Brown sugar garlic chicken

This Instant Pot or pressure cooker brown sugar garlic chicken isn’t the healthiest meal but it is a reasonably cheap meal to make and is full of different flavours than usual so might be a nice one to add to your meal plan this week.

When it comes to cooking, not all of us have the time to stand in the kitchen slaving over a hot stove for hours to create a tasty and satisfying dish. Well, certainly not every day anyway. After all, we all have commitments and things that take up our time.

You might be busy working during the week or have your children to get from one place to the next. Life is busy, but that doesn’t mean to say that we can’t have tasty and delicious meals. 

The instant pot is a great appliance to have in your kitchen. They are easy to use and enable you to cook tasty dishes in minutes rather than hours. This Brown sugar garlic chicken is a prime example of how the instant pot can be sued to create a dish the whole family will enjoy. So without further ado, here is everything you need to know to help you make the Brown sugar garlic chicken. 

Ingredients needed for the Brown sugar garlic chicken

How to make the Brown sugar garlic chicken – step by step instructions

Now that you have got all of the ingredients together it is time to make the dish. 

This recipe serves 4 so if you wish to serve it with rice cook enough rice seperately for 4 people.

First of all, plug in your instant pot and turn on the saute function. 

Wait for the instant pot to heat up. When it is hot, add the olive oil and the chicken breasts.

Cook the chicken breast for 3 minutes, then flip the chicken breasts over. Add the minced garlic at this time.

You will want to cook for 2 more minutes and turn the instant pot off.

Add the chicken broth to the instant pot and stir to deglaze. Make sure that you combine all of that goodness from the sauteing.

Add the brown sugar, the smoked paprika, garlic granules and a pinch of salt to the chicken breasts and the broth.

Stir to combine the ingredients. At this stage, you will want to make sure the chicken is covered with liquid.

Place the lid on the instant pot and seal.

Use the manual setting and cook for 12 minutes. It will take a moment to get up to temperature, so bare this in mind. 

Once the 12 minutes are completed your Instant pot will notify you. Use the quick release valve to release the pressure inside the instant pot.

You can now remove the lid and stir.

Serve over rice if desired and top with green onions.

Recipe notes and tips

Like with any recipe, no matter how simple it may appear to be, it is always worth taking note of some of the helpful tips and advice that are on offer. I have a couple of suggestions that will help you when making this recipe. 

• It is always a good idea to ensure that you have all of the ingredients prepared in advance. This will help you to prepare the Brown sugar garlic chicken. 
• Make sure you are careful when using the instant pot. Once the timer is finished use the quick-release valve to release the pressure before taking the lid off. 
• Avoid overcooking the chicken when using the saute function. The pressure cooking will cook the inside of the chicken so you don’t need to worry too much. 

Variations to try

When it comes to any recipe it is always good to hear of any variations you could make and try. This is by no means an exact recipe, and you can do your own thing when it comes to what you add or how you make it. Here are a couple of recommended variations that you might want to try. 

• You could always try this dish with chicken legs or thighs instead of chicken breasts. If you do then you will need to adjust the cooking time in the instant pot to around 8 minutes. 
• You could add an Asian twist to this by adding a dash of soy sauce to the chicken broth. 
• You could use the same method for cooking turkey. 
• Why not add some vegetables before switching the instant pot on? Broccoli would work well with this dish or you could even add some potatoes to make it a one-pot dinner. Just ensure that there is enough liquid to cover the dish before switching the instant pot on. 

FAQs

There will always be questions that people may have, so hopefully, I will have managed to answer some of the common ones below. 

Can you make this ahead of time?

Yes, you can! Just store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you need it. You can heat it up on the stove or in the oven. 

How do I store any leftovers?

If you do have any leftovers then it is important to store them in an airtight container and leave it in the fridge. Make sure that the chicken has cooled completely before adding it to the fridge. It will keep for up to three days. 

What can I serve them with?

When it comes to the Brown sugar garlic chicken a great idea is to serve it with rice and green onions as a garnish. It will also work well with potatoes and a side of vegetables. You can mix things up a little depending on what your tastes are. Even with frozen chips if you want something quick and easy. 

Can I use frozen chicken for this dish?

You can use frozen chicken for this dish but you will need to increase the time for cooking in the instant pot by approximately three minutes depending on whether you are chicken breasts, legs or thighs. However, for the best results use fresh or defrosted chicken portions. 

I hope you enjoy eating your Brown sugar garlic chicken. 

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