This honey garlic chicken is tender, flavorful and the best part is it only takes about 10 minutes to cook in the instant pot! If you love a good soy free and gluten free recipe that checks all your taste bud boxes off, look no further and cook with me!

A bowl of instant pot honey garlic chicken with broccoli and red pepper served with rice. A pair of chopsticks are holding up a piece of chicken

If you need a weeknight meal that is filling and makes great leftovers, this is a great one to add to your list of weekly menu items.

I love that I can reheat this for an easy lunch or quick dinner, it’s so versatile you can switch it up every time and serve over rice or noodles.

You can also use the honey garlic sauce for salmon, noodles or vegetables!

Ingredients for this Instant Pot Chicken Recipe

What type of Chicken to use

I love chicken thighs because they usually are the juicer cut which gives a more flavorful and tender result.

This is just my preference though, please use what you have available, no fuss needed!

However, I also like using chicken breast.

And I promise, when it is cooked properly it is not dry. If you have not tried my oven baked chicken breast, you need to!

Here I am using the same trick, my secret ingredient is arrowroot starch!

Incorporating arrowroot starch in the chicken marinade helps lock in the juices during the cooking process.

Think of it as a barrier that coats your meat and allows it to stay as juicy as you like without adding any unpleasant texture or flavor.

Searing and roasting on high temperatures also helps with locking in the juice and giving you an extra moist chicken breast.

I have found that searing the chicken breast in the instant pot (using the sauté function) elevates the texture of this honey garlic chicken!

Getting a good initial sear will set your meal up for success. There is nothing more unappealing than a chicken breast that has no textural differentiation.

What Vegetables to Add-in

I love adding broccoli and bell pepper.

They add a vibrant color and the perfect crunch.

Since the chicken is already cooked, you will precook the broccoli before combining with the honey garlic chicken. Here are a few methods I like:

  1. Steam in a steamer basket for 5 – 7 minutes while it’s still bright green.
  2. Roast at 375 F for 10 minutes with a generous amount of cooking oil salt to taste.
  3. Saute in a pan with 2 – 3 tablespoon of cooking oil for 8 – 10 minutes or until tender but still bright green.

You can also cook the bell pepper along with the broccoli. But I like to use them raw as a finishing touch. It gives it a little bit of freshness and crunch!

If these two vegetables aren’t your thing, try this 15 Minute Zucchini Mushroom Stir Fry combination. Use the honey garlic chicken and sauce instead.

Step By Step Instruction for This Recipe

In a bowl, add chicken and the rest of the marinade.
Combine and cover. Let it marinate.

For the best result, let the chicken marinate in the fridge overnight, or at least for half an hour while you prep other vegetables.

Now it’s time to heat that Instant pot up.

Turn on the sauté function on the insta pot and heat up some oil (about 2 tablespoons).
Toss in your finely chopped garlic and stir until nicely browned,
Add in the chicken with all the marinade juices and sear on both sides for a few minutes each side.
Stir to combine all and seal the lid of the insta pot and cook on high for 8 minutes.
Add in your slurry mixture of 1 tablespoon of arrowroot powder and 2 tablespoons of water. This will help thicken up your sauce. Stir in cooked broccoli and bell pepper.

Ways to Enjoy This Recipe

Enjoy this over rice, noodles or as a lettuce wrap!

You can even throw in some precooked veggies like broccoli or bell peppers to add some color and crunch.

I also love topping this dish with finely sliced green onion or sesame seeds for garnish.

Perfect for Meal Prep

Store in a air tight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Here is a meal prep tip. Use a glass container so you can easily stick them in the microwave to heat up. You can also save them in individual portion along with rice or noodles.

It makes the perfect meal prep or quick dinner for the whole family to enjoy!

I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS

Get the recipe:Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken {15 Minutes}

This healthy and easy honey garlic chicken recipe can be made in an instant pot in 15 minutes. It is tender juicy and so flavorful!
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Ingredients

  • 1.5 lb chicken breast or chicken thighs cubed
  • 1/3 cup coconut aminos
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste. I didn’t need additional salt for this recipe because the coconut aminos is salty itself
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
  • 1/2 cup broth
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot flour, Addtional *

Equipment

Instructions 

  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine chicken, coconut aminos, garlic powder, honey and starch together. Cover and let it marinade.
  • Marinate for at least half an hour or for best result cover and marinate over night in the fridge.
  • In an instant pot, use the sautee function and heat up 2 tbsp of oil.
  • Add 3 cloves of minced garlic in, stir immediately to prevent burning. Sautte 15 – 20 seconds or until lightly brown.
  • Add the chicken along with all the marinade. Sear the chicken for a few minutes if possible (It might be too crowded if you are using more than 1 lb of chicken).
  • Add broth and stir well.
  • Seal the cap and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
  • Mix 1 heaping tbsp of arrowroot starch with 2 tbsp of water. Pour across the cooked chicken. Combine immediately and continue to stir until the juice thickens.
  • If you want to add vegetables like broccoli and red bell pepper picture here. Precook the broccoli and add it to the chicken after the chicken is cooked.
  • Serve with rice or in lettuce wrap. Enjoy!

Notes

*Mix 1 tablespoon of arrowroot starch with 2 tablespoons of filtered water to pour into the honey garlic chicken broth at the end. 
This step will thicken the sauce to make it sticky.

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang