it aside. I rinsed my instant pot a few times in the sink as well. To make rice in your Instant Pot you need to have the same ratio rice as you do water.

Rinse and drain 2 cups of rice (I like to use white rice and jasmine rice) and dump it into your Instant Pot. Add 2 cups of water. Seal your instant pot with the lid and push the Rice button. It will cook for 10 minutes then quick release. You will have PERFECT rice!

How to turn this Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken 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.
Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken served over rice on a plate

Instant Pot Recipes on Six Sisters’ Stuff

Looking for more delicious instant pot recipes to try? Here are a few of our favorites!

Serves: 6

Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken Recipe

4.67 from 3 votes
The best chicken to serve over rice! One of the most popular recipes on our site.
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Pressurize Time 10 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Print Pin

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

Instructions

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Serve chicken on cooked rice and top with sesame seeds and diced green onions, if desired.
  • You can also sprinkle more red pepper flakes on top if you want more heat.

Notes

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 381 kcal · Carbohydrates: 54 g · Protein: 27 g · Fat: 8 g · Saturated Fat: 4 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 73 mg · Sodium: 1307 mg · Potassium: 547 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 49 g · Vitamin A: 110 IU · Vitamin C: 3 mg · Calcium: 20 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

  • Instant Pot (or Pressure Cooker)
  • Small Mixing Bowl

Recipe Details

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian

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Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken served over rice with a salad on the side

