Instant Pot Stir Fry Express

Transform your weeknights with this incredible Instant Pot Chicken Stir Fry! Packed with tender chicken, crisp bell peppers, sweet snap peas, and fresh spring onions, all coated in a rich teriyaki sauce, this one-pot meal is a game-changer. It’s not just bursting with flavor; it’s also a healthy and incredibly easy dinner solution that your entire family will absolutely adore.

Stir-fries are a beloved classic, often enjoyed at restaurants, but many people hesitate to recreate them at home. The truth is, preparing a flavorful stir-fry in your Instant Pot is much simpler than you might imagine. This recipe focuses on succulent chicken, but it’s incredibly versatile; a steak stir fry or even a tofu stir fry would be equally delicious swaps. Beyond its ease and incredible taste, this Instant Pot stir fry is a fantastic healthy option, fitting seamlessly into Keto-friendly and gluten-free diets. It’s quickly become a foolproof favorite among our collection of Instant Pot recipes, promising a successful meal every time.

While you could technically use Instant Pot bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe, we highly recommend boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. Using bone-in chicken would require significant extra effort to remove the bones and cut the meat into uniform, bite-sized pieces. This careful preparation ensures the chicken cooks evenly and, more importantly, allows every piece to truly soak up the delicious teriyaki sauce, resulting in maximum flavor in every bite. Opting for boneless cuts streamlines the cooking process, making this quick stir fry even quicker.

Instant Pot Stir Fry with Frozen Chicken: A Handy Option

Life gets busy, and sometimes all you have on hand is frozen chicken. Don’t let that deter you from making this amazing Instant Pot stir fry! It’s absolutely possible to adapt this recipe for frozen meat. You’ll begin by following specific instructions for cooking frozen chicken in your Instant Pot. First, pressure cook the frozen chicken under high pressure for about 12 minutes with one cup of broth. Once cooked, perform a quick release of the pressure, then carefully remove the chicken and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Remember to pour out any excess liquid remaining in the pot from steaming the meat. After this initial step, you can proceed directly to adding your stir fry sauce ingredients and vegetables, skipping the initial raw chicken sauté step.

Mastering Your Instant Pot Chicken Stir Fry: Essential Tips

Achieving a restaurant-quality stir fry at home is all about a few key techniques. Here’s how to ensure your Instant Pot Chicken Stir Fry is a resounding success:

Crafting the Perfect Sauce

The foundation of any great stir fry is its sauce. For this recipe, you’ll want to whisk together your teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, and a touch of olive oil (or avocado oil) directly in your pressure cooker pot. This mixture is not just for flavor; it also provides the necessary liquid to facilitate the cooking process and prevent sticking during the sauté phase. If you’re looking to explore different flavor profiles, consider adapting the seasonings to create an Instant Pot chicken curry-inspired stir fry, using the spice blend outlined in that recipe. Experimentation with sauces can open up a world of new culinary experiences!

Preparing Your Chicken for Optimal Texture

The key to tender, juicy chicken in a stir fry is proper preparation. We recommend using thinly sliced chicken breast or thigh meat, cut into uniform bite-sized pieces or strips. This ensures quick and even cooking, preventing dry, overcooked chicken. Do not skip the initial sauté step! This brief searing creates a beautiful crust and locks in the chicken’s natural juices, contributing significantly to its overall flavor and texture. Cook the chicken just long enough for the pinkness to disappear from the outside, as it will continue to cook slightly with the vegetables. For the best results, use the highest sauté setting available on your Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi. Many models offer ‘low,’ ‘normal,’ or ‘high’ options; always select ‘high’ to get that intense heat essential for a proper stir-fry.

The Importance of Mise en Place (Prep Work)

Stir-fries are inherently fast-paced, so having all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking is paramount. This means dicing your bell peppers, washing your snap peas, and chopping your spring onions beforehand. A well-organized kitchen ensures a smooth cooking process, preventing any frantic chopping that could lead to your chicken overcooking while you’re still preparing vegetables. The entire cooking time for this stir fry is remarkably quick, so advance preparation guarantees everything comes together perfectly.

Mastering the Sauté and Steam Method

It’s crucial to understand that this Instant Pot chicken stir fry recipe primarily utilizes the sauté function, not pressure cooking. You will NOT completely close and seal the lid on your Instant Pot for this dish. Instead, the lid is merely placed gently on top of the pot, allowing the vegetables to steam and soften without building pressure. Ensure the steam release valve is set to “venting.” This method allows you to control the tenderness of your vegetables precisely. Check them every few minutes, stirring occasionally, until they reach your desired level of crispness or tenderness. Once the vegetables are perfect, remove the lid immediately and serve your delicious stir fry to achieve ideal results and prevent them from becoming too soft.

Liquid Considerations for Stir Fry

Unlike traditional pressure cooking recipes that require a minimum amount of liquid for pressure buildup, this stir fry requires very little added liquid. This is because the chicken will naturally release its own flavorful juices as it sautés. Since you’re using the sauté function and not truly pressure cooking the entire meal, there’s no need to worry about insufficient liquid for pressure to build. In most sauté-focused meat recipes, approximately 1/2 cup of liquid is generally sufficient, and in this case, the combination of sauce ingredients and chicken juices creates the perfect cooking environment.

Can You Use Frozen Vegetables in Instant Pot Stir Fry?

