Craving a delicious, wholesome meal that comes together in a flash? Look no further than this incredible Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken and Broccoli recipe. It’s the ultimate solution for busy weeknights, transforming simple ingredients into a flavorful, satisfying dish all in one pot. Whether you’re using an Instant Pot, a Ninja Foodi, or another brand of pressure cooker, this recipe promises tender chicken, perfectly cooked broccoli, and a luscious, savory-sweet sauce that will become a family favorite.
This recipe for Chicken and Broccoli in Instant Pot delivers impressive results with minimal effort. The beauty of pressure cooking lies in its ability to infuse flavors deeply and cook food quickly, making it ideal for creating healthy, homemade meals. Imagine succulent, bite-sized chicken pieces and crisp-tender broccoli florets bathed in a rich honey garlic sauce, ready to be served over a bed of fluffy rice in mere minutes. It’s an easy, healthy, and incredibly satisfying dinner solution that belongs in your regular rotation of Instant Pot recipes.
Ninja Foodi Chicken and Broccoli: Versatility in Your Pressure Cooker
While we often refer to “Instant Pot,” this recipe is perfectly adaptable for any electric pressure cooker, including your trusty Ninja Foodi. The principles remain the same: harness the power of pressure to cook your ingredients efficiently and flawlessly. If you’re preparing this as a Ninja Foodi recipe, you’ll utilize the pressure cook function with the appropriate lid. For those who love a crispy texture, we’ll also touch on methods to achieve that delightful crunch, though the core recipe focuses on the moist tenderness only pressure cooking can provide.
For this delightful dish, we primarily use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into uniform, bite-sized pieces. This crucial step ensures that the chicken cooks evenly and quickly alongside the broccoli, preventing any part from becoming overcooked or tough. You could also easily adapt this recipe to make Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Thighs, as chicken thighs tend to be even more forgiving in a pressure cooker. The key is consistent sizing for all your ingredients, especially the meat, so everything reaches perfect tenderness simultaneously, avoiding any mushy textures.
If you’re new to the world of pressure cooking, welcome! It’s a game-changer for preparing delicious one-pot meals. To help you get started, here are a few essential tips:
- Make sure to Bookmark our comprehensive InstaPot recipes page. We regularly add new and exciting dishes!
- Consider printing this invaluable Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet. It’s an excellent reference for understanding how long various ingredients like meats, vegetables, and beans typically take to cook under pressure.
- A good quality non-stick inner pot can make a significant difference in your pressure cooking experience. I highly recommend investing in a non-stick pot for easier cleanup and reduced sticking.
- While it’s always good to know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing, a non-stick liner minimizes these concerns.
For your reference, the model I typically use for all my recipe creations is a 6-quart Instant Pot, perfect for family-sized meals.
Ensuring Perfectly Tender Chicken in Your Instant Pot
One common concern when cooking chicken in an Instant Pot is preventing it from becoming tough. The secret lies primarily in two factors: cutting the chicken into uniformly small, bite-sized pieces and adhering to the recommended cooking time. If your chicken isn’t shreddable with two forks after the initial cook time, it likely needs a little more pressure cooking. Simply reseal the pot and cook for another minute or two, allowing natural pressure release for maximum tenderness. The beauty of pressure cooking is that it locks in moisture, making chicken incredibly juicy when done correctly.
While this recipe cooks chicken and broccoli together for ultimate convenience, some prefer a crisper texture for their vegetables. If that’s your preference, you could cook the chicken in the Instant Pot and then separately bake frozen broccoli in the oven until it reaches your desired crispiness. This approach allows you to customize textures, catering to different preferences at the dinner table. It’s all about making the meal perfect for you and your family!
Essential Ingredients for Your Honey Garlic Chicken and Broccoli
The magic of this dish comes from a simple yet powerful blend of ingredients, creating a balanced sweet and savory profile reminiscent of your favorite takeout. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken broth or stock: The liquid base that generates the steam for pressure cooking and forms the foundation of our flavorful sauce.
