20 Minutes Asian Pulled Chicken {Instant Pot}
Sweet, savory, juicy, and ready in 20 minutes — this Asian Pulled Chicken is your busy-mom dinner hero! Made with coconut aminos, honey, garlic, and ginger, it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender and bursting with flavor. Perfect for sliders, tacos, quesadillas, or rice bowls.
Servings: 6 Servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cloves of garlic smashed
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup chicken broth optional: if your Instant Pot often gives “burn” warnings
- 2 tsp cornstarch optional: for thickening the sauce
Instructions
Add ingredients:
- Place chicken thighs in the Instant Pot. Pour in Shaoxing wine, coconut aminos, honey, garlic, and ginger.
- (Optional: Let it marinate 30 minutes for extra flavor.)
Pressure cook:
- Close the lid, set valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 13–15 minutes.
- Allow natural release for 5 minutes, then flip valve to Venting to release remaining pressure.
Shred:
- Remove the lid and shred chicken directly in the pot with two forks or a hand mixer.
Thicken (optional):
- For a glossy, sticky glaze, remove chicken and switch to Sauté mode. Stir cornstarch slurry into the sauce and simmer 3–5 minutes until thickened. Return chicken to pot and toss to coat.
Notes
- No Shaoxing wine? Substitute with dry sherry, mirin, or chicken broth.
- Soy-free: Coconut aminos keep this dish gluten-free and soy-free.
- Extra flavor: Add sliced green onions or sesame seeds for garnish before serving.
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❤️ Mom Tip
Make a double batch and freeze half — you’ll thank yourself on those chaotic weeknights when everyone’s hungry now.