Absolutely! Using frozen vegetables is a convenient option for this recipe, and the cooking time generally won’t need significant adjustment. Simply add them to the pot as directed, and periodically test their tenderness, adjusting the steaming time by a minute or two if needed. However, it’s worth noting that when you cook frozen vegetables, their texture can differ slightly from fresh. They might appear a bit more shriveled or have a slightly softer bite compared to the crispness of fresh produce. Nevertheless, they still make for a perfectly acceptable and delicious stir fry, especially if fresh options aren’t available.

Many grocery stores offer convenient “Asian blend” frozen vegetable mixes, which typically include snap peas, bell peppers, and onions – perfect for this dish. Simply open the bag and toss them straight into your Instant Pot. No extra chopping required! This is a fantastic time-saver, particularly on busy evenings.

Serving with Perfectly Cooked Rice

To ensure your meal is ready all at once, we highly recommend starting your rice before you begin cooking your stir fry. Whether you prefer pressure cooker brown rice or Instant Pot white rice, preparing it in a separate pressure cooker or ahead of time ensures it’s perfectly fluffy and warm when your stir fry is finished. Jasmine rice is a particularly excellent choice for stir-fries, offering a fragrant and slightly sticky texture that complements the sauce beautifully. With just a few cups of water and your preferred rice in a separate pot, you can have delicious rice ready in under 30 minutes, allowing you to focus on your stir fry without interruption.

Instant Pot Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

By Justine

This Instant Pot stir fry with chicken and colorful vegetables is a fantastic dinner idea that’s healthy, quick, and bursting with savory teriyaki and a hint of lemon pepper flavor. You absolutely have to try this one!

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 5 mins

Total: 20 mins

Servings: 5

Equipment

• 1 pressure cooker (Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, Crock-Pot Express)
• 1 knife
• 1 cutting board

Ingredients

• 3 large chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, sliced thin
• 1 large bell pepper, red, cut into large chunks
• 1 large bell pepper, yellow, cut into large chunks
• 1 bundle spring onions, chopped (green tops reserved for garnish)
• 2 cups sugar snap peas
• 3 tbsp teriyaki sauce, divided
• 1.5 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tsp soy sauce

Instructions

1. Dice bell peppers into large chunks (smaller pieces will become softer). Place them in a bowl.
2. Wash sugar snap peas thoroughly and add them to the bowl with the bell peppers.
3. Chop the green tops of the spring onions and set aside in a small, separate bowl for garnish. Cut off the long white onion bottoms and slice them in half, adding them to the bowl with the bell peppers and peas.
4. Thinly slice chicken breasts against the grain into bite-sized strips. Set your pressure cooker to the “Sauté” mode on high.
5. Add the sliced chicken, 1 tablespoon of teriyaki sauce, 1.5 teaspoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink on the outside.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, and lemon pepper seasoning. Pour this mixture over the cooked chicken in the pot and toss well to ensure all the chicken is evenly coated.
7. Add the prepared bell peppers, sugar snap peas, and white onion pieces to the pot. Toss gently with the chicken to combine. Place the lid loosely on top of the pot (do NOT lock the lid or set it to sealing; ensure the valve is venting). Allow the vegetables to steam for 3 minutes to begin softening. Stir again.
8. If you prefer your vegetables softer, place the lid back on loosely (still not locked) for an additional 2-4 minutes, checking periodically until they reach your desired tenderness.
9. Serve your flavorful Instant Pot chicken stir fry immediately over your favorite rice (such as jasmine or brown rice). Drizzle with extra soy sauce if desired, and garnish generously with the reserved chopped green onions for a fresh finish.

Nutrition

Serving: 3oz, Calories: 233kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 31g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 575mg, Potassium: 728mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 1955IU, Vitamin C: 86mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1.9mg

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

Additional Info

Course: Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian Fusion

Ninja Foodi and Other Pressure Cookers: Versatility in Your Kitchen

The beauty of this Instant Pot chicken stir fry recipe lies in its adaptability. You can absolutely make this delicious meal using any brand of electric pressure cooker you own, be it a Ninja Foodi, Crock-Pot Express, or another model. The crucial element is the “Sauté” function, which is a standard feature on virtually all modern multi-cookers. Simply select the sauté mode, and ensure you use the appropriate lid for sautéing (often a glass lid or the pressure cooker lid placed loosely on top, not locked). As reiterated, when using the sauté function for stir-fries, always remember to keep the lid unlocked and vented, never sealing it, to allow steam to escape and achieve that perfect stir-fry texture.

Explore More Easy Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners

If you’ve enjoyed the simplicity and flavor of this Instant Pot stir fry, you’re in for a treat! The Instant Pot is fantastic for creating a variety of quick and delicious meals. For another vibrant and customizable dish, try our Instant Pot fajitas. While often made with beef, you’ll find many of the same fresh vegetables featured in this stir fry, offering a similar burst of flavor and color. If you’re craving a hearty, comforting meal, our pressure cooker roast beef is a superb choice; cooked to perfection, it can be easily shredded for sandwiches or sliders, a guaranteed kid-pleaser. And for a healthy, Keto-friendly option that’s wonderful any time of year—not just Thanksgiving—don’t miss our tender pressure cooker turkey breast. These recipes are perfect for beginners looking to expand their Instant Pot repertoire!