Braised Catalina Chicken

The pot lid rattles and you know dinner is almost ready. You feel that little buzz in the kitchen as pressure starts building up. The sealing ring does its job, keeping all that flavorful steam locked in tight.

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You spot the float valve dancing as it senses the perfect pressure inside. That little valve9 a sign your cooker9s working hard and your dinner9s gonna be juicy and tender. You just gotta wait a bit more while the broth depth gets just right.

All through the wait you kinda imagine how those chicken thighs or breasts are soaking up that tangy Catalina sauce. The aromas sneak out a little every now and then, teasing your nose. It9s almost like the house is telling you, hey, soon you9re gonna feast.

Why This Recipe Works Every Single Time

• The pressure cooker traps all the flavors so chicken comes out juicy every time.
• Your sealing ring seals in sauces perfectly, no mess, just taste.
• The natural release step lets the chicken relax and stay tender, no tough bites here.
• The balance of sweet ketchup and zesty vinegar hits your tongue just right.
• Even heat from the pressure build cooks chicken evenly, no guesswork needed.
• Simple sauce ingredients you probably have at home, no weird stuff to hunt down.

What Goes Into the Pot Today

• 4-6 boneless chicken thighs or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded to even thickness
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• d cup ketchup
• d cup sugar
• d cup red wine vinegar
• d cup diced onion
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

You also got Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and a good splash of olive oil ready to round it all out. Pretty straightforward pantry stuff for sure. The mix of ketchup, honey, and vinegar creates that classic Catalina flavor that9s kinda sweet and tangy all at once.

How It All Comes Together Step by Step

First, you mix up all your sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk that ketchup, sugar, vinegar, honey, paprika, and onion until it9s all smooth and combined.

Next comes the chicken setup. If you use breasts, make sure they9re pounded even so they cook at the same rate. Thighs work great too since they stay tender no matter what.

Place your chicken in the cooker pot or oven-safe dish. Pour the Catalina sauce right over the top so every piece gets coated in that tangy goodness.

Then scatter your halved cherry tomatoes on top for bursts of fresh flavor and color. These little guys cook down and add just the right pop.

Seal your pressure cooker lid tight making sure your sealing ring9s in place so no steam escapes when the pressure builds. Set it to cook on high pressure for about 10 minutes.

When the timer goes off, let your cooker do a natural release. This slow venting helps keep the chicken juicy and lets flavors settle in.

Finally, open up that lid and you9ll see bubbling sauce and tender chicken. Pour the sauce over steamed rice if you want and sprinkle on fresh thyme or cracked black pepper to jazz it up a little.

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Valve Hacks You Need to Know

• You can quick-release after 5 minutes of natural release if you9re in a rush but then sauce might be a tad less thick.
• Double check your sealing ring before cooking to avoid pressure leaks9you don9t want to wait forever for pressure build.
• If you notice the float valve isn9t popping up, that means pressure hasn9t built yet. Give it a minute and no peeking!

These little tricks help you keep your cooking smooth and steady. Pressure cookers can be quirky and sometimes goofy but once you know these tips, you9re golden.

Your First Taste After the Wait

You pick up your fork, you spot that glistening sauce coating every bite. The chicken feels tender like it just fell off the bone, even if it9s boneless.

The sauce hits your bite with that sweet tang from ketchup and honey, then a little zing from vinegar sneaks in. It9s comforting and kinda exciting all at once.

Those cherry tomatoes softened up just right, popping bursts of juicy freshness that cut through the richness. You notice the little thyme leaves and fresh cracked pepper dancing on top and it makes everything feel fancy in a homey way.

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Making It Last All Week Long

Store any leftovers in airtight containers once cooled to keep that broth depth and sauce fresh. You want the sauce soaking in during storage.

Reheat gently on the stove or microwave to keep chicken tender and sauce nice and saucy. Avoid overcooking when reheating or it gets dry.

You can also freeze portions in freezer-safe bags or containers for longer storage. Just label them well so you don9t forget when you gotta pull it out later.

For meal prep, pack chicken and sauce separately from rice if you made some. Keeps everything tasting fresh when reheated later on.

Everything Else You Wondered About

• Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs? Totally, just pound 9em even so they cook right.
• Do I need to brown the chicken first? Nope, this recipe9s all about easy sauce and pressure cooking saves you that step.
• What if my pressure cooker doesn9t have a natural release setting? You can let it sit off heat and wait a bit or quick release carefully, just keep an eye on the sauce thickness.
• Can I add veggies? Sure, but add softer veggies like cherry tomatoes now and heartier ones like carrots before cooking.
• How important is the sealing ring? Very! It holds the pressure and seals steam so your chicken cooks properly with good broth depth.
• Can I make this in the oven instead? Yes, you can bake it uncovered at 3758F for around 25-30 mins until bubbly and done.

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Catalina Chicken Pressure Cooker Recipe

This easy Catalina Chicken recipe uses a pressure cooker to lock in sweet and tangy flavor from a homemade sauce, ensuring juicy, tender chicken in just 25 minutes.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 servings

Calories 932 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl for preparing sauce
• 1 Pressure cooker for cooking chicken

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 4-6 boneless chicken thighs or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• ½ cup ketchup
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup onion diced
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• fresh thyme for garnish (optional)
• cracked black pepper for garnish (optional)

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Mix all sauce ingredients (ketchup, sugar, vinegar, honey, paprika, onion, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, olive oil, salt, and pepper) in a medium bowl until smooth.
• If using chicken breasts, pound to even thickness for even cooking. Thighs can be used as-is.
• Place chicken into pressure cooker pot and pour sauce all over to coat.
• Scatter halved cherry tomatoes on top of the coated chicken.
• Seal lid ensuring the sealing ring is in place. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
• Once finished, allow natural release for best results.
• Open lid, spoon sauce over chicken and serve over steamed rice if desired.
• Garnish with fresh thyme and cracked black pepper.

Notes

Serve over steamed rice and garnish with thyme or pepper. Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen for later meals.