Summary:
This quick and easy Chinese Chicken dish has unbelievably tender meat, coated with a rich and flavorful sauce. It's my low carb and pressure cooker take on the popular dish Three Cup Chicken.
Instant Pot Chinese Chicken
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Yield: 3 servings
Calories: 360
Net Carbs: 7.5g
INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless fresh chicken thighs
- 10 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced widthwise
- 1/4 teaspoon
crushed red pepper flakes - 1 tablespoon
sesame oil or other cooking oil
Marinade/Sauce:
- 1/4 cup
low-sodium soy sauce (Note 1) - 1/4 cup dry sherry or shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon
corn starch
Flavorings Added At End:
- 5 scallions, sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, halved lengthwise (Note 2)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare Marinade: Whisk soy sauce, dry sherry, and corn starch in large mixing bowl until dissolved.
- Cut Chicken: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Trim off excess fat with kitchen shears. Cut chicken into 2-inch chunks.
- Marinate Chicken: Add chicken chunks to mixing bowl with marinade, stirring together until chicken is well-coated. Arrange chicken until mostly submerged. Set aside on countertop to marinate for about 10 minutes; meanwhile, proceed to next step.
- Cook Aromatics: Add oil, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes to
pressure cooker pot (Note 3). Turn on sauté setting for medium heat. Stirring occasionally, cook until garlic is browned and softening, about 10 minutes. Turn off sauté setting. - Pressure Cook: Carefully pour all contents of mixing bowl (both chicken and marinade) into pressure cooker pot, and briefly stir everything together. Cover and seal lid. Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, followed by quick pressure release.
- Thicken Sauce: Uncover. Turn on sauté setting for medium heat. Boil until liquid starts to develop sauce-like consistency, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Turn off sauté setting. Briefly stir in scallions and basil, and serve (Note 4).
NUTRITION
| Makes 3 Servings |
| Amount Per Serving: |
| Calories 360 (48% from fat) | |
| 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 |
PHOTOS
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!
Can I use coconut aminos instead of the low sodium soy sauce?
Yes, that should work. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turned out.
I don’t have an instant pot but the recipe looks tremendous. Can you recommend another method of cooking it.
You can cook this using a pan on the stovetop. For the pressure cooking step, don’t cover and just let it simmer until the chicken is extremely tender and the sauce is thickened to your liking.
Can I substitute xanthan gum for corn starch? I don’t use any grain products.
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.