Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken (Gluten-Free & Paleo)

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This Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken recipe is easy and flavorful, and only takes 40 minutes to make. Gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30-friendly.

Easy Chicken Dinner

This Instant Pot Chicken Teriyaki dish is one of those recipes you need when you’re too busy to plan anything fancy for dinner, but you’re hungry enough to need something flavorful and satisfying. 

Honestly, making a 40-minute meal using chicken in the Instant Pot is one of my favorite tricks for getting healthy food on the table day after day. An additional benefits is that using a pressure cooking to cook chicken means that it rarely gets dried out (because the moisture is trapped inside the pot).

The 40 minutes necessary for this recipe includes prep time, time to pressure, cooking time, and 10 minutes of natural release. I promise this is one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make in your Instant Pot.

Chicken Teriyaki Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this easy chicken dinner:

• 6-quart Instant Pot
• Chicken cutlets or chicken thighs 
• Garlic cloves
• Chopped onion
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Organic coconut sugar (leave out for Whole30)
• Coconut aminos
• Frozen pineapple chunks (you can use canned pineapple if you want)
• Arrowroot powder to thicken teriyaki sauce
• Cilantro or green onion (optional, for topping)

How to Make Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

You’ll never buy bottled teriyaki sauce after you see how easy it is to make your own. It’s healthier, too, because you have control over the ingredients. Most bottled teriyaki sauces are filled with preservatives and refined sugar. I used just a tablespoon of coconut sugar and that was just the perfect amount.

The combination of tamari, pineapple, and coconut sugar makes for a sticky, yummy teriyaki sauce.

How to Make This Recipe

In case I haven’t emphasized this enough, this is a super duper easy recipe. Here are the steps.

1. Saute your chicken and garlic in the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot.
2. Add the broth, tamari, coconut sugar, and pineapple chunks. Leave out the coconut sugar for Whole30.
3. Set the time to 8 minutes at high pressure.
4. Once the cooking time is complete, let the pressure come down for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure.
5. Stir in the arrowroot and simmer for a few minutes to thicken the sauce.
6. Serve hot with cooked white rice or sautéed cauliflower rice, plus a side of steamed veggies.

FAQs 

How long does this recipe take to cook?

It needs 10 minutes on high pressure, plus about 10 minutes to come up to pressure and 10 minutes to come down from pressure. Plus, I needed about 10 minutes prep time. So, about 40 minutes from start to finish.

Is this recipe Whole30?

Yes, if you leave out the coconut sugar. Don’t worry, the sauce will still be sweet from the pineapple.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Yes!

Other Healthy Chicken Recipes You Might Like:

• Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore 
• Instant Pot Chicken & Sweet Potato dinner 
• Instant Pot Chicken Soup with Rice
• Instant Pot Chicken Stew
• Instant Pot Noodles with Chicken 

Plus, don’t miss my round-up of almost 50 gluten-free and dairy-free Instant Pot Chicken Recipes. 

Here’s the printable recipe:

Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken (Easy, Homemade Sauce)

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★★★★★ 5 from 8 reviews

• Author: Carrie Forrest, MPH in Nutrition
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 minutes
• Total Time: 38 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Main dish
• Method: Instant Pot
• Cuisine: paleo, whole30, gluten free

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Description

If you’re looking for an easy and flavorful Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken recipe, then you’ll love this healthy, homemade recipe.

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Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cutlets or thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
• ¼ cup coconut aminos
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (leave out for Whole30)
• 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional, for topping)
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (optional, for topping)

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Instructions

1. Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot and let it heat up for about two minutes. Combine the chicken, onion, and garlic in the stainless steel insert of the Instant Pot and sauté for about 3 minutes, stirring so the chicken starts to change color on all sides.
2. Add the broth and cancel the Sauté function.
3. Add the pineapple, coconut aminos, and coconut sugar to the pot and stir to combine. Lock on the lid, select the Pressure Cook function, and adjust to high pressure for 8 minutes. Make sure the steam valve is set in the “Sealing”.
4. When the cooking time is up, let the pressure come down naturally for 10 minutes and then quick-release the remaining pressure.
5. Remove the lid and press the Sauté button and add the arrowroot starch to the pot. Use a whisk to make sure the starch dissolves into the liquid. Let the liquid simmer for about 2 minutes so it can start to thicken.
6. Cancel the Sauté button and stir. Serve the chicken hot, on top of steamed rice or sautéed cauliflower rice, with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro and green onions, if desired.
7. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Notes

Allow 10 minutes to come up to pressure, 8 minutes cooking time, and 10 minutes to release the pressure naturally.

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