That sticky-sweet takeout flavor, straight from my Instant Pot — keto sesame chicken with 29.4g protein and 6.3g net carbs. The sauce thickens into a glaze that coats every shred, and it's even better the next day.
This is the recipe I come back to when I want takeout-level sesame chicken without actually ordering takeout. The Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting. Eight minutes of pressure cooking, a quick shred, and the sauce thickens into this sticky, sweet coating that clings to every piece of chicken. It has that salty-sweet balance that makes takeout addictive, just without the sugar and cornstarch.
The secret is sugar-free maple syrup mixed with liquid aminos and sesame oil. I know that sounds like a lot of condiments, but they come together into something that actually tastes like the sauce from a Chinese restaurant. The first time I made it, I thought the sauce amount was fine. The second time, I doubled it. That's what I recommend now. Double the sauce. It keeps in the fridge all week, and you can pour it over cauliflower rice, use it as a dipping sauce, or toss it with leftover chicken the next day.
I shred the chicken straight in the pot liner using an electric mixer. Two forks work, but the mixer gets it done in about 30 seconds and gives you those perfect shreds without transferring anything to a cutting board. The chicken practically falls apart after pressure cooking, so it barely takes any effort. If you like this method, I use the same approach for my shredded chicken base recipe, which is great to keep in the fridge for quick meals.
One thing I've learned: don't skip the arrowroot powder step. It's only a teaspoon, but it's what takes the sauce from thin and watery to that thick, sticky glaze you want. Hit saute, stir it in, and give it five minutes. You'll see it transform right in front of you.
If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can still make this. One of my readers, Kirsten, used the sauce as an overnight marinade and baked the thighs at 400 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway. She swapped in monkfruit sweetener and skipped the arrowroot. I've tried the oven version since, and it's a solid backup, though the pressure cooker gives you more tender, shreddable results. If you want a stovetop Asian dish instead, my chicken stir fry comes together fast.
I serve this over cauliflower rice most nights, but it's also great on its own. If you're into keto Asian flavors, try my teriyaki chicken for a similar weeknight dinner, my sesame ginger meatballs when you want something different, or my butter chicken if you're craving something creamy.
This is a low carb dinner that actually gets requested in my house. My family asks for more sauce every time, so now I just always double it.
I serve this over cauliflower rice with sliced green onions and sesame seeds on top, and the whole thing takes less than 30 minutes.
This is the sauce after the arrowroot powder goes in and five minutes on saute, thick enough to cling to the chicken right in the pot.
Keto Sesame Chicken in the Instant Pot Ingredients
Step by Step Instructions
1
Season chicken
Add chicken to the liner of the Instant Pot and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2
Make sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together sugar-free maple syrup, liquid aminos, onion powder, ketchup, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper flakes.
3
Add sauce
Pour sauce over chicken.
4
Pressure cook
Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes before releasing the rest of the pressure by hitting the quick release button or turning the valve.
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
I've made this with both. Chicken thighs give you more flavor and they shred better after pressure cooking, which is why I default to them. Breasts work, but they cook faster, so I drop the time to about 5-6 minutes on high. Check for 165 degrees internal temp and shred while they're still warm.
What can I substitute for sugar-free maple syrup?
I've tested a few swaps here. My go-to backup is mixing a tablespoon of monkfruit sweetener with a couple tablespoons of water to get a similar consistency. Erythritol works too, but it can re-crystallize as the sauce cools. The maple syrup gives the best sticky texture, so I always come back to it.
How should I store leftover sesame chicken?
I keep mine in a glass container in the fridge and it's good for 3-4 days. The sauce actually gets thicker and stickier as it sits, which I prefer. I reheat in a skillet over medium heat so the edges get a little crispy again. You can also freeze for up to 3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Can I make this without an Instant Pot?
I've done the oven version and it works well. Marinate the thighs in the sauce for at least an hour (overnight is even better), then bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway. You won't get the same fall-apart shred that pressure cooking gives you, but the flavor is right there. For another keto dinner from the oven, my chicken katsu is a favorite.
Can I prepare this as a freezer meal?
I prep this as a freezer meal all the time. Toss the chicken thighs and all the sauce ingredients into a freezer bag and lay it flat. When you're ready to cook, thaw overnight in the fridge or add it straight from frozen. If cooking from frozen, add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom so nothing scorches, and increase the cook time to about 12-15 minutes on high.
Should I double the sauce?
I double it every single time now. The original amount works fine, but once I started making extra, I couldn't go back. Just double everything in the sauce: maple syrup, liquid aminos, ketchup, sesame oil, garlic, red pepper flakes. The extra stores in a jar in the fridge for 5-6 days. I use it all week on reheated chicken, scrambled eggs, even drizzled on egg roll bowls.
Is there a way to make this spicier?
I add extra red pepper flakes and a splash of chili garlic sauce when I want more heat. The sweet-spicy combo works really well with this dish. Start by doubling the red pepper flakes from the recipe and adjust from there. If you like spicy keto dishes, try my bang bang chicken next.
This chicken came out a little too salty for me. I think salting it and then adding all the liquid aminos was too much, so I skipped the salt the second time and it was great.
