Instant Pot Soy-Maple Chicken Stir Fry with Cashews
A one-pot pressure cooker chicken stir fry balancing sweet maple syrup with savory soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Tender chicken chunks and crisp-tender broccoli and peppers are finished with toasted cashews for textural contrast. The sauce thickens on sauté mode, creating a glossy coating without cornstarch slurry breaking down. Serve over rice or noodles for a weeknight dinner that tastes restaurant-quality but takes 20 minutes. This version uses the Instant Pot's pressure and sauté functions strategically: pressure cooks the chicken and sauce together, then sauté thickens before vegetables steam separately to prevent mushiness.
Ingredients
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce, or tamari
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon ginger, fresh grated
- 2 teaspoon white rice vinegar
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large red peppers, diced
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup raw whole cashews
Instructions
- 1
Whisk soy sauce, maple syrup, minced garlic, grated ginger, and rice vinegar in a bowl; set aside.
- 2
Cut chicken breast into 1-inch chunks.
- 3
Turn on sauté mode and heat olive oil until fragrant.
- 4
Add chicken and brown for 1 to 2 minutes.
- 5
Turn off sauté, pour sauce over chicken, and toss to coat.
- 6
Seal lid and valve; cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
- 7
While cooking, dice peppers and cut broccoli into florets.
- 8
Whisk together water and cornstarch to make slurry.
- 9
Quick release pressure when Instant Pot beeps.
- 10
Add vegetables, slurry, and cashews; toss together.
- 11
Turn on sauté mode and cook until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.
- 12
Cover immediately without sealing and let vegetables steam for 5 minutes.
- 13
Check vegetable doneness; if needed, cover and steam longer.
- 14
Serve over grain of choice.
Tips
Quick release immediately when timer beeps to stop the cooking process; delayed release will overcook delicate chicken breast.
Add vegetables after pressure cooking, not before, so they stay crisp-tender rather than mushy.
For deeper flavor, marinate chicken in half the sauce for 30 minutes before cooking.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat gently on stove over medium heat with splash of water to restore sauce consistency.
Prepare sauce and chop vegetables up to 24 hours ahead. Do not cook chicken and vegetables together in advance; assemble and cook within 2 hours of serving.
Serve over white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, or egg noodles. Garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds if desired.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip quick release; natural release will continue cooking chicken into rubber texture.
Do not add vegetables before pressure cooking; they will disintegrate.
Do not use full-sodium soy sauce without reducing other liquid; salt concentration will be too high.
Substitutions
Vegan Options
Gluten-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I use frozen chicken?
Yes, but increase pressure cook time to 8 minutes for frozen chunks. Thaw first for more even cooking and better browning in sauté step. Frozen chicken may release more liquid, requiring thicker slurry.
What if my sauce is too thin after cooking?
The cornstarch slurry thickens on sauté mode. If it remains thin, whisk additional cornstarch with cold water, add to sauté, and cook 1 minute more. Don't let sauce boil violently or cornstarch breaks down.
How long does this keep and can I freeze it?
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freezes well up to 3 months; thaw overnight and reheat on stovetop. Sauce may separate; whisk in splash of water and warm gently to recombine. Cashews stay crunchier if added fresh before serving.