- 1/4 c soy sauce: Provides a deep, umami flavor. For a gluten-free option, use tamari or coconut aminos.
- Brown sugar: Adds essential sweetness to balance the savory notes, creating that classic honey garlic profile. You can also use honey as an alternative.
- 2 tbsp sesame oil: Contributes a distinctive nutty aroma and flavor, crucial for an Asian-inspired dish.
- Rice vinegar: Offers a bright, tangy lift that cuts through the richness and adds a delightful zest.
- 1 tbsp minced garlic: Infuses the entire dish with aromatic, pungent flavor. Freshly minced is always best!
- Salt and pepper: Basic seasonings to enhance all the other flavors. Adjust to taste.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, defrosted and diced into bite-sized pieces.
- 4 c broccoli florets: The star vegetable, providing vibrant color, texture, and nutrition.
- Carrots: Julienned or shredded, these are optional but add extra color, sweetness, and a touch of earthiness to the dish.
- 1/3 c cornstarch + 1/3 cup cold water: This mixture, known as a slurry, is vital for thickening the sauce to a perfect consistency at the end.
If you’re seeking a different texture profile, particularly a crispier exterior for your chicken and vegetables, you could prepare the meat and veggies using an alternative method like our Air Fryer Chicken and Vegetables recipe. After air frying until browned and crispy, you would then toss everything with the prepared sauce. This method is fantastic for those who appreciate a delightful crunch on every piece, but it does mean sacrificing the one-pot convenience.
When cooking plain chicken in an Instant Pot, you don’t typically need much added liquid because the chicken itself releases moisture during the cooking process. For instance, you might only add about 1/2 cup to initiate the steaming. However, for a recipe like this Instant Pot Chicken and Broccoli, which includes other ingredients and requires a sauce, we add a more substantial amount of liquid (chicken broth) to ensure there’s enough volume to build our delicious honey garlic sauce and to properly pressure cook all components.
The delightful sauce for this pressure cooker chicken and broccoli dish is a harmonious blend of several key ingredients: Chicken broth, soy sauce (or aminos for a gluten-free option), brown sugar (or honey) for sweetness, aromatic sesame oil, bright rice vinegar, pungent minced garlic, and essential seasonings like salt and pepper. This combination creates a sweet, savory, and tangy coating that truly elevates the flavor of both the chicken and the vegetables. You can thicken the sauce further with a cornstarch or arrowroot slurry if desired, but this recipe incorporates that step for a perfect finish. For those who enjoy a little heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes can be added to the sauce mix.
Step-by-Step: How to Cook Chicken and Broccoli in Your Instant Pot
Get ready to create a masterpiece in minutes! Follow these simple steps for perfectly cooked, flavorful Instant Pot Chicken and Broccoli:
- Prepare the Chicken: Begin by cutting your defrosted chicken into small, uniform bite-sized pieces. This is crucial for ensuring that the chicken cooks at the same rate as the broccoli and other ingredients, resulting in even tenderness.
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: Pour the chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, salt, and pepper directly into the Instant Pot inner pot. Whisk these ingredients together thoroughly until well combined and the sugar has dissolved.
- Add Protein and Vegetables: Carefully add the diced chicken, fresh broccoli florets, shredded carrots (if using), and minced garlic to the pot. Gently stir everything together, ensuring the chicken and vegetables are well coated with the sauce.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid, making sure the steam release valve is set to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” setting (High Pressure) and set the timer for just 3 minutes.
- Release Pressure: Once the cooking cycle is complete, perform a quick release of the pressure by carefully turning the steam release valve to the “Venting” position. Stand back and allow all the steam to escape before opening the lid.
- Remove Solids, Thicken Sauce: Carefully remove the lid. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken and broccoli mixture to a separate serving bowl, leaving the delicious cooking liquid in the Instant Pot. Set the Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function and bring the remaining liquid to a gentle boil.
