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Instant Pot Chinese Chicken

Published Apr 29, 2019 By Julia 7 CommentsThis post may contain affiliate links.

Summary:
Instant Pot Chinese chicken thighs with unbelievably tender meat, coated with a rich and flavorful sauce. It's my low carb/keto and pressure cooker take on the popular dish Three Cup Chicken. For more Chinese dishes, visit Asian Takeout Recipes.
closeup view of keto asian chicken with low carb sauce

Instant Pot Chinese Chicken

5 from 1 vote
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Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Yield: 3 servings
Calories: 360
Net Carbs: 7.5g

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless fresh chicken thighs
  • 10 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
  • 2- inch piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced widthwise
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil (or your preferred cooking oil)

Marinade/Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (not regular soy sauce, which may be too salty)
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry or shaoxing wine
  • 1 teaspoon corn starch

Flavorings Added At The End:

  • 5 scallions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup (1/2 ounce weight) fresh thai or italian basil leaves, halved lengthwise

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk soy sauce, dry sherry, and corn starch until dissolved.
  • Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Trim off excess fat with kitchen shears. Cut the chicken into 2-inch chunks.
  • Add chicken pieces to the mixing bowl with the sauce, stirring together until the chicken is well-coated with sauce. Arrange the chicken so they’re mostly submerged. Set aside on the countertop to let them marinate while you work on the next step.
  • Add oil, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes to the pressure cooker pot. Turn on the saute setting for medium heat. Cook until the garlic is browned and softening, about 10 minutes after turning on the heat, stirring occasionally. Turn off the saute setting.
  • Carefully pour all of the contents of the mixing bowl (both chicken and marinade) into the pot, and briefly stir everything together. Cover and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release.
  • Uncover. Turn on the saute setting for medium heat. Boil until the liquid starts to develop a sauce-like consistency, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. Turn off the saute setting.
  • Briefly stir in scallions and basil, and serve.

NUTRITION

Makes 3 Servings
Amount Per Serving:
Calories 360  
Total Fat 19g 29%
   Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 182mg 61%
Sodium 940mg 39%
Net Carb 7.5g  
Total Carb 8.5g 3%
   Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
   Sugars 4g  
Protein 37g  
Vitamin A 16% · Vitamin C 10% · Calcium 5% · Iron 21%

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instant pot chinese chicken served with scallions and basil

A Weeknight Dinner That Beats Takeout

This is a fast-moving recipe without much active cooking involved, and deserves a spot in your weeknight dinner rotation. To save time, the chicken’s marinating time is “built-in” to the recipe; the chicken soaks in the marinade while you’re cooking the aromatics (ginger, garlic, red pepper). Another time saver is skipping the browning of meat as you typically see in recipes, so the chicken goes from raw to being pressure cooked. And for simplicity, the liquid in the recipe serves as both the marinade and the eventual sauce.

closeup view of keto asian chicken with low carb sauce

More Easy Instant Pot Dinners

Instant Pot Beef Ragu Instant Pot Beef Ragu
Instant Pot Chicken Thighs With Balsamic Sauce Instant Pot Chicken Thighs With Balsamic Sauce
Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin
Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli

Filed Under: Asian Takeout, Mains: Poultry, Per Serving: 5-10g Net Carbs Tagged With: 31-60min, 6-10ingredients, basil, chicken thighs, corn starch, crushed red pepper, garlic, ginger, instant pot, scallions, sesame oil, sherry, soy sauce

About Julia

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julia is a recipe developer and the founder of Savory Tooth. She shares simple recipes and guides for keto and low carb diets. Learn more.

Previous Post: « Salmon Patties
Next Post: Slow-Roasted Pork Butt (Pork Shoulder) »
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newest oldest most voted
Tracey

I’m renaming this “crack chicken” because we weren’t more than a few bites in before we were planning when to make it again. Seriously addictive. This is our second savory tooth recipe and you are already a regular part of our weekly rotation. Thank you!

Vote Up1Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Michelle

Can I use coconut aminos instead of the low sodium soy sauce?

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Julia

Yes, that should work. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Lisa

I don’t have an instant pot but the recipe looks tremendous. Can you recommend another method of cooking it.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Julia

You can cook this using a pan on the stovetop. For Step 4, just saute on the pan. For Step 5, don’t cover and just let it simmer until the chicken is extremely tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Kathy

Can I substitute xanthan gum for corn starch? I don’t use any grain products.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago
Julia

Yes, you can. In this recipe, corn starch not only thickens the sauce but also tenderizes the chicken. Xanthan gum will help with the former and not the latter, but the chicken should still taste quite good.

Vote Up0Vote Down  Reply
1 year ago

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