Effortless Instant Pot Chicken and Broccoli

Craving a quick, flavorful, and healthy dinner that requires minimal cleanup? Look no further than this incredible Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken and Broccoli recipe. Whether you own a classic Instant Pot or a versatile Ninja Foodi, this pressure cooker marvel transforms simple ingredients into a delectable one-pot meal. Imagine tender chicken, vibrant broccoli florets, and an irresistible sweet and savory honey garlic teriyaki sauce, all cooked to perfection in minutes. It’s a fantastic alternative to our popular Instant Pot Chicken and Vegetables, offering a distinctively delicious twist with its rich teriyaki glaze.

Preparing chicken and broccoli in the Instant Pot is not only incredibly fast but also yields surprisingly succulent results. The magic lies in pressure cooking, which infuses every bite with flavor while ensuring the chicken stays moist and the broccoli retains a pleasant, tender-crisp texture. Cut into uniform, bite-sized pieces, the meat and vegetables cook simultaneously, making this an ideal healthy meal to serve over fluffy rice for dinner tonight. This recipe is a standout among our collection of Instant Pot recipes, celebrated for its simplicity and robust taste.

Mastering Ninja Foodi Chicken and Broccoli: Versatility at its Best

This recipe is incredibly adaptable and can be prepared using the same straightforward directions in any brand of electric pressure cooker you might have at home. For those utilizing a Ninja Foodi, you’ll simply select the pressure cook function, ensuring you use the appropriate pressure lid. The Ninja Foodi’s versatility even extends to air frying, and while this particular recipe focuses on pressure cooking for speed and sauciness, we’ll touch on how you could achieve a crispier texture using the air fry method later if that’s your preference.

For this recipe, we typically opt for boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into uniform pieces. However, don’t hesitate to experiment with Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Thighs for an equally delicious and perhaps even juicier result. The most critical aspect for a successful one-pot meal is ensuring your meat is cut into roughly bite-sized chunks. This allows the chicken and vegetables to cook evenly in the pressure cooker, preventing the chicken from becoming tough and the broccoli from turning mushy. Consistent sizing guarantees tender, perfectly cooked ingredients every time.

Essential Tips for Pressure Cooking Beginners

If you’re new to the world of pressure cooking, welcome! We offer a wealth of easy one-pot meal recipes to get you started. To ensure a smooth cooking experience, here are a few fundamental tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure to Bookmark our InstaPot recipes page. We regularly update it with exciting new creations each week!
• For a handy reference, PRINT this essential Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet. It will be invaluable in helping you understand the ideal cooking durations for various meats, vegetables, and beans in your pressure cooker, saving you from guesswork.
• I HIGHLY recommend investing in a non-stick inner pot for your Instant Pot. This accessory drastically minimizes the chances of food sticking and burning, making cleanup a breeze.
  • While it’s beneficial to understand how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing (a crucial step to prevent a “Burn” notice), a non-stick liner significantly reduces issues, allowing for a smoother cooking process.

For your reference, the model I consistently use for all my recipe creations is a 6-quart Instant Pot, striking a perfect balance for family-sized meals.

Achieving Perfectly Tender Chicken in Your Instant Pot

A common concern when cooking chicken in a pressure cooker is it becoming tough or rubbery. If your chicken isn’t so tender that it easily shreds with two forks, it likely hasn’t cooked quite long enough. Pressure cooking is designed to tenderize meat quickly, but precise timing is key. For this recipe, a short 3-minute high-pressure cook time followed by a quick release is typically sufficient for bite-sized chicken pieces, ensuring they come out wonderfully tender without being overcooked.

For those who prefer a crispier texture on their broccoli, a common preference, you could certainly cook the chicken in the Instant Pot and then bake frozen broccoli separately in the oven or even air fry it until it reaches your desired level of crispness. While this recipe is designed for ultimate convenience with everything cooked together, I understand the desire for varied textures in a dish. My husband, for instance, sometimes prefers certain ingredients not to be entirely mingled, so I completely get it!

Gather Your Ingredients for This Flavorful Dish

This delightful honey garlic chicken and broccoli recipe relies on a combination of pantry staples and fresh produce to create its signature sweet and savory profile. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Chicken broth or vegetable stock: Forms the liquid base for pressure cooking and the sauce.
• 1/4 c soy sauce: Provides a rich umami flavor; use tamari or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option.
• Brown sugar: Adds essential sweetness to balance the savory notes, creating that perfect teriyaki-like taste.
• 2 tbsp sesame oil: Contributes a deep, nutty aroma and flavor characteristic of Asian-inspired dishes.
• Rice vinegar: Imparts a subtle tang and brightens the overall flavor profile.
• 1 tbsp minced garlic: Fresh garlic is crucial for a robust, aromatic foundation.
• Salt and pepper: Basic seasonings to enhance all the other flavors.
• Chicken: Approximately 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken (breasts or thighs), defrosted and diced into bite-sized pieces.
• 4 c broccoli florets: Fresh broccoli is preferred for its vibrant color and texture, cut into small florets for even cooking.
• Carrots: 1 cup, julienned or shredded (optional but adds color, sweetness, and extra nutrients).
• 1/3 c cornstarch + 1/3 cup cold water: This mixture creates a slurry, essential for thickening the sauce to a luscious consistency.

