Instant Pot soy ginger chicken is crowd pleasing and ready in under 30 minutes. Juicy chicken breasts are smothered in a sticky soy ginger sauce that is perfect for spooning over rice and veggies!
Since the Instant Pot requires 1 cup of liquid to come to pressure, it's the perfect opportunity to cook your chicken in a delicious sauce. It works like a charm to make Instant Pot honey sesame chicken, chipotle lime chicken breasts and for this soy ginger chicken as well!
The perfect blend of sweet and savory, this Instant Pot soy ginger chicken uses simple ingredients to build big flavors. And the great news is that you probably have the ingredients for this recipe sitting in your pantry right now!
Serve it with a batch of coconut rice and air fryer broccoli for a delicious meal!
Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!
PSSST! Check out 7 Instant Pot Chicken Breast Recipes here!
Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe
- you need just 7 ingredients, and you likely already have them on hand
- the cooking liquid infuses the chicken with a ton of flavor, and is then reduced to a sticky sauce that you can spoon over rice and vegetables as well
- you can assemble this ahead as an Instant Pot freezer meal
Ingredient notes
- chicken breast- we have used boneless skinless chicken breasts for this recipe; you can swap for boneless skinless chicken thighs (increase cook time to 10 minutes with a quick pressure release). This recipe also works great for pork tenderloin- check out Instant Pot pork tenderloin with soy ginger sauce!
- soy sauce- I use reduced sodium soy sauce in all my cooking as I find regular too salty. To make this recipe gluten-free, swap for tamari, coconut aminos or liquid soy seasoning.
- brown sugar- sweetness is necessary to balance the saltiness of the soy sauce; you may swap for an equal volume of honey or maple syrup. Alternative sweeteners have not been tested but may work.
- fresh ginger- adds such great dimension to this recipe; I recommend grating it finely on a box grater or a microplane
Step by step directions
1. Assemble- In the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot, stir together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then add the chicken breasts and turn to coat.
2. Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the steam release handle to the 'sealing' position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. When the Instant Pot has completed its cooking cycle, perform a quick pressure release: carefully transition the steam release handle to the 'venting' position.
When doing a quick pressure release- Be careful you keep your face, hands and arms away from the valve, and make sure your Instant Pot is not under a cabinet.
3. Thicken Sauce- Remove the lid from your Instant Pot, and check that your chicken has reached 165°F with an instant read thermometer. Transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest. Select the 'sauté' function of the pot, and stir together a slurry of cornstarch with water. Add the slurry to the pot, and stir with a spatula.
Simmer the sauce for 1-2 minutes, until bubbly and thickened. Use oven mitts to remove the stainless steel insert from the Instant Pot so the sauce doesn't over-reduce.
4. Toss chicken with sauce- Once the chicken has rested for 5 minutes, slice it against the grain into strips or cubes. Return it to the pot and toss in the sauce. Enjoy!
Meal prep & storage
Storing leftovers
This recipe can be cooked ahead and portioned out with rice and vegetables in meal prep containers, or simply stored as a protein to be reheated
- Cool completely, then store in an air tight container.
- Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or the freezer for 3 months (make sure to add plenty of the sauce on the chicken so it doesn't dry out).
- Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot.
TIP- if you plan to reheat leftovers, wait until the chicken is completely cold to slice it; this helps retain the juices and keeps it nice and moist.
Instant Pot freezer meals
A freezer Instant Pot meal is assembled ahead and frozen (before cooking). You simply need to remember to thaw the meal, then on cook day, just place it into the Instant Pot and get cooking, no measuring required! Great to prepare for elderly family members or expectant mamas.
- Add all ingredients (except cornstarch/water slurry) to a sturdy freezer bag or reusable silicone bag (½ gallon). Squeeze out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw 24 hours before you intend to cook.
- Cook as directed in the recipe card.
make sure you label the bag with thawing and cooking directions
FAQ
Yes you certainly can! Drag the number beside 'serving size' on the recipe card to increase the serving size; you shouldn't need to increase the cook time.
I have not tested this particular recipe with frozen chicken breasts, but in theory it should work. Make sure they are frozen individually and not as a block, and adjust the cook time to 12 minutes with a quick pressure release- check using a digital thermometer that they are cooked through (they should reach 165°F).
If frozen as a block, try doing 5 minutes high pressure with a quick pressure release, then pry them apart. Cook for a further 7-10 minutes, until they are all 165°F.
What to serve with this recipe?
