Recipe: Instant Thai Chicken Bowl

So I finally bowed to the pressure and bought an Instant Pot.  Most of you are already familiar with the pressure cooker slash slow cooker slash yogurt maker slash rice cooker slash lead guitarist on November Rain slash sauté pan so I won't bore you with the background. I will say through, the first few weeks I have been very impressed by the pressure cooker, but underwhelmed by both the sauté and slow cooker settings. The sauté has led to some burning once the pressure cooker has engaged. I have only used the slow cooker setting once, so I'm still reserving judgment.

My first Instant Pot recipe is frankly an addiction now, and with maybe five minutes of prep time, it is now a go-to weekday dish.

Instant Pot Thai Chicken Bowl

Ingredients

- 2 pounds Chicken Thighs

- 1 cup long-grain white rice (uncooked)

- 3 Tablespoons lite soy sauce

- 1/2 cup nam chim kai (Thai sweet chili sauce) store bought or recipe below

- 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce

- 1/2 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

- 1teaspoon oyster sauce

- 2 cloves minced garlic

- 1 lime, juiced

- 1/2 tablespoon Sambal Oelek

- 2 tablespoons sesame oil

- 1/2 cup frozen peas

- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped

- 1 zucchini, shredded

- 1 carrot, shredded

- 1/4 cup peanuts

- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock

- 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

- Sriracha to taste

Instructions

*The following instructions are for a 7-in-1 Instant Pot. Some controls vary by device.

1) Select the Sauté setting on your device, allow it to heat 2-3 minutes, then add sesame oil. Allow oil to heat 3 minutes.

2) Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides, then add to Instant Pot. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, browning lightly. Remove to a large glass bowl. Press cancel on the Instant Pot.

3) Mix the Thai sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, lime juice, and Sambal Oelek together and pour over chicken thighs, coating well.

4) Select the Sauté setting. Add two tablespoons of the chicken stock to pot to help scrape any remaining browned chicken. Press cancel.

5) Add rice and peas, stir. Top with chicken, sauce, and remaining stock, and secure lid with pressure valve set to Sealing.

6) Select Pressure Cook, High Pressure, 10 minutes. When finished, allow for natural release.

7) Using tongs and a fork, shred the chicken and mix with the rice.

8) Serve with zucchini, carrots, peanuts, cilantro, and Sriracha.

For the Thai Sweet Chili sauce

- 1/2 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. white sugar

- 1/4 cup water

- 3 tablespoons fish sauce

- 2 tablespoons cooking sherry

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon dried crushed chili (1 tbsp. makes spicy-hot sauce)

- 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 3 to 4 tbsp. cool water

1) Place all ingredients - except the cornstarch-water mixture - in a sauce pan or pot. Bring to a rolling boil.

2) Reduce heat to medium and let boil for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. (Note that the vinegar will be quite pungent as it burns off--rice vinegar isn't as strong as regular white vinegar.)

3) Reduce heat to low and add the cornstarch-water mixture. Stir to incorporate and continue stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

4) Remove from heat and taste-test. You should taste sweet first, followed by sour, then spicy and salty notes. If the sauce isn't sweet enough, add a little more sugar. If not spicy enough, add more chili.

5) Pour sauce into a small bowl or jar and serve.