This Instant Pot teriyaki chicken recipe is one of the easiest and quickest ways to make a wholesome dish in a pressure cooker.

The dish is made with succulent pieces of chicken simmered in an umami-sweet Japanese sauce. Best of all, the meal can be ready and on the table in less than 30 minutes, and there’s only one pot to clean up after.

Is Cooking Teriyaki Chicken in the Instant Pot a Healthy Option?

Instant Pots work by maintaining a high-pressure environment in the pot, which significantly shortens the cooking time and helps to make food tender. Whether or not using an Instant Pot is a healthier method of cooking is still being debated, compared to other methods like broiling, baking, or stir-frying.

Our teriyaki chicken recipe is healthy due to careful nutrient calculation, not just method. However you choose to cook your food, it will be the ingredients you use and their quantities that will have the biggest impact on the final nutrient profile. Thus, cooking in the Instant Pot is only healthy as long as you are using a healthy recipe.

is cooking teriyaki chicken in the instant pot healthy

Ingredients for Teriyaki Chicken

This Instant Pot teriyaki chicken is packed with fresh and healthy ingredients.

Chicken Thighs: We prefer to use skinless and boneless chicken for this recipe since all you need to do prep-wise is cut them into size-bite chunks.
Cornstarch: Thickening agent is a non-negotiable component in teriyaki chicken. It helps the sauce cling to the chicken pieces.
Herbs: Finely chop your fresh garlic and ginger so that they can more fully infuse into the sauce, giving the dish an aromatic note.
Teriyaki Sauce: the famous teriyaki sauce is a breeze once you have the know-how, and it can be made with simple pantry ingredients. The umami flavor from the soy sauce balances out the sweetness from sugar, and a splash of lemon juice elevates the taste of each element in the pot for a satisfying experience in every bite.

If you love this recipe, this traditional teriyaki chicken is a more convenient version. For more recipes on teriyaki, have a look at our air fryer teriyaki chicken.

How to Cook Teriyaki Chicken in the Instant Pot

The amazing thing about this teriyaki chicken is that all the components are cooked in the same pot, allowing the chicken to get evenly coated in the delicious sauce.

Here is how we make the dish:

Make the teriyaki sauce.

Stir fry the herbs.

Sear the chicken.

Add the teriyaki sauce.

Garnish.

Serve.

Jump to Recipe

Can I Use Frozen Chicken?

Yes, you can. To skip the thawing step and to turn your frozen chicken into a fully safe-to-eat meal, increase the cooking time by at least 50%. For this recipe specifically, you should sear the chicken for 5 – 7 minutes.

Note that we do recommend you use proper thawed meat as it will cook faster and taste better. However, if frozen chicken is all you have, it will still taste good.

Tips for Making Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken

Sear The Chicken

Before allowing the chicken to simmer in the teriyaki sauce, we first sear the meat. This step helps create a slight browning on the skin of the chicken chunks.

This helps the exterior pick up all the flavors from the teriyaki sauce while preventing the interior from drying out. Try this simple extra step and experience a noticeable difference in flavor and texture.

When Adding Thickening Agent

Cornstarch power should not be added directly to the hot simmering sauce in the pot, as this will produce a clumpy consistency. Instead, mix the cornstarch with cold teriyaki sauce.

This way, the starch can go more easily into the hot liquid, absorb water, and thicken the sauce. Note that you should also continuously stir while adding the thickening agent to help it disperse evenly and avoid clumps.

tips for making instant pot teriyaki chicken

Store and Reheat

To store

You can divide the Instant Pot teriyaki chicken into serving size portions and place them in separate airtight containers. Refrigerated teriyaki chicken can last for up to 4 – 5 days. Frozen, on the other hand, can last up to 3 months.

To Reheat

When ready to use, put it in the microwave for a few minutes until heated through. You can add a splash of water and reheat it on the stove too; make sure to stir the dish frequently so that the noodles don’t dry out and everything remains coated evenly in sauce.

For more helpful tips, see our favorite instant pot chicken breast recipes or check out our instant pot dinner roundup.

Side Dishes for Teriyaki Chicken

Teriyaki chicken is full of protein and starch, and is often paired with steamed rice or fried rice in a pineapple in restaurants. At home you have the freedom to serve it in a variety of ways.

Our favorite is to team up the dish with healthy vegetables. We’ve put together this combination to create a complete meal that can provide nourishment and energy after a long day.

Winter Melon Meatball Soup: This classic Chinese-style soup made with winter melon and pork is warm, wholesome, and a perfect addition to dinner.

Orange Pineapple Juice: The tropical fruits in this simple orange pineapple juice create a refreshing note that will help to balance the meaty taste from chicken and soup. Plus, it’s a great way to get an extra vitamin boost.

Recipes	Course	Calories	Saturated fat	Sodium
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken	Main Dish	494	4.0 g	554 mg
Winter Melon Meatball Soup	Side Dish	143	3.5 g	293 mg
Orange Pineapple Juice	Beverage	112	0.0 g	6 mg
Total		749	7.5 g	853 mg

Nutritional values in this table vary somewhat to those below due to different app calculations. Read more...

If you’re interested in other chicken recipes as healthy as this one, we’ve got some seriously delectable ones: top 50+ chicken roundup and the best of chicken thigh recipes.