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  1. Cathy says:
    February 7, 2017
    Do you have a recommendation of what to do for a slow cooker? I don't have an Instant Pot
    Reply
    • Kris says:
      February 7, 2017
      Yes! Here is the recipe for the slow cooker: https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/01/slow-cooker-honey-sesame-chicken-recipe.html
      Reply
      • Amy says:
        January 16, 2021
        Why did you take down the slow cooker recipe? I get a 404 error now.
        Reply
        • Momma Cyd says:
          January 18, 2021
          It's still there. Here is the link. https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/slow-cooker-honey-sesame-chicken-recipe/
          Reply
  2. Cherie Cabral says:
    February 7, 2017
    So is Instant Pot basically a pressure cooker?
    Reply
    • Kris says:
      February 7, 2017
      Yes It is a Pressure Cooker!
      Reply
  3. Michelle says:
    February 7, 2017
    Would I need to up the time if I used frozen chicken breasts?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      February 7, 2017
      You will need to add about 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time for frozen chicken.
      Reply
  4. Rachelle says:
    February 9, 2017
    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?
    Reply
    • Kris says:
      February 14, 2017
      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!
      Reply
    • Francine Scheufler says:
      September 6, 2020
      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!
      Reply
  5. Tami M. says:
    February 22, 2017
    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?
    Reply
    • Kimberly says:
      February 5, 2019
      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!!
      Reply
    • Kimberly C says:
      June 12, 2020
      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.
      Reply
  6. Rachel J. says:
    March 4, 2017
    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.
    Reply
    • Jessica says:
      March 7, 2017
      It happened to me too! Sesame Honey sauce EVERYWHERE!
      Reply
      • Sian Leitz says:
        September 9, 2017
        me too! I have never had such an explosion
        Reply
        • Alissa says:
          January 18, 2018
          Me too! ?
          Reply
          • J says:
            January 30, 2018
            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!
  7. panda says:
    March 7, 2017
    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.
    Reply
    • annorien says:
      November 7, 2017
      Snow peas, carrots, onions.
      Reply
    • Laurel says:
      November 7, 2017
      I would definitely do broccoli with this. Maybe some bell pepper, too.
      Reply
    • Shirlene Kohnlein says:
      June 17, 2020
      I put baby carrots in with my rice and they were perfect! My husband couldn't get enough of it!
      Reply
  8. Jessica says:
    March 7, 2017
    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!
    Reply
  9. Sian Leitz says:
    August 22, 2017
    May I ask how big the chicken breasts should be?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      August 23, 2017
      4 chicken breasts is about 2 pounds of chicken.
      Reply
      • Sian Leitz says:
        August 28, 2017
        Thank you!
        Reply
  10. Sarah says:
    September 12, 2017
    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.
    Reply
  11. Stefani Hutchison says:
    October 1, 2017
    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!
    Reply
  12. Jodie says:
    October 20, 2017
    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?
    Reply
  13. Mike M says:
    November 7, 2017
    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.
    Reply
  14. annorien says:
    November 7, 2017
    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.
    Reply
  15. wendy says:
    November 19, 2017
    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.
    Reply
  16. Sue Cook says:
    January 2, 2018
    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.
    Reply
  17. Jamie says:
    January 2, 2018
    So the chicken breast go directly into the bottom of the pan? Not on the trivet?
    Reply
    • Kristy Johnson says:
      January 4, 2018
      My exact thought as well. Trivet or no?
      Reply
      • Christine says:
        January 20, 2019
        I don’t use a trivet.
        Reply
  18. Kerianne Peaden says:
    January 4, 2018
    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!
    Reply
  19. Ashley says:
    January 22, 2018
    How much cooking time would you add, if the recipe is doubled?
    Reply
  20. vic says:
    January 27, 2018
    I loved it - very tender chicken, but next time I will use half the honey.
    Reply
  21. Mar says:
    March 13, 2018
    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!
    Reply
    • Mar says:
      March 13, 2018
      I meant to say boneless skinless chicken breasts.
      Reply
    • Barbara says:
      July 2, 2018
      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.
      Reply
  22. Kirsten peay says:
    March 18, 2018
    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?
    Reply
  23. Becky says:
    March 26, 2018
    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.
    Reply
  24. Rose Castro says:
    April 7, 2018
    Absolutely Delicious. Easy and tender . We served this with steamed broccoli and Jasmine rice.
    Reply
  25. Tamara says:
    April 21, 2018
    I read through the comments, no one answered to the rice question. Do you rinse out the pot before doing your rice?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      April 23, 2018
      We did not rinse out the pot before cooking the rice. But you can if you want.
      Reply
    • Kris says:
      November 16, 2018
      Yes you do rinse out your bowl. You want a fresh one to start the rice.
      Reply
  26. Tamara says:
    April 21, 2018
    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.....
    Reply
  27. Sarah says:
    May 25, 2018
    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.
    Reply
  28. Melanie says:
    October 14, 2018
    Has anyone tried this recipe with agave instead of honey?
    Reply
  29. CLJ says:
    November 13, 2018
    I’ve read the recipe over and over... what do we do with the oil??
    Reply
    • Kris says:
      November 16, 2018
      Hi there! You mix it in the bowl, with the ketchup, onion, soy sauce, etc. Then you pour it on! Hope this helps!
      Reply
  30. Tammy W says:
    December 13, 2018
    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 :)
    Reply
  31. Abigail Kennedy says:
    March 9, 2019
    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!
    Reply
  32. Kim Hefley says:
    July 2, 2019
    This was excellent! Even better with broccoli, which I added in after the chicken 😋
    Reply
  33. Jennifer Getter says:
    January 5, 2020
    It says to use the meat setting. My instant pot has a poultry setting. Which should I use?
    Reply
    • Cyd says:
      January 8, 2020
      Do not use poultry setting. Use Manual/Pressure cook in place of meat.
      Reply
  34. Summer says:
    April 16, 2020
    What is the serving size and calories due this dish
    Reply
  35. Sara French says:
    September 14, 2020
    This recipe is the easiest and has amazing flavors
    Reply
  36. Jill w says:
    November 4, 2020
    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 ?
    Reply
    • Janessa Kimmel says:
      December 7, 2020
      I usually only cook chicken breast (with no bone) for 8-10 Min. 20 is way too long.
      Reply
  37. Janessa Kimmel says:
    December 7, 2020
    Did the chicken come out over cooked? I usually only cook chicken breast for 8-10 minutes.
    Reply
  38. Monika says:
    December 7, 2020
    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!
    Reply
    • Momma Cyd says:
      December 9, 2020
      This is an easy Instant Pot recipe. We are so glad you like it!
      Reply
  39. Shelley says:
    December 9, 2020
    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!!
    Reply
  40. Leslie says:
    May 29, 2021
    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!
    Reply
  41. Bronwyn Moore says:
    November 10, 2021
    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
    Reply
    • Momma Cyd says:
      November 11, 2021
      We are so glad to hear that your picky eaters loved the Honey Sesame chicken!
      Reply
  42. Danielle Ibsen says:
    December 15, 2021
    I'm so happy I found your Copycat book, that led me to your videos!

    5 stars

    Reply
  43. Paz Thomas says:
    January 15, 2022
    Tried this to tonight and my family loves it thank you so much!

    5 stars

    Reply
  44. Brianne M. says:
    March 3, 2022
    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!

    4 stars

    Reply
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