Make your next weeknight dinner a breeze with this instant pot chicken stir fry! Flavorful stir fry sauce cooked into tender chicken and colorful vegetables. Serve with rice or noodles for a healthy, balanced, family-friendly meal that’s ready in under 20 minutes!
Instant Pot chicken stir fry
I love when the pressure cooker comes to save dinner.
With a few minutes of prep, this healthy, protein-packed dinner is done in a flash.
Take that busy weeknight!
Once the chicken breasts are diced into bite-size pieces, the sauce mixed together and the veggies are chopped and ready, you simply add the ingredient into the instant pot to get the chicken cooking, then finish with a quick vegetable steam!
What makes this the best instant pot stir fry recipe?
Flavor filled – The soy sauce-free stir fry sauce is SO flavorful! The mixture of chicken broth, coconut aminos, honey, ginger, and sesame oil makes this chicken and vegetable dish exciting!
Meal prep friendly – You can 100% make this entire recipe fully in advance or prep the components. Speed up cook time by having the chicken diced, the stir-fry sauce mixed up and ready to go, and the fresh vegetables diced (or buy pre-diced veggies!).
Time-saving – The beauty of the instant pot is that it cooks QUICKLY and it’s also a one-pot meal! It is also hands-off cooking time. Once you set it to cook, you don’t have to do any stirring leaving you free to work on other things.
Balanced – Whether you’re looking for a balanced meal with loads of vegetables or a low-carb alternative, this recipe is for you! Add starch (like jasmine rice, brown rice, fried rice, or rice noodles) if you’d like, or omit it! Cauliflower rice is a great low-carb substitute for rice and zucchini noodles for rice noodles.
What you need for delicious instant pot chicken and stir fry vegetables
Scroll down to view the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions.
- boneless skinless chicken breast
- broccoli florets
- carrots
- chicken broth
- coconut aminos
- honey
- dried ground ginger
- garlic cloves
- sesame oil
- cornstarch
- green onions for garnish
How to make instant pot stir fry
Step 1: Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces and place in the bottom of the instant pot.
Step 2: Mix the stir-fry sauce ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Give it a quick stir to ensure the chicken is fully coated by the sauce.
Step 3: Place the lid on and set the seal to close. Cook on manual high pressure for 6 minutes, and do a quick release.
Step 4: After the pressure has fully released, open and add the chopped vegetables.
Step 5: Add the lid back on and cook on manual high pressure for 1 minute (or 0 minutes for less cooked vegetables), and do a quick release when it finishes.
Step 6: Select the saute function, and while it heats, mix the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water. When you see a slight simmer starting, add the cornstarch slurry into the liquid and stir for 2-4 minutes while it thickens.
Step 7: Serve the chicken, vegetables, and sauce over rice or ramen! Garnish with minced green onion if you’d like.
Watch me make this delicious recipe
The full how to video can be watched below, or on my YouTube channel!
How to store
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge. Once fully cooled, add to an airtight container and keep for up to 5 days.
Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.
How to freeze
You can freeze this recipe to have a healthy option ready and waiting for you.
Once fully cooled, add to a large or smaller freezer bags. Release as much air out of the bags, lay flat, label, date, and freeze for up to 6 months.
To enjoy this meal, place the frozen meal in the fridge overnight to defrost.
If enjoying without defrosting, add the frozen contents into a large saucepan and heat gently over low heat. Bring to a low simmer for 1-2 minutes and your new favorite quick dinner is ready to enjoy!
Substitutions
Below you’ll find a list of substitutions that will work well in this healthy stir fry recipe.
If you try something different out, please leave a comment below letting us all know how it turned out!
Chicken breast – Chicken thighs, pork loin, and steak will all work as replacements for the chicken breasts.
Broccoli – Try cauliflower or snap peas in here too!
Carrots – Bell peppers are a great alternative or addition to this recipe.
Chicken broth – Vegetable broth will work too!
Coconut aminos – Soy sauce will work as a good alternative to coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are slightly sweeter and less salty than soy sauce, so if you opt for soy sauce, increase the honey to 3 or 4 tablespoons.
Honey – Maple syrup is a great option to replace the honey.
Dried ginger – Fresh ginger is a good option to use here too!
Fresh garlic – Dried garlic or garlic powder will work.
Sesame oil – Toasted sesame oil will work in this recipe. If you don’t have sesame oil on hand, swap in olive oil.
Green onion garnish – Chives will work equally well to replace the green onion garnish. Sesame seeds are another great garnish!
Cornstarch – For a corn-free alternative, use arrowroot powder in place of cornstarch.
More instant pot recipes you’ll love
- Instant pot teriyaki chicken and veggies
- Instant pot hawaiian chicken tacos
- Instant pot jerk chicken bowls
- Cilantro lime brown rice instant pot recipe
- Instant pot lazy lasagna
Instant Pot Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 cup broccoli florets
- 2 cups carrots peeled and cut into sticks
Stir Fry Sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp dried ground ginger
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- Optional: green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces and place in the bottom of the instant pot.
- Mix the stir-fry sauce ingredients (except for the cornstarch) together and pour over the chicken. Give it a quick stir to ensure the chicken is fully coated by the sauce.
- Place the lid on and set the seal to close. Cook on manual high pressure for 6 minutes, and do a quick release.
- After the pressure has fully released, open and add the chopped vegetables.
- Add the lid back on and cook on manual high pressure for 1 minute (or 0 minutes for less cooked vegetables), and do a quick release when it finishes.
- Select the saute function, and while it heats, mix the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water. When you see a slight simmer starting, add the cornstarch slurry into the liquid and stir for 2-4 minutes while it thickens.
- Serve the chicken, vegetables, and sauce over rice or ramen! Garnish with minced green onion if you’d like.
Nutrition
If you try this healthy instant pot chicken stir fry recipe, I’d love it if you left a star rating and comment below letting me know how it turned out!
XO
Heather
