This recipe for Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken, using chicken breasts, garlic, ginger, and a few pantry ingredients, makes for a wonderfully savory weeknight meal.
» You might also like these 25 Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes.
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Teriyaki chicken is a dish known for its bold flavors and savory goodness. You’d think making it requires long marination and complicated steps, but with the Instant Pot, none of that is necessary. It actually takes just 6 minutes under high pressure to make this dish and you can cook the rice at the same time.
If you want dinner on the table in 30 minutes, try this Instant Pot version of the Japanese restaurant classic. Pair it with plain steamed rice or noodles for a satisfying meal you’ll be making again and again.
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Ingredients You Need
- Chicken Breasts – This recipe calls for chicken breast because it’s leaner than chicken thighs. You can use whatever boneless, skinless cut of chicken you have, though.
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is the main flavor of Teriyaki sauce, so you add a lot of it. When you use low-sodium, you get better control over the salt content of the final dish.
- Garlic – Adding garlic gives this dish a delicious aroma that makes the sauce absolutely addicting.
- Ginger – Use fresh or dried ginger.
- Honey – Instead of using plain white sugar, honey adds a nice flavor alongside the sweetness. It also helps make the final sauce thicker.
- Rice Vinegar – You can find seasoned and unseasoned rice vinegar, choose seasoned if you want your teriyaki on the sweeter side because it contains sugar.
- Cornstarch – This is the main thickening agent that makes the sauce go from watery to thick, glossy, and luxurious.
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, salt & pepper – If you use low-sodium soy sauce, you’ll want to add extra salt for flavor and the pepper adds a nice spiciness.
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How to Make Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Season the chicken with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Let it marinate in a bowl while you heat up the Instant Pot.
Heat the Instant Pot on sauté mode. When it’s hot, add the oil, then add the chicken to the pot and sauté it, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. You’re not trying to cook the chicken thoroughly, just get a bit of color. Near the end, add the garlic and ginger. Then turn off saute mode.
Pour the soy sauce, water, honey, and vinegar into the pot and stir to combine it all together.
This is the part where you can add the rice to the pot and cook it at the same time. For this, you’ll need a stainless steel bowl and the trivet. Put the rice and water in the bowl. Set the trivet on top of the chicken, then set the bowl on the trivet.
It’s not necessary to cook the rice at the same time, if you don’t want it. It just saves time, so I like to do it. It won’t change the cook time if you do or don’t add the rice.
Close the lid and set the valve to sealing, if that’s necessary for your model. Set it to cook for 6 minutes on high pressure.
When the cooking time is up, allow a 10-minute natural release of pressure and remove the lid.
Take the rice bowl out of the Instant Pot. Turn back on sauté mode so the sauce begins to bubble.
You’ll want to thicken the sauce that remains in the Instant Pot. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Pour it into the sauce in the Instant Pot. Stir it around, then allow it to boil and thicken for a few minutes. When it’s a syrupy consistency, turn off sauté mode.
Serve the chicken with some steamed rice and/or grilled cabbage. Garnish with green onions and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Why Use An Instant Pot?
The Instant Pot is one of the most useful kitchen appliances you can buy, because it drastically cuts down on the cooking time for developing flavors in soups and stews, getting tough cuts of meat tender, and even baking a cheesecake. And there are many accessories that will help you get more out of your Instant Pot.
If you don’t have one yet, check out our guide on which one to buy. Also see our guide to How to Use an Instant Pot for more information.
- Don’t Have an Instant Pot Yet? This guide can help you choose the right one.
- See reviews and prices for Instant Pots on Amazon.
- Learn some great Instant Pot Tips & Tricks.
- Click to find more recipes to make in your Instant Pot.
Possible Substitutions
You can substitute multiple ingredients and still make this killer teriyaki chicken:
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of the chicken breast if you want a richer final dish. It also helps prevent the chicken from drying out if you plan on making this ahead and reheating it.
- You can use regular soy sauce instead of low-sodium, but you won’t want to add any extra salt to the chicken or it might be too salty.
- Use potato starch instead of cornstarch if that’s all you have on hand.
Additional Helpful Tips
- Make sure your Instant pot is hot before you add the chicken to brown it. You don’t want to cook it for too long or it might dry out.
- If you plan to serve this with rice but don’t want to cook the rice at the same time in the Instant Pot, start your rice cooker right before you start cooking the chicken so they’re done at the same time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pre-cooked chicken?
If you’re using leftover rotisserie or roasted chicken, you’re probably better off making the sauce in a regular pot on the stove top. It will be faster. Cube the chicken up and toss it into the sauce to heat it through.
Can I add vegetables to the mix?
If you’re a big fan of vegetables like broccoli or green beans, you can amp up the dish’s nutritional value by adding them. Frozen vegetables work great here, too, if you don’t have fresh to use.
Can I cook the rice at the same time?
You can cook the rice for this dish at the same time in the Instant Pot using the pot-in-pot method. Just add the rice and water to a stainless steel bowl. Put the trivet on top of the chicken, then put the bowl on the trivet. Cook for the same amount of time. The rice will come out perfectly cooked and fluffy.
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Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken
Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts diced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 green onion chopped, for garnish
Optional:
- 1 cup Jasmine rice
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- Heat the Instant Pot on saute mode. When hot, add the oil, then add the chicken to the pot and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and ground ginger. Turn off saute mode.
- Pour the soy sauce, water, honey, and vinegar into the pot and stir to combine.
- If you’re opting to cook the rice at the same time, add the rice and water to a stainless steel bowl. Insert the trivet on top of the chicken and set the bowl on top.
- Close the lid and set the valve to sealing (if necessary for your model). Set to cook for 6 minutes on high pressure. Allow a 10 minute natural release.
- Carefully remove the rice bowl and trivet.
- Turn on saute mode.
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a bowl. Pour it into the Instant Pot. Stir to combine and allow to thickened.
- Serve with rice, garnish with green onions and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Nutrition
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Laura is a passionate home cook and the owner of A Pressure Cooker Kitchen. She is dedicated to helping people create delicious Instant Pot meals with ease. Laura is an expert at developing recipes that can be prepared quickly and easily using a pressure cooker.