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    Home » Instant Pot Main Dish » Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken

    Published: Jun 9, 2019 · Modified: Jan 30, 2021 by Lisa Johnson

    Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken

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    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please visit my disclosure page.

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    Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken served over a bed of rice on a blue plate with wooden chopsticks in the upper left hand edge of the plate

    The whole family will love this flavor packed Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken, and you will love how simple it is to make! Just a few easy steps and simple ingredients, and you are well on your way to an amazing meal any night of the week. Not only is this meal delicious, it is healthy too!

    For even more delicious pressure cooker recipes, check out the Instant Pot Recipes page.

    Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken served over rice on a blue plate with wooden chopsticks in the upper right hand corner

    Tender chicken thigh pieces cooked with lots of garlic, onions, Chinese 5-Spice, tamari/coconut aminos, mushrooms and zucchini. Just wait until you smell it, pure heaven!

    Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken served over a bed of cauliflower rice, served on a blue plate with wooden chopsticks laying in the upper right hand corner of the plate

    How to make Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken:

    Turn on your Instant Pot and press the “Saute” button. Add the oil when the display reads “HOT”.

    An Instant Pot set the Saute with HOT in bright red letters on the display

    Next, add the onion slices and cook until they begin to soften and turn brown, about 3 minutes.

    Thinly sliced onions cooking in oil inside a metal liner to a pressure cooker

    Add the minced garlic, stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock, tamari/coconut aminos, sugar*, and fish sauce.

    Thinly sliced onions, garlic, soy sauce and chicken stock in the metal liner of a pressure cooker

    Combine the seasonings together in a small bowl.

    A small glass bowl with a mixture of spices sitting on a gray and white striped towel

    Toss the chicken pieces with the seasoning mixture.

    Spice covered chicken pieces on a white plate, sitting on a gray and white striped towel

    Carefully add the seasoned chicken pieces to the pot.

    Seasoned chicken pieces added to the stock, soy sauce, onions and garlic inside the metal liner of a pressure cooker

    Press "Cancel" and secure the lid. Make sure the venting knob is in the "Sealing" position.

    Press "Manual" and use the + and - buttons to adjust the time to 10 minutes.

    An Instant Pot with the Manual button selected and 10 minutes showing on the display

    When the pressure cooker beeps, turn the venting knob to release the pressure. Remove the lid and press "Cancel".

    Cooked Chinese Garlic Chicken in the liner of an Instant Pot

    Remove a small amount of the cooking liquid and pour it into a small bowl.

    Cooking liquid mixed with thickener in a small glass bowl

    Stir in the thickener then pour the mixture back into the pressure cooker.

    Press the "Saute" button and stir to combine the thickener with the chicken mixture. Add the zucchini and mushrooms slices, stir and simmer for about five minutes until the sauce is thickened.

    Chinese Garlic Chicken simmering in the metal liner of a pressure cooker

    Press the "Cancel" button and serve over Cauliflower Rice, Steamed Rice, or noodles of your choice.

    Two blue plates with a bed of rice covered with Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken and wooden chopstick in the upper right hand side of the plate

    Okay seriously, the aroma coming out of the Instant Pot was insane. Once you bite into the chicken your mouth gets to taste what you nose has been smelling!!

    Recipe Notes:

    • I used chicken thighs because they have more flavor, they do not dry out when cooking and they hold their shape really well.
    • Feel free to substitute chicken breasts if you prefer.
    • Keto people - substitute Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce for the coconut aminos if desired.
    • Paleo people - substitute honey for the Monkfruit sweetener.
    • Whole30 people - omit the sweetener.
    • If you would like to add carrots, add them with the chicken so they have time to cook.
    • The zucchini and mushrooms cook quickly while the sauce is thickening. You can cook them for a longer amount of time by simmering the sauce for a longer amount of time.

    More delicious Asian recipes:

    • Ham Fried Rice
    • Egg Roll in a Bowl
    • Low Carb Teriyaki Bowls
    • Chinese Orange Chicken - not Whole30/Paleo or Keto
    • Mongolian Beef - not Whole30/Paleo or Keto
    • Asian Beef Salad

    Enjoy!!

    Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken served over a bed of cauliflower rice, served on a blue plate with wooden chopsticks laying in the upper right hand corner of the plate

    Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken

    The whole family will love this flavor packed Instant Pot Chinese Garlic Chicken, and you will love how simple it is to make!

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Asian
    Keyword: chicken, garlic, instant, pot, recipe, easy
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Calories: 257kcal
    Author: Lisa Johnson

    Equipment

    • Pressure Cooker
    • Chef Knife

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 cup thinly sliced onion one small yellow onion
    • 8 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 cup chicken stock
    • ¼ cup coconut aminos Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
    • 1 Tablespoon fish sauce I use Red Boat
    • 4 Tablespoons golden monkfruit sweetener substitute honey or brown sugar if desired
    • 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-Spice
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces can substitute chicken breasts - use up to 1 1/2 pounds of chicken if needed.
    • ½ teaspoon Glucomannan powder to thicken the sauce - substitute arrowroot or cornstarch
    • 1 medium zucchini thinly sliced
    • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Turn on your Instant Pot and press the “Saute” button. Add the oil when the display reads “HOT”.

    • Add the onion slices and cook until they begin to soften and turn brown, about 3 minutes.

    • Add the minced garlic, stir to combine. Pour in the chicken stock, tamari/coconut aminos, sugar*, and fish sauce.

    • Combine the seasonings together in a small bowl.

    • Toss the chicken pieces with the seasoning mixture.

    • Carefully add the seasoned chicken pieces to the pot.

    • Press “Cancel” and secure the lid. Make sure the venting knob is in the “Sealing” position.

    • Press “Manual” and use the + and – buttons to adjust the time to 10 minutes.

    • When the pressure cooker beeps, turn the venting knob to release the pressure. Remove the lid and press “Cancel”.

    • Remove a small amount of the cooking liquid and pour it into a small bowl.

    • Stir in the thickener then pour the mixture back into the pressure cooker.

    • Press the “Saute” button and stir to combine the thickener with the chicken mixture. Add the zucchini and mushrooms slices, stir and simmer for about five minutes until the sauce is thickened.
    • Press the “Cancel” button and serve over rice or noodles of your choice.

    Notes

    • I used chicken thighs because they have more flavor, they do not dry out when cooking and they hold their shape really well.
    • Feel free to substitute chicken breasts if you prefer.
    • Keto people – substitute Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce for the coconut aminos if desired.
    • Paleo people – substitute honey for the Monkfruit sweetener.
    • Whole30 people – omit the sweetener.
    • If you would like to add carrots, add them with the chicken so they have time to cook.
    • The zucchini and mushrooms cook quickly while the sauce is thickening. You can cook them for a longer amount of time by simmering the sauce for a longer amount of time.
    • Use code YUMMYHEALTHYKETO15% for 15% off Lakanto Products

    Nutrition

    Calories: 257kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 889mg | Potassium: 768mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg
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