The pressure builds and you start counting down minutes until you eat. You remember the float valve clicking, signaling that your Instant Pot is doing its thing. That hiss of the valve always hits you with a sense of excitement and a bit of patience.
You spot the timer ticking down, each minute making your stomach rumble louder. The aroma sneaks out just enough to tease you while you wait. It’s kind of funny how those few minutes feel like forever but then suddenly it’s done.
What Makes Pressure Cooking Win Every Round
- It cooks food super fast, so you’re not stuck waiting forever for dinner. Our pressure cooker recipes offer even more speedy dishes to try.
- The float valve shows you when pressure is up, so you always know your food’s cooking.
- Quick release lets you stop the cooking exactly when you want, so nothing gets mushy.
- Pressure cooking locks in flavors, making every bite taste way better than the usual stove top.
- You don’t gotta babysit the pot constantly; it mostly cooks itself.
- Less water needed means your soups and sauces get super rich and thick.
- Uses one pot, which means less mess to clean up after your meal. Check out our 25minute baked ground beef meatballs for another one-pot winner.
Your Simple Ingredient Checklist
Start with 1 lb of chicken, cut into smaller bite sized pieces. This makes it cook quick and helps all the flavors mix real good.
Your noodles should be flat rice stick noodles, around 125 grams, they’re perfect for soaking up that peanut sauce. Not the vermicelli ones, those just won’t work the same.
Grab 1 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger and 3 cloves of garlic also minced. They bring that awesome fresh layer of flavor that’s kinda the backbone of this dish.
You’ll need 2 cups chicken broth to cook everything in, plus half a cup of peanut butter for that sticky, creamy sauce everyone loves.
Don’t forget 2 tablespoon of sambal oelek chili paste, which adds a nice little kick. Also 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 2 tablespoon soy sauce round out the umami and salty goodness.
For the veggies, make sure you get ½ cup scallions chopped, 1 cup matchstick carrots or julienned, and 2 red peppers diced. These give fresh crunch and color.
Lastly, ½ cup chopped cilantro and ½ cup peanuts for garnish. These toppings bring it all to life and make every bite exciting.
How It All Comes Together Step by Step
Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and warm up the sesame oil. You wanna smell it right away because that tells you it’s hot enough.
Add the minced garlic and ginger, sauté them for 1-2 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the kitchen smells just right and they start to soften.
Toss in your chicken pieces and cook them until they’re not pink anymore. A quick stir makes sure they cook evenly without burning.
Pour in chicken broth, peanut butter, sambal oelek chili paste, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Stir it all up till the peanut butter mixes smooth and the sauce looks creamy.
Add your flat rice stick noodles and gently press them down into the liquid, spreading them out a bit so they don’t clump.
Close the lid and seal it up. Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for exactly 3 minutes. Don’t forget to watch for the float valve popping up.
When the pot beeps, do a quick release. Once the valve hiss fades and the float valve drops down, open the lid carefully. Stir the noodles and chicken well to coat everything in that sticky garlic peanut sauce. Serve it hot and garnish with scallions or peanuts or both if you’re feeling fancy.
Smart Shortcuts for Busy Days
If you’re in a hurry, use pre-minced garlic and ginger from the store. It works real good and saves chopping time.
Buy chicken pieces already cut up to skip that step. You just toss them right in.
Using store-bought peanut sauce instead of mixing your own is totally fine when you’re pressed for time.
Swap fresh veggies with frozen shredded carrots and pre-cut peppers to get the meal going faster.
Cook the noodles separately in hot water if you want to speed up the Instant Pot cook time and just toss everything together afterward. This shortcut is a lifesaver sometimes.
What It Tastes Like Fresh From the Pot
The first bite hits you with creamy savory peanut goodness that’s sticky in the best way. The garlic and ginger warmth wraps around each noodle strand.
You’ll sense a gentle spicy kick from the sambal oelek that makes it exciting but not too much to overpower.
The chicken’s tender pull kinda melts in your mouth and soaks up all that perfect sauce while the veggies add fresh crunch.
The cilantro and peanuts on top give a fresh and nutty pop that keeps every bite surprising and fun to eat.
Your Leftover Strategy Guide
Store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge, and they should keep for 3-4 days. You remember to cool it down before sealing.
If freezing, portion it out into meal-size containers. This way, you can thaw only what you need without defrosting everything.
Reheat in the microwave with a splash of water to bring back the saucy texture without drying it out.
Or reheat in a skillet over low heat, stirring often. This helps keep the noodles tender and brings out more aroma from the garlic and peanut sauce.
What People Always Ask Me
- Can I use other noodles? You could, but flat rice stick noodles soak up the sauce the best and keep a perfect texture. Check out our related creamy tomato tortellini soup for a cheesy pasta swap.
- What if I don’t have sambal oelek? Use a bit of sriracha or red pepper flakes but go light so it doesn’t get too spicy.
- Can I make it vegetarian? Yep just skip the chicken and use veggie broth. Tofu cubes work great for protein.
- Why do I need quick release? It stops cooking fast so noodles don’t mush and chicken stays tender.
- How do I know when the float valve pops up? It’s a small metal piece that rises when pressure builds. When it’s up, the pot’s sealed and cooking.
- Can I prep this ahead of time? Absolutely, you can chop veggies and chicken ahead and dump it all in when ready to cook.
Instant Pot Sticky Garlic Peanut Noodles with Chicken
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1 lb chicken cut into small bite sized pieces
- 125 g flat rice stick noodles not vermicelli noodles
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup peanut butter for creamy sticky sauce
- 2 tablespoon sambal oelek chili paste
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ cup scallions chopped
- 1 cup matchstick carrots or julienned
- 2 red peppers diced
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- ½ cup peanuts garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and warm up the sesame oil.
- Add the minced garlic and ginger, sauté them for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and softened.
- Add chicken pieces and cook until no longer pink, stirring frequently.
- Pour in chicken broth, peanut butter, sambal oelek chili paste, fish sauce, and soy sauce; stir until peanut butter is smooth and sauce looks creamy.
- Add flat rice stick noodles, gently pressing them down into the liquid to spread out and prevent clumping.
- Close and seal the Instant Pot lid; set to manual high pressure for exactly 3 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, perform a quick release; wait for the float valve to drop, then carefully open the lid.
- Stir the noodles and chicken well to coat in the sticky garlic peanut sauce; then add carrots, scallions, and red pepper, stirring gently.
- Garnish with peanuts, serve hot and enjoy.
