Rootitoot Honey Garlic Chicken
Bone-in chicken thighs in a sweet honey-garlic sauce made in the Instant Pot, from The Rootitoot Cookbook. Garnished with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.
Ingredients
| 4-6 | chicken thighs, bone-in | |
| 2 Tbsp | 30 ml | oil or butter |
| 3 Tbsp | 45 ml | soy sauce |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | honey or maple syrup |
| 1-2 Tbsp | 15–30 ml | minced garlic |
| 2 tsp | 10 ml | grated ginger |
| 2-3 dashes | hot sauce (optional) | |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml | chicken broth or water |
| 1 Tbsp | 15 ml | cornstarch |
| 2 Tbsp | 30 ml | water |
| — | sesame seeds and sliced scallions for garnish |
Instructions
Hit Saute on the Instant Pot, add the butter or oil and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pot. Season the chicken thighs well with salt and pepper and brown them well on both sides, skin side first. While they are browning, mix together the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and hot sauce (if using).
When the chicken is browned on both sides, hit Cancel. Transfer the chicken to a plate and add the chicken broth or water to the pot. Thoroughly deglaze the pot: scrape all the brown bits up off the bottom of the pot. If you don't, you may get the Burn warning and your IP will shut off.
Add the chicken to the pot and pour the sauce over it. Close the lid and make sure the valve is set to Sealing. Push the Pressure Cook (or Manual) button and adjust the time using the + and - buttons to get to 15 minutes.
Make a slurry by mixing the cornstarch and water until smooth.
When it beeps that it's done, leave it alone for 15 min. This is an NR (natural release). Then flip the valve from Sealing to Venting for a QR (quick release) of any remaining pressure.
Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with tin foil. Hit Saute again. When the sauce begins to boil, stir in about half the cornstarch slurry and bring it back to a boil to thicken it. This just takes a minute. If you want it a little thicker, add more slurry. Hit Cancel when the sauce is thickened and pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.