Make this Refreshing Low Carb Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken! Super Easy & Quick to make this light appetizing pulled chicken meal. Love the tender savory chicken balanced with a tint of tanginess & sweetness, plus the delicious sesame fragrance.
Sesame Shredded Chicken 芝麻手撕雞 is one of our favorite dishes to order in Chinese restaurants.
Especially when it’s mixed with sweet & sour pickled vegetables (甜酸菜), pickled carrots, pickled daikon, and a mouthful of smooth & slightly chewy jellyfish (海蜇)!! I’m usually the first to jump at those on the plate! hehe~ 😀
Love the mouthful of sweet, tangy, savory flavors, plus the seductive lingering sesame aroma. Oh and the ever satisfying complex textures of tender chicken with bursting crunch of sweet & sour juices from the pickled veggies.
Sesame Shredded Chicken is normally served as a cold appetizer or late night snack (打冷).
But we couldn’t resist and ate a few pieces before chilling ours in the fridge (only for taste-testing purpose, of course 😛).
You’ll Enjoy Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken Because:
- Super easy & quick to make with simple ingredients
- Can easily make it into a light, Low Carb meal or salad
- Deliciously flavorful – appetizing & refreshing to eat!
Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken is Great for:
- Appetizers, Lunch, Dinner, Entree, Side Dish, Snack, Late Night Snack…
- School/Work Packed Lunch, Meal Prep…
- Cooking for a crowd, Parties, Picnics…
- Weekday lunches, weeknight dinners…
Ingredients for Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken
- ~2 ¼ pounds (1037g) chicken thighs, drumsticks or chicken breasts
- 1 – 2 (410g – 820g) cucumber, julienne
- ½ teaspoon fine table salt per 400g cucumber
- Ground black pepper and salt to taste
Sesame Sauce Mixture
- 1 stalk green onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) roasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) shaoxing wine or sherry wine
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) regular soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon (1.5ml) white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon (1g) granulated sugar
Ganish
- Toasted white sesame seed
Tools for Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken
Instructions for Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken
Step 1
Pressure Cook Chicken Breast
Pour 1 cup of cold running tap water in the pressure cooker.
Place 2 chicken breasts on top of a steamer rack. Layer a steamer basket with another 2 chicken breasts on top (as shown in below photo).
Close the lid and pressure cook at
- Pressure Cooking Method:
- Chicken Breasts – High Pressure for 5 minutes
- Chicken Thighs – High Pressure for 6 minutes
- Chicken Drumsticks or Leg Quarters – High Pressure for 8 minutes
Then, 10 minutes Natural Release. (*Note: the floating valve may drop at the 8-minute mark. Leave the pot untouched for a full 10 minutes.)
Open the lid carefully.
Remove the chicken and check for an internal temperature with a food thermometer to make sure it’s between 161°F – 163°F (See Notes).
Rest the chicken breasts in a large mixing bowl for 5 – 8 minutes.
*Pro Tip: Discard chicken skin if desired.
Shred chicken meat with 2 forks or by hand.
Optional Step 2
Remove Moisture from Cucumbers
While the chicken breasts are pressure cooking, place julienned cucumber in a colander or mesh strainer.
Season with ½ tsp fine table salt per 400g cucumber. Mix well.
*Pro Tip: Let them sit for 15 minutes. Moisture will begin to come out of the cucumber pieces.
Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
Step 3
Make Sesame Sauce Mixture
In a small mixing bowl, mix 2 tbsp (30ml) roasted sesame oil, finely chopped green onions, 1 tbsp (15ml) Shaoxing wine, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, ½ tsp (1.5ml) white vinegar, and ¼ tsp granulated sugar together.
Step 4
Toast Sesame Seed
Toast white sesame seed on a skillet over medium heat.
Step 5
Make Sesame Shredded Chicken
Pour sesame sauce mixture in the large mixing bowl filled with shredded chicken. Mix well.
Taste and season with salt & ground black pepper.
*Pro Tip: You will need a few pinches of salt to open up the flavor (we added 5 – 6 pinches).
Mix in the julienned cucumber and toasted white sesame seed.
Step 6
Serve Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken
To serve cold, place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.
*Pro Tip: This dish is mostly served cold, but it can be eaten warm as well.
Bonus Add-ins: You can also mix in pickled carrots, pickled daikon, jellyfish, etc. into the Sesame Instant Pot Shredded Chicken! Yum~
Enjoy your yummy Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken! 😀
Instant Pot Sesame Shredded Chicken
Ingredients
- ~2 ¼ pounds (1037g) chicken thighs, drumsticks or chicken breasts
- 1 - 2 (410g - 820g) cucumber , julienne
- ½ teaspoon fine table salt per 400g cucumber
- Ground black pepper and salt to taste
Sesame Sauce Mixture
- 1 stalk green onion , finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) roasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) Shaoxing wine or sherry wine
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) regular soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon (1.5ml) white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon (1g) granulated sugar
Equipment
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Instructions
- Pressure Cook Chicken Breast: Pour 1 cup of cold running tap water in the pressure cooker. Place 2 chicken breasts on top of a trivet. Layer a steamer basket with another 2 chicken breasts on top. Close the lid and cook at High Pressure for 5 minutes (For Chicken Thighs: High Pressure for 6 minutes; For Drumsticks or Leg Quarters: High Pressure for 8 minutes) + 10 minutes Natural Release. The floating valve may drop at the 8-minute mark. Leave the pot untouched for a full 10 minutes.Open the lid carefully. Remove the chicken and check for an internal temperature with a food thermometer to make sure it's between 161°F – 163°F (See Notes). Rest the chicken breasts in a large mixing bowl for 5 – 8 minutes. Discard chicken skin if desired. Shred chicken meat with 2 forks or by hand.
- (Optional) Remove Moisture from Cucumbers: While the chicken breasts are pressure cooking, place julienned cucumber in a colander or mesh strainer. Season with ½ tsp fine table salt per 400g cucumber. Mix well. Let them sit for 15 minutes. Moisture will begin to come out of the cucumber pieces. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
- Make Sesame Sauce Mixture: In a small mixing bowl, mix 2 tbsp (30ml) roasted sesame oil, finely chopped green onions, 1 tbsp (15ml) Shaoxing wine, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, ½ tsp (1.5ml) white vinegar, and ¼ tsp granulated sugar together.
- Toast Sesame Seed: Toast white sesame seed on a skillet over medium heat.
- Make Sesame Shredded Chicken: Pour sesame sauce mixture in the large mixing bowl filled with shredded chicken. Mix well. Taste and season with salt & ground black pepper. You will need a few pinches of salt to open up the flavor (we added 5 - 6 pinches). Mix in the julienned cucumber and toasted white sesame seed.
- Serve: To serve cold, place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. This dish is mostly served cold, but it can be eaten warm as well.
Notes
Nutrition
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Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
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