Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken Bowls

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I’ve been using my Instant Pot about once a week.  I love how quick and easy it is to use.   I can cook almost anything, including frozen meat, in under an hour.   My new thing is taking slow cooker recipes and trying to tweak them into Instant Pot recipes using the pressure cooking feature.  I’ve been pretty successful so far.

It only takes 30 minutes to make these Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken Rice Bowls!

Last week I took out chicken thighs for a recipe two days before I needed them and it turned out they were still frozen when I was ready to use them.  I quickly changed gears and grabbed a recipe for sweet and sour chicken bowls that I had planned on using next week.  I scanned the recipe and found I had all of the ingredients so I quickly adapted it to use in the Instant Pot.

Everything you need to make Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken Rice Bowls

The problem with this recipe is that while there is a fresh cabbage topping on the rice, there aren’t any vegetables cooked in with the chicken.  I really like broccoli with my Asian chicken dishes and I haven’t had a sweet and sour dish without pineapple so I added both in to this recipe.   It really worked well with the chicken and sauce.

I thought the cabbage, carrots, and radishes mixed with the sesame oil and vinegar was a fresh and crisp topping that paired well with the soft broccoli and tender chicken.   Everything is piled high on top of a bowl of rice.  There was just a hint of spice in this dish and I love the slightly sweet and tangy flavor.

Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken Bowls with fresh cabbage and radishes

This recipe for Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken Bowls was ready in about 45 minutes and that was using frozen chicken thighs.  It would have been much quicker with thawed chicken.  It was a hearty meal that really didn’t need anything else served with it.   I had the leftovers for lunch the next day and thought it was even better then!

Sweet and Sour Chicken Rice Bowls made in the Instant Pot

The chicken is so tender I could cut it with my fork.  It absorbed all of the flavor from the sauce which was awesome.   This would be great with pork or tofu too!

It only takes 30 minutes to make these Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken Rice Bowls!

Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken Bowls

Yield: serves 4 with leftovers
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

This flavorful and delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken with broccoli and pineapple is made with frozen chicken thighs in the Instant Pot then served over rice.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (frozen)
  • 1/4 c. cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 c. ketchup
  • 1/4 c. honey
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha
  • 4 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 c. plus 2 T. rice vinegar
  • 2 c. broccoli florets
  • 1 c. pineapple, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 3 c. cabbage and carrot coleslaw
  • 1/2 c. thinly sliced radishes
  • 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 4 c. cooked rice

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken thighs in a large plastic bag along with the cornstarch. Seal and shake until the chicken is coated.
  2. Turn the Instant Pot to saute and program it for 10 minutes.
  3. Pour 1 tablespoon oil in the pan and add half the chicken thighs. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side then remove from the pot. Add the remaining oil along with the remaining chicken and saute for 2-3 minutes per side. Return all chicken to the Instant Pot.
  4. In a medium bowl combine the ketchup, honey, Sriracha, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of rice vinegar. Mix well.
  5. Add the broccoli and pineapple to the Instant Pot and pour the sauce over top of it.
  6. Place the lid on the pot and seal the valve. Put on manual high pressure cook for 30 minutes.
  7. Once the 30 minutes is up allow the steam to release naturally for 5 minutes then release the steam manually. (If using thawed chicken thighs only cook for 15 minutes)
  8. Meanwhile, combine the coleslaw, radishes, sesame oil, garlic powder, and remaining rice vinegar. Mix well to combine.
  9. When ready to serve divide the rice between 4 bowls. Divide the cabbage mixture on top of it. Place the chicken, broccoli, and pineapple mixture on top of the cabbage and drizzle remaining sauce over top of the bowls.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light


You'll love these delicious Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken rice Bowls

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