Quick and easy Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken is the perfect set and forget meal for a busy week night! This crockpot chicken dinner is made with a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce, and only 10 minutes of prep!
Pin for later and follow me on Pinterest for more recipe ideas
AN EASY JAPANESE CHICKEN RECIPE
Teriyaki chicken is a one of our favorite Japanese takeout dishes we make at home.
WHAT IS TERIYAKI CHICKEN?
Teriyaki chicken is a popular classic Japanese dish. It’s the very first Japanese dish I ever ordered at our local Japanese restaurant…and ever since then, I’ve been making my very own homemade takeout versions.
You can find some reader favorites include:
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
- One Pot Teriyaki Chicken Zoodles
- One Pot Teriyaki Rice with Chicken
- Sheet Pan Teriyaki Chicken
- Baked Teriyaki Salmon
- Teriyaki Chicken Foil Packets
- Beef Teriyaki Zoodles
- Shrimp Teriyaki Noodles
- Grilled Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Caesar Salad
But my latest favorite has to be this Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken. Ever since getting my Instant Pot last year, it’s been a staple at helping me get dinner on the table quickly.
This Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken is seriously so easy to make and bursting with authentic sweet and savory flavors.
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE TERIYAKI CHICKEN:
For the best teriyaki chicken, you’re going to want to skip the store-bought bottled sauce and marinade. Homemade teriyaki sauce is SO much better and super easy to make.
My recipe for this authentic teriyaki sauce doubles as a marinade and requires just a few simple pantry ingredients.
- soy sauce (for paleo or keto – swap with liquid aminos)
- rice vinegar
- honey (for a keto teriyaki sauce, swap with golden monk fruit sweetener)
- Mirin (dry sherry or rice wine)
- sesame oil
- minced garlic
- fresh ginger root
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT TERIYAKI CHICKEN
- Place the chicken in the Instant Pot. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Allow to marinate while you whisk together the sauce.
- MAKE THE TERIYAKI SAUCE: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and pour over chicken.
- Close and seal Instant Pot.
- Turn the venting knob to SEALING and press MANUAL (old models) or PRESSURE COOK (new models) on high for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure.
- Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking the chicken and beeps, allow to naturally release for 15 minutes.
- Open the lid and remove chicken from Instant Pot and shred with two forks.
- Press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot. Combine the cornstarch with water and stir into the Instant Pot. Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken up. Add the chicken back into the Instant Pot and combine with sauce and heat until hot. Serve with any remaining sauce along with your favorite rice, quinoa or noodles.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired
SOME MEAL PREPPING TIPS FOR THIS EASY TERIYAKI CHICKEN RECIPE:
- To make teriyaki chicken ahead by mixing the sauce ingredients together the day before and store in an air-tight container in the fridge
- Make the rice or noodles the day before and store in an air-tight container in the fridge
- You can meal prep everything on your Sunday meal prep or pack up up the leftovers into lunch containers for the week – I use this lunch container
- Is teriyaki chicken freezer friendly? Absolutely. Just be sure to store the chicken and any vegetables separately. Store the chicken in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Pack with your favorite vegetables (broccoli & edamame shown here) and carbs – Jasmine rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice or spiralized vegetables – zoodles
WHAT TO SERVE WITH TERIYAKI CHICKEN:
- Teriyaki chicken is delicious on its own but you can serve over Jasmine rice, noodles
- If you want a low carb / keto teriyaki chicken, you can serve it with cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles (zoodles) or lettuce wraps
- Other delicious vegetable sides include: broccoli, bok choy, red bell peppers, mushrooms, green beans and edamame
- Top it off with some toasted sesame seeds and green onions as a garnish
WHAT SIZE INSTANT POT TO USE FOR THE BEST TERIYAKI CHICKEN:
I developed and tested this recipe for use in 6 Quart Instant Pot Duo Plus.
Not all instant pot recipes work perfectly for all types of instant pots. See this article for more information on the various instant pot sizes.
CAN I COOK CHICKEN BREASTS OR CHICKEN THIGHS IN THE INSTANT POT?
Yes, absolutely. Both are great options to cook in the Instant Pot. I prefer using boneless skinless chicken thighs but you can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. I like to slice the chicken breasts in half or pound them down to even thickness so they cook evenly.
OTHER TAKEOUT FAVORITES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Kung Pao Chicken – Low Carb, Keto , Paleo
Quick and easy Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken is the perfect set and forget meal for a busy week night! This crockpot chicken dinner is made with a delicious homemade teriyaki sauce, and only 10 minutes of prep!
- 1-1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or can use tamari or coconut aminos for gluten free or paleo
- 1/3 cup honey use low carb sweetener as needed
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for paleo
- 1 Tablespoon Mirin or dry sherry (optional)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated or minced ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce optional for darker carmelized color
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes or sriracha optional for an extra kick of heat
- 2-1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot/tapioca starch for paleo
- 3 Tablespoon cold water
- For garnish: sliced green onions sesame seeds
- For lunch bowls: cooked rice quinoa or noodles, cooked shelled edamame beans,
- Place the chicken in the Instant Pot. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Allow to marinate while you whisk together the sauce.
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, vinegar, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger and pour over chicken.
- Close and seal Instant Pot.
- Turn the venting knob to SEALING and press MANUAL (old models) or PRESSURE COOK (new models) on high for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure.
Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking the chicken and beeps, allow to naturally release for 15 minutes.
Open the lid and remove chicken from Instant Pot and shred with two forks.
Press the SAUTE button on the Instant Pot. Combine the cornstarch with water and stir into the Instant Pot. Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken up. Add the chicken back into the Instant Pot and combine with sauce and heat until hot. Serve with any remaining sauce along with your favorite rice, quinoa or noodles.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired.
MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES:
Instant Pot Beef Stew (One Pot Pressure Cooker)
Heather -
Yum, this was the best chicken ever!
Jessica -
Delicious! Perfect with roasted broccoli.
Kate Petty -
THat was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. I made exactly to the recipe and wouldn’t change a thing next time.
Susan -
We love this! The flavors were bEtter than our fave resto! Thank you!