- Instant Pot steamed broccoli
- air fryer asparagus
- perfect, fluffy rice
- Instant Pot brussels sprouts
- crunchy sesame slaw
- air fryer green beans
Instant Pot chicken recipes
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Instant Pot Soy Ginger Chicken
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup soy sauce see note 2
- ⅓ cup water or stock
- ¼ cup brown sugar see note 3
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger grated finely on a box grater or microplane
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts roughly 2 large chicken breasts; see note 1
After cooking
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch see note 4
Instructions
- Assemble- In the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot, stir together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and sesame oil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, then add the chicken breasts and turn to coat.
- Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the steam release handle to the 'sealing' position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. When the Instant Pot has completed its cooking cycle, perform a quick pressure release: carefully transition the steam release handle to the 'venting' position.
- Thicken Sauce- Remove the lid from your Instant Pot, and check that your chicken has reached 165°F with an instant read thermometer. Transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest. Select the 'sauté' function of the pot, and stir together a slurry of cornstarch with water. Add the slurry to the pot, and stir with a spatula.Simmer the sauce for 1-2 minutes, until bubbly and thickened. Use oven mitts to remove the stainless steel insert from the Instant Pot so the sauce doesn't over-reduce.
- Toss chicken with sauce- Once the chicken has rested for 5 minutes, slice it against the grain into strips or cubes. Return it to the pot and toss in the sauce. Enjoy!
Tips:
- Add all ingredients (except cornstarch/water slurry) to a sturdy freezer bag or reusable silicone bag (½ gallon). Squeeze out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw 24 hours before you intend to cook.
- Dump bag contents into the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot and cook as directed in the recipe card.
- individually frozen- 12 minutes with a quick pressure release
- frozen as a block- try doing 5 minutes high pressure with a quick pressure release, then pry them apart. Cook for a further 7-10 minutes, until they are all 165°F.
Nutrition Information
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Shop This Post
Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.
Lisa says
Hi Denise, I don’t own a instapot/crockpot/slow cooker etc Can you adapt your instapot recipes for oven or stove top? If yes your recommended adaption for oven or stove top.
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Lisa! Great question. We actually have a whole post on 7 Chicken Breast Marinades that includes directions for cooking chicken breast on the stove top of in the oven. I'd suggest checking this post out for chicken recipes that are stove top, oven, and grill friendly! This instant pot recipe has not been tested on the stove top, so we can't say how it would turn out. I hope this helps!
Lisa says
Thanks for your help, I have checked out your suggestion recipes & will give them a go.
Marie says
I just made this recipe in my 8 quart instapot with double the recipe. I used 2 lbs frozen breast tenders. I cooked for 10 minutes in high pressure. I then natural released fif 10 minutes. It took a lot more cornstarch, probably because more liquid I didn't account for I with frozen tenders. I also think 8 minutes would have been fine but wold maybe use 1/2 the water with frozen tenders. Family loved it!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Marie! Thanks so much for reporting back, that's so helpful to others! I'm glad your family enjoyed.
Juleene says
This turned out very good! The ginger flavor wasn’t overbearing and it went well with steamed carrots and cabbage (made separately). I cooked the chicken breasts from frozen for 12 minutes, and it came out cooked. I highly approve!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Juleene! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed. Thank you for reporting back 🙂
Sara K says
If I want to make more servings would I double everything or just add more meat?
Denise says
Hi Sara! If you plan to double, I would increase the sauce as well. The cook time should stay the same, but you may need to add an extra 1-2 minutes. Check that your chicken is 165°F before removing from the Instant Pot. Hope you enjoy!
Anna says
Can I add carrots and mushrooms to this recipe & then pressure cook? Or would I have to cook them separately?
Denise says
Hi Anna! I think that would work? Mushrooms hold their shape surprisingly well under high pressure. I do worry the carrots might get too soft. Let me know how it goes if you give it a try!
McKenzie says
Could I add rice to the instant pot to cook rice with this (at the same time)?
Denise says
Hi McKenzie! I wouldn't recommend that as rice has specific liquid requirements and a completely different cook time to this chicken. You can find some recipes that are specifically developed to cook both together though 🙂
Becky` says
Can a pressure cooker on gas stove be used for these instant pot receipts using same cooking times referenced in recipes?
Denise says
Sorry, I've never used a stove-top pressure cooker so I can't say.
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says
Could this be made in a crockpot? That sauce looks SO yummy!!
Denise says
I believe so! I'd try low 3-4 hours, then add the cornstarch 30 min before serving and crank to high.