- Create Slurry and Thicken: In a small bowl, whisk together the cold water and cornstarch until a smooth slurry forms. Slowly pour this slurry into the boiling liquid in the Instant Pot, stirring continuously. Allow the sauce to simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- Coat and Serve: Once the sauce is thick and glossy, turn off the Instant Pot. Return the cooked chicken and broccoli mixture to the pot and gently toss to coat everything evenly in the rich, thickened sauce. Serve immediately.
If you’re considering cooking grains like rice alongside your meat, it’s important to note that the timing requirements are different. While our Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Rice recipe offers a method for this, broccoli florets wouldn’t fare well with the longer rice cooking time (typically 8 minutes or more), as they would become overly soft and disintegrated. Instead, if you want to include other vegetables that can withstand a longer cook time, consider adding about 1/2 cup of frozen peas and carrots to the mix when cooking with rice.
Serving Suggestions: The Best Way to Enjoy Chicken and Broccoli Over Rice
This versatile Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken and Broccoli can be enjoyed in various ways, making it easy to tailor to your dietary needs or flavor preferences. Serving it over rice is a classic choice, and you have several options:
- Classic White Rice: For a simple and comforting meal, serve your chicken and broccoli over fluffy Instant Pot white rice. Two cups of cooked white rice provide a perfect base to soak up all that delicious sauce.
- Nutty Brown Rice: If you’re looking for a healthier, fiber-rich option, brown rice is an excellent accompaniment. Its nutty flavor pairs wonderfully with the sweet and savory chicken.
- Bodybuilding Wild Rice: For those focusing on bodybuilding or a higher protein, complex carbohydrate diet, wild rice grains offer a robust texture and nutritional boost. When serving, use a slotted spoon to get plenty of chicken and broccoli, with just enough sauce to coat, managing your macros effectively.
- Added Flair: Regardless of your rice choice, a sprinkle of sesame seeds adds an appealing visual touch and a slight crunch. Chopped green onions can also provide freshness and a mild oniony bite.
Beyond rice, consider serving this dish with quinoa for a protein-packed alternative, cauliflower rice for a low-carb option, or even tossed with stir-fried noodles for a different kind of Asian-inspired meal. The thick, flavorful sauce makes it adaptable to almost any base.
Instant Pot Chicken and Broccoli
Justine
10 minutes
3 minutes
5
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Equipment
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1 pressure cooker
Ingredients
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1.5 lbs chicken, defrosted, diced -
3 c chicken broth -
1/4 c soy sauce -
2 tbsp brown sugar, or honey -
2 tbsp sesame oil -
2 tbsp rice vinegar -
1/4 tsp salt -
1/4 tsp pepper -
4 c broccoli, florets -
1 c carrots, julienned, shredded, optional -
1 tbsp minced garlic -
1/3 c cornstarch, + 1/3 cup cold water
Instructions
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Prep chicken by cutting it into small bite size pieces. In order for everything to cook at the same rate they need to be small.
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Add broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, salt and pepper to the Instant Pot. Mix well. Add diced chicken, broccoli florets, carrot shreds and garlic. Mix to combine.
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Place the lid, close steam valve and seal both shut. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. When cooking is complete, quick release the pressure. Carefully remove the lid and use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken and broccoli mixture, leaving the liquid in the instant pot.
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Set the instant pot to saute and bring mixture to a boil. Whisk together in a small bowl the cold water and cornstarch slurry until smooth, add into sauce to thicken. Once thick, a few minutes, turn pot off and return meat and broccoli to coat. Serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 445kcal,
Carbohydrates: 21g,
Protein: 30g,
Fat: 27g,
Saturated Fat: 7g,
Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 11g,
Trans Fat: 0.1g,
Cholesterol: 105mg,
Sodium: 1427mg,
Potassium: 627mg,
Fiber: 3g,
Sugar: 8g,
Vitamin A: 4924IU,
Vitamin C: 69mg,
Calcium: 71mg,
Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Entree, Main Course
American, Japanese
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