Instant Pot Chinese Chicken and Broccoli is ready from scratch in about 15 minutes. Thin slices of tender chicken and crisp broccoli are coated in a glossy, sweet-and-savory sauce for a dish that tastes better than takeout and makes a simple weeknight dinner.
Chinese Chicken and Broccoli Instant Pot
Want a fast, takeout-style Chinese Chicken and Broccoli made in the Instant Pot that the whole family will enjoy?
Juicy, thinly sliced chicken cooks quickly and soaks up a delicious sweet-and-savory sauce, while broccoli adds a bright, crisp contrast. Serve over steamed jasmine rice or toss with noodles for an easy meal anyone will love.
If you like softer broccoli, see the tips below for options to adjust texture.
You can use fresh or thawed frozen chicken for this recipe. It’s a budget-friendly, restaurant-quality meal that’s healthier and quicker than ordering in.
This recipe pairs well with other Instant Pot favorites like sweet-and-sour chicken, cashew chicken, or Mongolian chicken when you rotate easy dinners through the week.
Ingredients
See the full ingredient list with exact measurements at the bottom of the post. The summary below is a quick reference.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless breasts or thighs, thinly sliced into 2″ pieces (or use thawed frozen chicken).
- Broccoli: Cut into uniform florets (fresh or thawed frozen).
- Aromatics: Minced ginger and garlic.
- Sauce: Oyster sauce, soy sauce (or tamari/light soy), rice wine, sriracha (optional), brown sugar, sesame oil.
- Thickener: Cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with equal parts water) for a glossy, clingy sauce.
- Oil: Any neutral cooking oil for sautéing.
Tips & Tricks
- Slice the chicken thinly: Thin strips cook faster, look like restaurant-style pieces, and take on the sauce more evenly. If you prefer, dice the chicken into small cubes instead.
- Sauté first: Browning the chicken a little on SAUTE mimics some wok flavor and prevents a boiled taste. This step also shortens pressure-cooking time.
- For crisp-tender broccoli: Add broccoli when you thicken the sauce, then turn off the Instant Pot and cover for 5 minutes. Residual heat will finish cooking the florets to a crisp-tender texture.
- For softer broccoli: Steam the florets in a steaming basket for 1–2 minutes while pressure-cooking the chicken, then add them back when you thicken the sauce.
- Adjust sauce thickness: Simmer until you reach the desired viscosity. Add 3–4 tablespoons more water if you prefer a thinner sauce.
Method
Detailed measurements and a recipe video are provided in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step #1 Sauté Chicken
Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE on the NORMAL setting. Add oil, then sauté minced ginger and garlic for about 30 seconds. Add the thinly sliced, flash-marinated chicken and cook until slightly golden at the edges, about 3–4 minutes.
Step #2 Pressure Cook
Cancel SAUTE. Add 1/3 cup water and deglaze the pot, scraping any browned bits from the bottom with a spatula. PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 1 minute, then perform a QUICK RELEASE. If using cubed chicken pieces, pressure cook for 3 minutes (or 1 minute for organic/farm-fresh chicken).
Step #3 Mix Sauce, Simmer, Thicken
Cancel the Pressure Cook function and set SAUTE to LOW. Add the sauce ingredients and the cornstarch slurry plus another 1/3 cup water; stir to combine. Add the broccoli florets and simmer until the sauce thickens to your liking. Turn off the Instant Pot and cover for 5 minutes so residual heat finishes cooking the broccoli to crisp-tender doneness.
For softer broccoli, use a steaming basket to pressure-cook the florets with the chicken and add them when you thicken the sauce.
Serve the Instant Pot Chinese Chicken and Broccoli over steamed jasmine rice or with noodles.
Storing Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 2 months—portioning before freezing makes reheating easier.
Reheating Tips
Reheat in the microwave, sprinkling a few drops of water over the dish to restore moisture. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Note that broccoli will soften further each time it is reheated.
More Asian Takeout Recipes
Instant Pot Chinese Chicken and Broccoli
Print Recipe
Watch Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 0.75 pound Chicken breast (** 325 grams, cut into 2 inch long thin slices, boneless skinless chicken breast.)
- 2 cups Broccoli (** fresh florets or a small broccoli head. For frozen broccoli read NOTES below)
- ½ tbsp Garlic (** minced)
- ½ tbsp Ginger (** minced)
- 3 tbsp Avocado oil (** or use any neutral oil)
For Flash Marinating Chicken
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- ½ tbsp Soy sauce (** or light soy sauce)
For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce (** use low sodium variety or use Tamari or light soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice wine
- 1 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
Thickener
- 1.5 tbsp Cornstarch (** made into a slurry, diluted in equal parts water)
Liquid
- ⅔ cups Water (** divided into equal parts)
Instructions
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Flash marinate thin chicken slices with sesame oil and light soy sauce (optional but adds flavor).
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Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE (NORMAL). Add oil, then sauté minced ginger and garlic for 30 seconds.
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Add the marinated chicken and sauté until lightly golden around the edges (about 3–4 minutes).
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Add ⅓ cup water and deglaze the pot, scraping any stuck bits. CANCEL SAUTE.
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Close the lid, set the valve to SEALING, and PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 1 minute.
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When cooking ends, perform a QUICK RELEASE, open the lid, and cancel Pressure Cook.
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Add the sauce ingredients, cornstarch slurry, and ⅓ cup water. Stir well.
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Set SAUTE to LOW, add broccoli florets, and simmer until the sauce thickens to your preference.
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Turn off the Instant Pot and cover for 5 minutes to let residual heat finish cooking the broccoli.
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Serve with steamed jasmine rice or noodles.
Notes
- Measuring units: 1 cup = 240 ml; 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.
- Cook time for cubed chicken: 3 minutes with quick pressure release for regular chicken; 1 minute QPR for organic/farm-fresh chicken.
- To make broccoli soft: Steam florets in a basket while pressure-cooking the chicken, then add them back when you thicken the sauce.
- Frozen broccoli: Thaw and drain excess water before using.
- Frozen chicken: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, drain, then slice thinly.
- Sauce consistency: For a thicker sauce, simmer longer; add 3–4 tbsp water to thin if desired.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days in an airtight container; freeze up to 2 months.
Calorie and nutrition estimates are provided by a third party and should be used as a guide only.