Name: Recipe "Honey Sesame Chicken"
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (chopped); salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil; 0.5 cup yellow onion (diced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 0.5 cup low-sodium soy sauce; 0.25 cup ketchup; 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 tsp sesame oil; 0.5 cup honey; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 3 tbsp cold water; 2 scallions (white and green parts, chopped); cooked rice and roasted broccoli (for serving, optional); chopped scallions and sesame seeds (for garnish, optional)

Here’s what to make next: Baked BBQ Chicken Tacos, Chicken Cacciatore, or Chicken and Dumplings.

How This Honey Sesame Chicken Became a Household Hit

I’ll be honest: weeknight dinners around here can get a little repetitive. But this honey sesame chicken instant pot recipe shook things up. It came from Barbara’s The Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook, and the minute Josh saw it, he grabbed the Instant Pot and announced he was making dinner. I didn’t argue.

Josh is the real Instant Pot pro at our place. He churns out perfect hard-boiled eggs, his cilantro lime rice is legendary, and his chicken chile verde is a three-time request. So when he said this sticky sesame chicken would be better than takeout, I believed him. And it is. The sauce turns sweet and glossy, the chicken stays tender, and the whole thing comes together in 25 minutes flat. It’s one of those recipes that makes you forget you were ever in a dinner rut.

Why You’ll Love This Honey Sesame Chicken Instant Pot Recipe

25 minutes start to finish. From chopping to serving, this dinner moves fast. The Instant Pot does the heavy lifting, and you get sticky, saucy chicken faster than delivery.
Better than takeout flavor. Sweet honey, savory soy, a hint of sesame, this sauce tastes like your favorite Chinese restaurant’s, but you control the ingredients and the salt.
A surefire family favorite. Even picky eaters go for this one. Serve it over rice with broccoli, and everyone cleans their plate.

Key Ingredients for Honey Sesame Chicken

Soy sauce: Low-sodium is key here so the dish isn’t too salty. It provides the savory backbone. For a gluten-free version, swap in tamari.
Honey: The sweet star of the sauce. Use a mild honey like clover or orange blossom so it doesn’t overpower the soy and sesame.
Sesame oil: Adds a nutty, toasty finish. Stir it in after pressure cooking, not before, because high heat can ruin its flavor.

Kitchen Tools Needed for This Instant Pot Recipe

Instant Pot (or any electric pressure cooker) with browning/sauté function
Small whisk for combining the cornstarch slurry
Measuring spoons and a liquid measuring cup
Cutting board and sharp knife for prepping chicken and onion

Tips for Making the Best Honey Sesame Chicken

Don’t skip the sauté step at the beginning. Browning the chicken and softening the onion adds depth that pressure cooking alone can’t create. Also, use a quick pressure release right when the timer goes off, letting it natural release can overcook the chicken and make it tough.

When you add the cornstarch slurry, make sure the pot is on a simmer and stir constantly for about a minute. The sauce will go from thin to thick noticeably fast. If you want it even thicker, whisk another teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir it in.

Honey Sesame Chicken Variations to Try

If you have chicken thighs on hand, use them instead of breasts. They stay even juicier under pressure, just add a minute to the cook time. For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for extra-firm tofu, cut into cubes and sautéed until golden before pressure cooking; use the same sauce and cook for 3 minutes. Want more heat? Increase the red pepper flakes to ½ teaspoon or stir in a squirt of Sriracha with the honey. To keep the recipe gluten-free, make sure you use tamari instead of standard soy sauce.

What to Serve with Honey Sesame Chicken

I always serve this over a bed of steamed white or brown rice to soak up every drop of that sticky sauce. Roasted broccoli is my go-to side, the slight char balances the sweetness. You could also steam snap peas or sauté bok choy in a little sesame oil for a green that echoes the sesame flavor in the chicken. Garnish with extra chopped scallions and a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds right before serving; they add a nice pop of color and crunch.

