Wokless Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry in the Instant Pot

A quick, weeknight friendly chicken and broccoli stir fry made entirely in the Instant Pot — no wok required. Ground chicken browns fast, basmati rice cooks fluffy in just a few minutes, and the broccoli steams perfectly on top. The simple soy ginger sauce brings everything together into a cozy, one pot meal that tastes like takeout but cooks itself.

This recipe was made in my favorite Instant Pot — the one I use every week. If you want yours to turn out just as good, you can grab the same one here.

All nutrition facts are AI generated and approximate.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 (5 oz) package fresh broccoli (break into small pieces)
• 1 white onion (chopped)
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tsp garlic (minced)
• 1½ cups chicken broth

Sauce

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbs honey

Directions

1. Set Instant Pot to Sauté and brown the chicken with chopped onion.
2. Stir in garlic, ginger, and rice; sauté about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in broth, scraping the bottom of the pot.
4. Turn off Sauté mode.
5. In a separate small bowl, stir sauce ingredients together, then stir the sauce into the pot. We do these separately to avoid any burn warning.
6. Scatter broccoli on top—do not stir in.
7. Set Instant Pot for high pressure 3 minutes.
8. Quick release after cook time.

Notes

• Rice needs contact with liquid — make sure it’s stirred into the broth before pressure cooking.
• If your broccoli pieces are large, cut them smaller so they steam evenly in 3 minutes.
• Browning the chicken well adds flavor and prevents a “boiled” texture.
• Warming the sauce ingredients slightly helps them combine smoothly.
• If your Instant Pot tends to run hot, add 2–3 extra tablespoons broth to avoid a burn warning.
• After quick release, fluff gently; if the sauce looks thin, turn on Sauté for 1–2 minutes to tighten it.
• Green onion is a good garnish for this one.

Why This Works

• Instant Pot physics: Ground chicken releases moisture as it browns, which helps the rice cook evenly under pressure without sticking.
• Blooming aromatics: Briefly sautéing garlic and ginger wakes up their flavor without burning them.
• Separating the sauce: Mixing soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and sesame oil outside the pot prevents sugars from hitting the bottom and triggering a burn warning.
• Right liquid-to-rice ratio: Basmati cooks perfectly at 1 cup rice to 1½ cups broth in the Instant Pot, giving a fluffy, non-gummy texture.
• Broccoli on top: The broccoli steams during the 3 minute cook time, staying bright and tender instead of overcooked.
• Quick release: Stops the cooking immediately so the rice doesn’t over-soften and the broccoli doesn’t turn mushy.