Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Name: Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Jasmine Rice (dry, rinsed); 12 oz Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces ); 1/4 cup Coconut Aminos; 1/4 cup Water; 2 cloves Garlic (minced); 2 Tbsp Honey; 1 1/2 tsp Rice Vinegar; 2 Tbsp Ginger (grated)

Danielle Gaffen, MS, RDN, LD

Last Updated March 12, 2024

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Try these Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs and in 3 quick steps you’ll have juicy chicken ready for a delicious lunch or dinner. With just 8 ingredients, this gluten free recipe gives you a simple meal full of flavor for any day of the week.

Are you looking for an easy to make, easy to please dinner? Do you want a simple meal you can take for lunch the next day? Honey garlic instant pot chicken might be just what fits the bill. This gluten-free recipe includes a side of rice topped with juicy honey garlic chicken. Keep reading to see how this recipe is a great option for IBD warriors!

Simple Honey Garlic Chicken

This simple recipe goes down easy and supports a lot of different dietary sensitivities. It is:

gluten-free
corn-free
soy-free
dairy-free
oil-free
a rich source of lean protein

Health Benefits of Honey Garlic Instant Pot Chicken

Preparing your own meals is a great way to avoid additives found in a lot of store-bought foods. These instant pot chicken thighs are full of protein and enjoying them with rice will help you stay full between meals. You can also count on them for a rich source of phosphorus and selenium, which are two nutrients that can be low during periods of heightened IBD symptoms.

Here are some unique ways that this Honey Garlic Chicken recipe can support your IBD journey:

Coconut Aminos

Coconut Aminos can be used instead of soy sauce on your chicken. They add a great savory flavor without as much sodium! It’s an allergen-friendly ingredient if you have sensitivities to soy, gluten, or wheat.

Rice Vinegar

Rice Vinegar adds a sweet acidic flavor to your dish as well as helpful antioxidants to reduce inflammation and support the prevention of cancer.

Garlic

Garlic is anti-inflammatory and offers a variety of antioxidants. It’s rich in potassium and zinc, 2 of the top 10 deficiencies we often see in IBD warriors. It’s also a decent source of calcium and magnesium.

Honey

Honey will balance the flavor of the sauce, while giving some anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties to your meal. It can even help relieve GI symptoms like diarrhea.

Ginger

Ginger adds warmth and spice, while supporting anti-inflammatory pathways in the body; win-win!

Do I Have to Use Chicken Thighs?

Chicken thighs will give you a nice juicy meal and a reliable source of B vitamins. They provide lean protein balanced with fat content, and are usually cheaper than chicken breast, too!

Preparing these instant pot chicken thighs means you don’t have to add oil or fry them, which helps make sure you get the best nutrition out of your meal.

How Long Can I Keep Leftover Chicken?

Cooked chicken will store well in your fridge for three days after you cook it. That means you can make life easy for yourself! Prepare up to 3 days’ worth of Honey Garlic Chicken, and add to your rice, or mix it up with different snacks, sides, and dips.

How to Make Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Prepare your rice following the package instructions. Add the chicken, coconut aminos, water, and vinegar to the instant pot; top with minced garlic, grated ginger, and honey. Cook on the manual pressure cooker setting for 8 minutes, with a natural pressure release. Serve and enjoy!

A delectable bowl of Asian-style caramelized chicken thigh pieces over a bed of fluffy white rice. The chicken has a light golden-brown hue indicating a gentle caramelization, coated in a glossy sauce, and sprinkled with vibrant green onions for garnish. The dish is presented in a rustic ceramic bowl, resting on a textured linen tablecloth in neutral tones, which contributes to the home-cooked meal's inviting and comforting appearance.

Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs

Renata Cauchon-Robles and Danielle Gaffen, MS, RDN, LD

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Total Time 25

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian

Servings Servings

Calories 422 kcal

Equipment

1 Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

1/2 cup Jasmine Rice dry, rinsed
12 oz Chicken Thighs boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup Coconut Aminos
1/4 cup Water
2 cloves Garlic minced
2 Tbsp Honey
1 1/2 tsp Rice Vinegar
2 Tbsp Ginger grated

Instructions

Cook the rice according to package directions.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pressure cooker and mix well. Set to "sealing". Press manual/pressure cooker and cook for eight minutes on high pressure. Once it is done, allow the pressure to release naturally. Remove the lid carefully.
Serve the chicken with the rice and enjoy!

Notes

Leftovers:
Refrigerate in an airtight container for three days.

Serving Size:
One serving is one cup of chicken and 1/2 cup of cooked rice.

More Flavor:
Add chopped green onions to the marinade.

Additional Toppings:
Sesame seeds, chopped green onions, cilantro, and/or chopped peanuts.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 37gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 703mgPotassium: 432mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 41IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg

Keyword beef-free, chicken, corn-free, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, kosher, legume-free, nightshade-free, nut-free, oil-free, pork-free, seafood-free, soy-free, tomato-free, wheat-free

Take Home Message

Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs are a great choice for an IBD-friendly lunch or dinner. This recipe is all-in-one and is friendly for a variety of dietary sensitivities. Make meal prep easy with this simple and quick, nutritious protein dish.

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References

Jabłońska B, Mrowiec S. Nutritional Status and Its Detection in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Nutrients. 2023;15(8):1991. Published 2023 Apr 20. doi:10.3390/nu15081991
Coconut Aminos: Is It the Perfect Soy Sauce Substitute? Healthline. Published June 21, 2018. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coconut-aminos
Are Chicken Thighs Healthy? Here’s What a Dietitian Has to Say. EatingWell. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7935330/are-chicken-thighs-healthy/#:~:text=If%20you%20are%20trying%20to
Health Benefits of Rice Vinegar. LIVESTRONG.COM. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.livestrong.com/article/246887-health-benefits-of-rice-vinegar/
Ansary J, Forbes-Hernández TY, Gil E, et al. Potential Health Benefit of Garlic Based on Human Intervention Studies: A Brief Overview. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020;9(7):619. Published 2020 Jul 15. doi:10.3390/antiox9070619
Mayo Clinic. Honey. Mayo Clinic. Published November 14, 2020. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-honey/art-20363819#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20its%20use
Li N, Wang M, Lyu Z, et al. Medicinal plant-based drug delivery system for inflammatory bowel disease. Front Pharmacol. 2023;14:1158945. Published 2023 Mar 23. doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1158945
Raman R. How Much Protein in Chicken? Breast, Thigh and More. Healthline. Published 2017. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/protein-in-chicken

About the Author

Danielle Gaffen, MS, RDN, LD

Understanding the link between nutrition and gut disease prompted me to obtain my master’s degree in Nutritional Sciences at San Diego State University and become an IBD Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Now I work with people who have Crohn’s and colitis who are struggling with confusion around what to eat. My favorite part is helping them to build confidence to eat without fear while managing their symptoms.