March 6, 2020

Whole30 Instant Pot Sesame Chicken

Name: Whole30 Instant Pot Sesame Chicken
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless (skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips); ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder; 3 tablespoons avocado oil; ½ cup Whole30-compatible chicken broth; ¼ cup coconut aminos; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; ½ teaspoon Whole30-compatible ﬁsh sauce; ¼ teaspoon red pepper ﬂakes (optional); 1 package (10.8 ounces frozen broccoli ﬂorets, or 4 cups broccoli ﬂorets, steamed (see Tips)); 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted (see Tips)); 2 green onions (sliced)

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This Whole30 Sesame Chicken was created for The Whole30 Slow Cooker by Alex Snodgrass of The Defined Dish. It’s her Whole30 take on the Chinese takeout staple. It’s absolutely delicious and will leave you oh-so satisﬁed … plus it’s kid-friendly, too!

Whole30 Sesame Chicken

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Total Time 45

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
3 tablespoons avocado oil
½ cup Whole30-compatible chicken broth
¼ cup coconut aminos
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon Whole30-compatible ﬁsh sauce
¼ teaspoon red pepper ﬂakes optional
1 package 10.8 ounces frozen broccoli ﬂorets, or 4 cups broccoli ﬂorets, steamed (see Tips)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted (see Tips)
2 green onions sliced

Instructions

PLACE the chicken in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of the arrowroot and toss to coat.
TURN on a 6-quart Instant Pot (see tips section for stovetop instructions), select Sauté and adjust to Normal/Medium. Add the avocado oil. When it’s hot, add half the chicken and cook, stirring once, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Select Cancel.
MEANWHILE, in a small bowl, whisk together the broth, coconut aminos, vinegar, sesame oil, ﬁsh sauce, and remaining 1 teaspoon arrowroot until the arrowroot is dissolved. Add red pepper ﬂakes (if using).
RETURN all of the chicken to the pot. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Lock the lid in place. Select Manual and cook for 6 minutes. Use quick release. Stir the chicken. Let stand until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli according to package directions.
SERVE the chicken over the broccoli. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and green onions.
TIP 1: To toast sesame seeds, heat in a skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
TIP 2: To steam fresh broccoli ﬂorets, combine in a microwave-safe bowl with 3 tablespoons water. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.
TIP 3, STOVETOP: This can also be made on the stove. Saute the chicken in oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add combined sauce and simmer for 10 minutes until the flavors have combined and the sauce thickens slightly.

Melissa Urban

Melissa Urban is an 8x New York Times bestselling author (including the instant bestseller, The New Whole30) who specializes in helping people establish healthy boundaries and successfully navigate habit change. She has been featured by the New York Times, People, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Today Show, and Good Morning America, and is a prominent keynote speaker on boundaries, building community, health trends, and entrepreneurship. She lives in Salt Lake City, UT with her husband, son, and two rescue doodles.