Better-Than-Takeout Sticky Chicken

You catch the smell through the steam vent and suddenly you are starving. Its that kinda sweet, savory scent that just wraps around your senses tight. That valve hiss tells you somethin good is happenin inside your pressure cooker.

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You feel the house warm up with this sticky sesame aroma, and you just cant wait. As the steam cues build, you sense the chicken softening into that tender pull you crave. Its not just food, its a dang comfort hug in your kitchen.

You remember the first time you tasted sticky sesame chicken and thought yeah, this is gonna be a favorite. Trust me, making it in your pressure cooker keeps the broth depth rich and the whole thing done in a snap. Your taste buds get set for a delicious ride.

What Makes Pressure Cooking Win Every Round

• Speedy cooking that cuts down cooking times big time so your tummy stops growling fast
• Locks in flavors good n deep, so your chicken tastes juicy and packed full of sauce
• Hands-off cooking means you aint gotta babysit the pot, just catch those steam cues
• Natural release lets the chicken finish tender and juicy, no overcooking fuss
• Less clean up cause one pot does all, saving you from kitchen chaos

What Goes Into the Pot Today

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2 eggs, whisked up to coat the chicken nice
• 6 tablespoons flour to dredge and get that crispy edge
• 3 tablespoons corn starch for that perfect texture
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil to sear till golden brown
• 3-4 cups cooked white rice for serving the saucy chicken over
• Sesame seeds sprinkled on top for crunch and nuttiness
• Chopped green onions fresh and bright for garnish
• 6 tablespoons honey to sweeten the sauce just right
• 4 tablespoons ketchup melding into the sauce for that tangy twist

• 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon brown sugar adding layers of sweetness
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar wakes up the sauce with a little zing
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce brings the salty depth you cant forget
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil packs in that nutty, rich flavor
• 2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon garlic powder give it a little kick
• 1 tablespoon cold water and 2 tablespoons corn starch mixed to thicken that sauce

The Full Pressure Cooker Journey

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Start off by preheating your oven to 375F since the final sticky touch happens there later. Meanwhile, toss your chicken pieces with the whisked eggs in a big bowl. Get those chicken bits evenly coated, thats important.

Next, mix flour and corn starch in another bowl for the dredging part. Dip the egg-coated chicken into this dry mix till its covered all over. This gives you the crispy texture you love after searing.

Heat up your vegetable oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Be ready to move fast - sear the chicken in batches till each piece is golden brown, bout 2-3 minutes per side. Set em aside; these dont cook through fully just yet.

Time to whip up your sauce on the stove top. Combine honey and ketchup in a small saucepan. Cook em together for 2-3 minutes till theyre smooth and slightly thickened. Youre building that flavor base right here.

Place your seared chicken in a greased baking dish. Pour the honey-ketchup sauce all over and toss gently to coat each piece sticky style. Now slide it into the oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through so the sauce clings real good.

Once done, pull your dish from the oven and get ready to serve over cooked rice. Sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped green onions on top for that final fresh crunch. Dig in warm and enjoy that tender pull and syrupy sauce combo!

Quick Tricks That Save Your Time

• Use pre-cooked rice from the fridge to skip making rice fresh - just reheat while chicken cooks
• Buy chicken already cut into pieces so you can jump straight to seasoning and dredging
• Mix your dredging flour and corn starch ahead and keep it ready in a zip bag
• While chicken sears, start sauce to save that few minutes cooking time
• Use a bigger skillet so you do chicken batches quicker and less waiting around

When You Finally Get to Eat

You plate your sticky sesame chicken over fluffy white rice and the scent just hits you again. That sweet, nutty sesame oil mingles with the deep soy sauce, inviting you to take the first bite.

When you pull a piece up with your fork, its tender but with a little crisp edge from the searing. The sticky sauce clings tight, coating every bite in that sweet and savory burst making you wanna grab more.

The sprinkling of sesame seeds and green onions adds texture and a fresh pop that keeps every mouthful exciting. Its comfort food that feels kinda fancy and dang addictive. You keep going back for more until the plates all cleaned.

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Smart Storage That Actually Works

• Keep leftovers in an airtight container to keep that sticky sauce thick and luscious without drying out
• Store in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently so the tender pull doesnt turn rubbery
• Freeze any extra portions in freezer bags for up to 3 months, just thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to eat
• Reheat covered on medium heat or in microwave with a splash of water or broth to refresh the sauce and keep it saucy

What People Always Ask Me

• Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Yeah totally, thighs get even juicier and the sauce clings awesome. Adjust pressure time just a bit if you like.
• What if I want it less sweet? Easy, cut back on honey and sugars and add extra soy sauce or a splash more vinegar for balance.
• Does it work without the oven part? You can skip baking but sauce wont get that sticky glaze you want. Use sut mode to reduce sauce in the pot after pressure cooking if you wanna skip oven.
• How do I know when natural release is done? When the valve stops hissing and steam slows to a gentle puffing pause, your timer is up and its safe to open.
• Can I double the recipe? Sure thing, just dont crowd the pot too much or chicken wont sear right. Cook in batches if your pressure cooker is smaller.
• Any tips for making this gluten-free? Swap regular flour and soy sauce for gluten-free versions and use cornstarch for dredging. It still turns out sticky and amazing.

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Sticky Sesame Chicken in Your Pressure Cooker

This better-than-takeout sticky sesame chicken is packed with sweet and savory flavor, made quickly in the pressure cooker with minimal effort!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 servings

Calories 716 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl Large
• 1 Skillet For searing chicken
• 1 Saucepan To prepare sauce
• 1 Baking dish Greased

Ingredients

  

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts chopped into bite-size pieces
• 2 eggs whisked
• 6 tablespoons flour for dredging
• 5 tablespoons corn starch 3 tablespoon for dredging + 2 tablespoon for thickening
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil to sear till golden brown
• 3-4 cups cooked white rice for serving
• sesame seeds for garnish
• green onions chopped, for garnish
• 6 tablespoons honey for sauce
• 4 tablespoons ketchup for sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar for sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar for sauce
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar for sauce
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce for sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil for sauce
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cold water to mix with cornstarch

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss chopped chicken with whisked eggs in a bowl until coated evenly.
• Mix flour and 3 tablespoon corn starch in a bowl. Dredge egg-coated chicken in the mix until fully coated.
• Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken in batches for 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Set aside.
• In a saucepan, combine honey and ketchup. Cook on medium for 2-3 minutes until smooth.
• Place seared chicken in a greased baking dish. Pour sauce over and toss to coat.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even coating.
• Whisk together 2 tablespoon corn starch with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry.
• Add slurry to the boiling sauce and cook until thickened.
• Toss the baked chicken in thickened sauce to coat completely.
• Serve chicken warm over cooked rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Notes

For a saucier version, feel free to double up the sauce ingredients. Adjust sweetness to your liking.