How to Store Leftover Honey Sesame Chicken

Let the chicken cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauce will thicken as it sits, so don’t be surprised if it turns almost jelly-like, that’s normal. When you reheat it, the sauce loosens back up.

Can You Freeze Honey Sesame Chicken?

Yes, this recipe freezes well. Place cooled chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag, press out air, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Because the cornstarch-thickened sauce can separate after freezing, stir in a teaspoon of fresh cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) while reheating to bring back the glossy texture.

Best Ways to Reheat Honey Sesame Chicken

The easiest method is the microwave, cover the dish and heat in 30-second bursts, stirring each time, until hot. To avoid drying out the chicken, add a tablespoon of water or chicken broth before microwaving. For stovetop reheating, put the chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium-low heat, add a splash of water, and stir until warmed through. This method helps the sauce stay smooth and clingy.

Honey Sesame Chicken FAQs

Can I use frozen chicken breasts?

Yes, but add a minute or two to the pressure cook time. Keep in mind that frozen chicken may release more liquid, making the sauce thinner, so you might need an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to thicken it.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

This recipe is designed for an Instant Pot, but you can adapt it for a slow cooker. Brown the chicken and onion in a skillet first, then transfer to the slow cooker with the soy sauce, ketchup, and pepper flakes. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. Stir in honey, sesame oil, and cornstarch slurry 30 minutes before serving, then cook on high until thickened.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

It can be. Regular soy sauce contains wheat, so use tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce. All other ingredients are naturally gluten-free. Check your ketchup label to be safe.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, but keep the pressure cook time the same. Make sure not to fill the Instant Pot past the max line. You may need to let the sauce simmer a bit longer to thicken fully.

Recipe

Honey Sesame Chicken

This easy Honey Sesame Chicken recipe only takes 25 minutes to make because it is made in the Instant Pot. It is a family favorite and SO much better than takeout!

easyGluten-Free

10 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

Servings

Dinner

Course

Chinese

Cuisine

128 kcal

Calories

Ingredients

Servings

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil
0.5 cup yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
0.5 cup low-sodium soy sauce
0.25 cup ketchup
0.25 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp sesame oil
0.5 cup honey
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp cold water
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
cooked rice and roasted broccoli, for serving, optional
chopped scallions and sesame seeds, for garnish, optional

Instructions

1
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Select Browning/Sauté to preheat the Instant Pot. When hot, add the oil, onion

Nutrition (per serving)

128kcal

Calorie breakdown

Protein19%24 kcal

Fat46%59 kcal

Carbohydrates35%45 kcal

How this was calculated — 15 of 15 ingredients matched

boneless skinless chicken breastsChicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat and skin, raw7 kcal

salt and freshly ground black pepperPepper, banana, raw0 kcal

vegetable oil or canola oilOil, vegetable, Natreon canola, high stability, non trans, high oleic (70%)133 kcal

yellow onionOnions, yellow, raw46 kcal

garlicGarlic, raw15 kcal

low-sodium soy sauceSoy sauce made from soy and wheat (shoyu), low sodium68 kcal

ketchupKetchup, restaurant70 kcal

red pepper flakesPepper, banana, raw0 kcal

sesame oilOil, sesame, salad or cooking88 kcal

honeyHoney roll sausage, beef218 kcal

cornstarchCornstarch114 kcal

cold waterWater, bottled, generic0 kcal

scallionsOnions, spring or scallions (includes tops and bulb), raw1 kcal

cooked rice and roasted broccoliBroccoli, raw0 kcal

chopped scallions and sesame seedsSeeds, sesame butter, tahini, from raw and stone ground kernels6 kcal

Serving size ≈ 90 g · 6 servings

Nutrition information is automatically calculated from USDA FoodData Central, so should only be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and preparation methods used.

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Keyword: Chicken, chinese, dairy-free, easy, gluten-free, honey, instant-pot, Pressure Cooker, quick, sesame

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