Lifted the lid and sesame oil hit me, I was twelve again, my mom’s kitchen. She made a stovetop version I never appreciated until she stopped. This is the closest I’ve gotten.
Rebecca, that glaze took me a while to nail. The arrowroot-to-liquid ratio is everything for getting it to actually coat instead of just sitting at the bottom.
Annie, your sesame chicken won me over on something I was skeptical about. Sugar-free ketchup in a sesame sauce sounded wrong, but I made it anyway on a weeknight when I didn’t want to heat up the kitchen, and three batches later I’m not questioning it. Whatever that ketchup does to the glaze, it works.
It adds body and cuts the pure-sweet so the glaze tastes layered instead of just maple syrup. I almost dropped it during testing and now I won’t touch the ratio.
Aisha, sesame chicken cravings don’t mess around. I stopped ordering takeout for it after I got this recipe where I wanted it. I double the batch every time now because leftovers are genuinely better, the sauce thickens overnight and coats completely differently than day one. I’ve eaten it cold from the container. Tuesday morning, before coffee. Zero regrets.
Sesame chicken was the thing I ordered every week from the place two blocks from my old apartment, and when I started keto I just told myself that chapter was done. Six months later I found this recipe and almost didn’t try it because I assumed it would be one of those keto versions that misses the whole point. It’s not. The sauce, the liquid aminos plus the sugar-free maple syrup I was so skeptical about, thickens up in the Instant Pot into something sticky and real. Genuinely the thing, not some approximation. I kept checking on the chicken while it was shredding because I couldn’t believe the smell was right. Had it cold the next morning straight from the container and I think that was the better version. I don’t know what I expected keto to look like long-term but it wasn’t this.
Cold from the container the next morning is when you know it actually worked. Mine gets stickier overnight and I genuinely prefer it that way. Never lasts past day two at my house.
Added an extra half teaspoon of arrowroot because I wanted more of that sticky glaze texture, then hit the saute button after shredding and let it bubble a couple minutes. Sauce got really thick, coated everything. Closer to actual takeout than I expected from a pressure cooker. First time using arrowroot and I had no clue what I was doing, but watching it thicken like that made it click.
First time using my Instant Pot for actual cooking and the sauce came out better than I thought it would. Does the glaze thicken more if you use the saute function after, or is that glossy coating just what you get from the pressure cook?
Batch cooking this every Sunday now for about six weeks, and the discovery that made it a permanent rotation item was how much the sauce improves overnight. The arrowroot thickens up in the fridge and you get a proper glaze on day two and three instead of the looser consistency right out of the pot. I shred it straight in the Instant Pot liner, divide into four containers, and lunches are sorted for the week. One tip if you’re scaling up: double the sauce.
Six weeks of Sundays is a good track record. The arrowroot thing is real, I noticed the same on day two, that glaze quality is different from fresh out of the pot. Your shredding-in-the-liner trick saves a dish.
I don’t have an instant pot, but this sounded delicious, so I used the sauce as a marinade over night. I also didn’t have sugar free maple syrup so I used 1/2 c monkfruit sweetener and no arrowroot. I cooked the whole shooting match in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes and flipped over the thighs for about another 10 plus minutes or so. Juicy tender yummy result….gotta make it again only more the next time! Since I had zero leftovers
thank you for posting this. I also do not have an insta pot but want to try this recipe. I will do the 400 degree oven for 20 min. I’m also going to marinade it (thanks for the tip).
Yes! It can. I add all the ingredients to a ziploc bag and freeze. Either thaw out in the fridge the night before or add from frozen to the instant pot. Just make sure you add 1/2 cup of water to the instant pot so it doesn’t burn.
Greetings. Looking forward to trying this recipe. Do you know approximately how much six boneless, skinless chicken thighs weigh raw? I’m trying this with chicken breasts since I don’t have thighs. I’m afraid I’ll use too much chicken and it will dilute the amount of sauce available to pour over when completed. Thanks.
Thanks so much. I’ve recently found your YouTube channel and site. I’m not Keto, but T1 diabetic. Love a lot of your recipes. Your single serve pumpkin pie was fantastic!
Ok, I have not tried this recipe yet. I am putting together my list to go to the store tomorrow to try this as I am going back on my Keto. This message is to say, “I Love You.” Now, please do not think I am some weirdo (well maybe I am a little). 🙂 First, whatever you do, do not change what I am going to tell you about this post as this is why I love you and you brought a smile to me and my family who makes fun of the way I was raised. In your directions you put, ‘unthaw” the chicken. I am originally from PA and grew up using that word never thinking anything about it. Then, I move to California and marry a Californian and I used that word all the time. He use to make fun of me and tell me that it is not a word & that you are saying to freeze something. I told him that has been what my mom said, my grandmother and so on. Now, due to always being picked on about my “hickville” speaking, I don’t say it anymore. Please do not be offended by “hickville” as it is a word I call myself and very proud of the word and where I come from. I hope you can see the joy of this post and what I am trying to say. Thank you for your posts and I am so looking forward to trying this recipe.
KSue
LOL I enjoyed your comment(ary)! Not sure how your hubby thinks “unthaw” means to freeze but maybe I’m reading your post wrong. Anyway, peace and joy in 2021 to you!!
