Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken

Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken is a sweet and tangy dinner recipe that’s perfect for weeknights. You’ll love this versatile recipe that works great on the stove top too!

Readers love our easy Instant Pot recipes. From Instant Pot mashed potatoes to our flavorful Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff recipe. There’s something for everyone.

Mongolian chicken in the pressure cooker with a ladle.


Why this Recipe Works

Looking for an easy dinner idea? One that is about as simple as take-out, but made at home?

Americans love chinese food. Mongolian Beef is one of my family’s favorite meals.

Today, we’ve switched it up and made this delicious Mongolian Chicken recipe.

It’s made in the Instant Pot…and it’s amazing.

First question though. Have you bought an Instant Pot yet? If not, you need one. Clearly I’ve been busy over here creating dozens of new recipes for your pressure cooker, from Instant Pot Chocolate cake to crack chicken!

Recipes that save you time in the kitchen, so that you can do more important things. Like laundry. Kidding, I meant Netflix.

But seriously, let’s talk about Mongolian Chicken in the Instant Pot.

Ingredient Notes

Plate of mongolian chicken made in the pressure cooker and served with rice.

Reminder

Scroll to the end of the blog post for a complete printable list of ingredients, measurements, and directions.

Instant Pot. Okay I know that seems obvious, but just in case you don’t have one, I love my 6qt Duo. Perfect for all my pressure cooker recipes!

  • Chicken. I love using boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but if you prefer chicken breasts work well too. I find the thighs add so much more flavor to recipes! You’ll want to cut your chicken into cubes before starting, about 1 or 2 inches in size.
  • Seasonings. Cloves, soy sauce, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes are all needed for today’s mongolian chicken recipe.
  • Ginger. While normally I use dried ginger, I would choose fresh ginger for Mongolian Chicken. The flavor really shines through. I keep a tube of the fresh ginger paste in my fridge at all times, for recipes like this.
  • Liquid. I use chicken broth to enhance the flavor, but water would work too. Use what you have on hand!

Step by Step Instructions

Cook Chicken. Select “SAUTE” on pressure cooker and add olive oil to pot. Toss in cubed chicken and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring until lightly browned on outside of chicken.

Deglaze. Deglaze the pot by adding in chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Do not skip this step. Bits stuck to the bottom of the pan could result in a burn notice. Deglazing the pot will resolve this issue before it happens!

Pressure Cook. Add brown sugar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to the pressure cooker. Stir, then secure the lid.

Select “High Pressure” for a cook time of 6 minutes.

When cook time ends, allow a natural release for 10 minutes.

Thicken Sauce. Release pressure and open the lid. In a small bowl, whisk together cold water with cornstarch. Pour into the instant pot.

Select “SAUTE” again and allow mixture to cook until thickened. This step may take several minutes, stirring continuously.

ENJOY. Turn off instant pot and serve over rice with green onions and sesame seeds. ENJOY.

Plate of Mongolian Chicken with Instant Pot. Served over rice with sesame seeds and green onion

Can you make Mongolian Chicken on Stove Top

Yes. 

In a large skillet, saute olive oil and cubed chicken until cooked, stirring to cook evenly on all sides and within. This will take about ten minutes.

Add brown sugar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.

Reduce heat to simmer and stir until chicken is coated and cook for about 15 minutes until thickened.

Serve over rice and enjoy.

Serving Suggestions

This chicken recipe is great served with rice or cauliflower rice.

You can also add in some of your favorite vegetables:

Mongolian chicken garnished with sesame seeds and served with rice.

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Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken

5 from 4 votes
By: Aimee
Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken is a sweet and tangy dinner recipe that's perfect for weeknights. You'll love this versatile recipe that works great on the stove top too!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cubed in 1-inch pieces
  • Âľ cup chicken broth
  • Âľ cup light brown sugar
  • 3 cloves garlic pressed
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh ginger minced
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • Âľ cup soy sauce
  • Âľ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 green onions chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
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Instructions 

  • Select "SAUTE" on pressure cooker and add olive oil to pot. Toss in cubed chicken and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring until lightly browned on outside of chicken.
  • Deglaze the pot by adding in chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add brown sugar, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to the pressure cooker. Stir, then secure the lid.
  • Select "High Pressure" for a cook time of 6 minutes.
  • When cook time ends, allow a natural release for 10 minutes. Release pressure and open the lid.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together cold water with cornstarch. Pour into the instant pot.
  • Select "SAUTE" again and allow mixture to cook until thickened. This step may take several minutes, stirring continuously.
  • Turn off instant pot and serve over rice with green onions and sesame seeds. ENJOY.

Notes

This chicken recipe is great served with rice or cauliflower rice.
You can also add in some of your favorite vegetables:

Nutrition

Calories: 416kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 185mg, Sodium: 2143mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 23g
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken is a sweet and tangy dinner recipe that’s perfect for weeknights. You’ll love this versatile recipe that works great on the stove top too!



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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

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Posted on November 19, 2019

Comments & Reviews

  1. We make this all of the time!!! Thanks for this great recipe!! Going to try your orange chicken recipe as well!!

  2. Amazing dish! Wanted something quick and easy . I reduced the red pepper flakes as my family do well with spicy food.
    Excellent , great tasting and easy to follow directions. I give this recipe a 10 out of 10. Thank you for sharing, Tams

  3. I love Mongolian chicken and instant pot recipes and this recipe is spot on! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂

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