Saturday, April 13, 2019

Chinese Chicken & Broccoli (Instant Pot translation and recipe revision)

Good evening my lovely readers! It's a beautiful 50* out and this momma is thinking "chinese"! Hubby and I are getting pretty good at perfecting the homemade chinese, so here is the basic run down of how we handled the last batch we made! My picky little people love homemade chinese normally, but this recipe was such a hit that I didn't even have enough left over to send in lunches for the next day!

This recipe is what I jumped off of, and it's obviously not an IP meal, but is easily translated. Here is the basic ingredient listing, with my revisions:

  • 1 large Head of Broccoli, cut into florets
  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 6 boneless chicken thighs skinless, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 2 cloves, minced or 2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 onion, cut julienned
  • 1 can bamboo shoots, drained
  • 1 can water chestnuts, drained
  • 1 tsp dried ginger, to taste, adjust after cooking
  • 2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce + more to taste after cooking
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce (extra to taste)
  • 6 Tablespoons honey **
  • 1-3 cups hot water per preference of gravy to veg/meat ratio

** I skip the honey, but have left it in just in case someone else would like to know how much to add.

  1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and push "saute". When it says "hot" add your oil and push it around so it coats your IP liner. Then add your chicken, and sear it lightly, just till the chicken is getting white, or light brown spots.
  2. Next you're going to deglaze the liner using the water. While the chicken is still in the bottom of the liner, and while the pot is still good and hot, add 1 cup of water and using a wooden spoon or scraper, scrape up anything that might be stuck to the bottom. The chicken will produce liquid, but the IP requires liquid to work correctly, and we like lots of gravy.
  3. Cancel the saute function.
  4. Add the garlic, onion, ginger, soy sauce, hoisin, & oyster on top, don't stir.
  5. ** If you desire rice with this meal, & have a stainless steel PIP bowl, and a long legged trivet, you can measure your rice & water out into your PIP bowl and place the long legged trivet in on top of your food.
  6. Set the cook time for 5-10 minutes depending on how much chicken you have, (if you have a single batch 5-7 is sufficient. If you double it you'll need to cook a little longer. Let it naturally release for 10 minutes.
  7. While it's cooking, cut up your broccoli to suit you, some like it big, some like it small, I have preschoolers so I have to accommodate their small mouths.
  8. When the IP beeps, you're going to stir the food and taste. Season accordingly. I added more ginger, hoisin, water, oyster, black pepper, and rice wine.
  9. Once you're satisfied that it is seasoned to suit you, put the bamboo, water chestnuts & broccoli in on top, in that order. Do not stir it in. Reset the IP to either 0 (zero) minutes HP, or 1 minute LP depending on which one you have. This SHOULD produce broccoli that is softened but not mush... however I am not 100% on it, it COULD be too mushy... some folks like their broccoli pretty firm...
  10. Anyway, when it beeps after adding the broccoli do a quick release.
  11. If the quick release spits sauce... close it back up and do a controlled pressure release. Don't make a mess of your counter ... just close it back up and release the pressure slowly by hand...