For those who absolutely love crispy chicken and vegetables, you could adapt this basic flavor profile by preparing the Air Fryer Chicken and Vegetables method, browning everything separately, and then tossing it with this sweet and savory sauce. This approach delivers a fantastic crisp exterior on every piece, satisfying that craving for a different texture.

Step-by-Step: How to Cook Chicken and Broccoli in Your Instant Pot

Follow these simple instructions to create this mouthwatering one-pot meal:

• 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 comes out perfectly tender.
• Create the Sauce Base: Into the Instant Pot’s inner liner, add the chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk these ingredients together thoroughly until well combined, ensuring the brown sugar is mostly dissolved.
• Combine Ingredients: Now, add the diced chicken, fresh broccoli florets (cut into small, manageable pieces), shredded or julienned carrots (if using), and minced garlic to the pot. Gently stir all the ingredients together, making sure the chicken and vegetables are coated with the sauce.
• Pressure Cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid, ensuring it’s properly sealed. Rotate the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Pressure Cook” (or “Manual”) setting and set the cooking time to 3 minutes on high pressure.
• Release Pressure: Once the cooking cycle is complete, perform a quick release of the pressure by carefully moving the steam release valve to the “Venting” position. Stand clear of the valve as hot steam will escape rapidly. Once the floating pin drops, it’s safe to open the lid.
• Remove Solids, Thicken Sauce: Carefully remove the lid. Using a slotted spoon, gently scoop out the cooked chicken and broccoli mixture and set it aside in a serving bowl. Leave the flavorful liquid remaining in the Instant Pot.
• Thicken the Sauce: Set the Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function on normal or medium heat. Bring the liquid in the pot to a gentle boil. In a small separate bowl, whisk together the cold water and cornstarch until you have a smooth slurry with no lumps. Slowly pour this cornstarch slurry into the boiling sauce in the Instant Pot, whisking continuously. Continue to simmer and whisk for a few minutes until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
• Coat and Serve: Once the sauce is thick and glossy, turn off the Instant Pot’s “Sauté” function. Return the cooked chicken and broccoli mixture to the pot, tossing gently to ensure everything is thoroughly coated with the luscious honey garlic sauce. Serve immediately.

If your culinary adventure includes cooking grains alongside your protein, you might prefer to follow our Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken and Rice directions. However, a crucial note: incorporating delicate broccoli florets directly into an 8-minute rice cooking cycle would likely disintegrate them, resulting in a mushy texture. Instead, if you’re keen on adding vegetables directly with rice, a better alternative would be to add about 1/2 cup of hardier options like frozen peas and carrots into the mix, which can withstand longer cooking times.

Serving Suggestions: Elevating Your Chicken and Broccoli Dish

This versatile Instant Pot chicken and broccoli dish can be served in a multitude of ways, making it easy to tailor to your dietary preferences or simply to switch things up. For those pursuing a bodybuilding chicken and broccoli rice recipe, opting for wild rice grains is an excellent choice, known for its higher protein and fiber content. When serving, use a slotted spoon to retrieve the chicken and broccoli, allowing just a touch of the delicious sauce to coat your grains.

Our go-to serving method typically involves either wholesome brown rice or our perfectly cooked Instant Pot white rice, usually about 2 cups worth. To add an extra touch of flavor and visual appeal, we often garnish the dish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Beyond rice, consider serving this over quinoa for added protein, or with a side of steamed cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative. It also pairs wonderfully with lo mein noodles or even as a filling for lettuce wraps. Don’t forget a side of crispy spring rolls or a light cucumber salad to round out your meal.

5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Chicken and Broccoli

By
Justine

Instant Pot chicken and broccoli is a cheap Ninja Foodi or pressure cooker recipe with vegetables and meat cooked together in one pot.

Prep:

10 minutes
mins

Cook:

3 minutes
mins

Servings:
5

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Equipment

• 1 pressure cooker

Ingredients

• ▢
  
  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

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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

Serving:
2
oz

,

Calories:
445
kcal

,

Carbohydrates:
21
g

,

Protein:
30
g

,

Fat:
27
g

,

Saturated Fat:
7
g

,

Polyunsaturated Fat:
7
g

,

Monounsaturated Fat:
11
g

,

Trans Fat:
0.1
g

,

Cholesterol:
105
mg

,

Sodium:
1427
mg

,

Potassium:
627
mg

,

Fiber:
3
g

,

Sugar:
8
g

,

Vitamin A:
4924
IU

,

Vitamin C:
69
mg

,

Calcium:
71
mg

,

Iron:
2
mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course:
Entree, Main Course

Cuisine:
American, Japanese

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