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Homemade Instant Pot Cashew Chicken photo

Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

Cashew chicken cooked in the Instant Pot with pot-in-pot basmati rice. The sauce is made with soy, hoisin, ginger and garlic, then thickened with a cornstarch slurry. Finished with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 2 lbschicken breastsor boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-2 inch pieces
  • 1 bell peppercored seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cupcashewsunsalted
  • 1 tablespoonsesame oil
  • 4 tablespoonslow sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoonsrice vinegar
  • 4 tablespoonshoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoonminced garlic
  • 1 tablespoonginger grated
  • 2 tablespoonslight brown sugar
  • 1 cuplow sodium chicken brothor water
  • 1/4 teaspoonred pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoonswater
  • 2 tablespoonscornstarch
  • 2 cupsbasmati rice
  • 2 cupswater
  • 2 tablespoonsbutterunsalted
  • 1/4 teaspoonsalt
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • Sesame seeds

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Instant Pot-safe dish
  • trivet
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Fork
  • Small Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Oven mitts

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Prepare the ingredients: cut the 2 lbs chicken into 1–2 inch pieces and core, seed, and cut the 1 bell pepper into 1-inch pieces.
  2. In the Instant Pot inner pot, add: chicken, bell pepper, 1 cup unsalted cashews, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 cup low sodium chicken broth (or water), and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
  3. Prepare the rice for pot-in-pot cooking: in an Instant Pot–safe dish that fits inside your Instant Pot, combine 2 cups basmati rice, 2 cups water, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and poke a few small holes in the foil with a fork to vent.
  4. Place the long-legged trivet into the Instant Pot on top of the chicken mixture. Carefully set the covered rice dish on the trivet.
  5. Close the Instant Pot lid and set the steam release valve to SEALING. Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
  6. When the cook time finishes, allow a 10-minute Natural Pressure Release (do not move the valve). After 10 minutes, carefully move the valve to VENTING to release any remaining pressure, then open the lid.
  7. Using oven mitts, carefully lift out the covered rice dish. Keep it covered and let it stand for 10 minutes, then uncover and fluff the rice with two forks.
  8. Select the Sauté function on LOW for the Instant Pot with the chicken mixture still inside.
  9. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth and lump-free.
  10. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the Instant Pot and gently stir to combine with the sauce. Sauté on LOW, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens to your liking.
  11. Turn the Instant Pot off and let the chicken sit in the pot for 5–7 minutes; the sauce will continue to thicken as it stands.
  12. Serve the cashew chicken over the fluffed basmati rice and garnish with the 2 sliced green onions and sesame seeds.