Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein in 30 Minutes
Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein, an easy one-pot dump & start recipe with thin noodles, chicken & vegetables tossed in a sweet and savory sauce in 30 mins — no wok, no fuss!
Servings: 3
Calories: 567kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon chili garlic sauce (sambal Olek or sriracha)
- 1 teaspoon agave or honey (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt if needed (wait till after cooking)
Vegetables (total about 4 cups)
- 1½ cups cabbage (green +purple cabbage shredded)
- ½ cup carrots sliced thinly (or matchsticks carrots)
- ½ cup onion thinly sliced (about ½ an onion)
- ½ cup bell pepper any color, thinly sliced
- ½ cup snow peas
- ½ cup broccoli florets
Instructions
- Add stock or water in the Instant Pot. Add the ginger and garlic, all the spices and seasoning listed under "sauce', including soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, chili sauce, agave, sesame oil and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Break the spaghetti into half and lay it in a criss cross pattern. What that means is spread half of it width-wise in the sauce. Layer the remaining half vertically on top. Push the spaghetti down such that it is fully submerged in liquid.
- Add diced chicken, sliced onions, sliced carrots on top and DO NOT stir. If you prefer the peppers and snow peas softer, add those at this point. I prefer a crunchier texture so add them after pressure cooking. If using matchstick carrots, add after pressure cooking.
- Close lid and pressure cook at high for 4 mins. (vent set to sealing position in DUO models)
- Once the cook time is up, release pressure manually by turning the steam valve to 'venting' position on Duo, or push it down if using Ultra.
- Once the pin drops, open the lid. Using tongs, stir the noodles so they separate and get coated with the sauce. If you find clumps, run a fork through the center and pull them apart.
- Add the remaining vegetables including peppers, cabbage, snow peas and broccoli florets. Stir well, then close the lid and let it rest for 5 mins. The heat from the noodles softens the vegetables and they absorb the Lo Mein flavors.
- After 5 mins, open the lid, check for salt. Add chopped scallion greens and sesame seeds for garnish and enjoy warm!
Video
Notes
- Thin spaghetti works great for this recipe. If using noodles, pick egg noodles or lo mein with egg. They hold their shape during pressure cooking.
- To prevent the spaghetti from clumping, lay it in a criss-cross pattern and push it down into the liquid.
- Do not stir after layering the noodles.
- For the moist chicken, I prefer using chicken thighs in this recipe.
- I use hoisin sauce to make the sauce. Alternatively, oyster sauce can be used.
- Make it vegetarian by substituting chicken with extra-firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces. Add it after pressure-cooking so the tofu holds its shape.
- Lo mein sauce gets dry after cooling. To revive the moisture, toss the noodles with a few tablespoons of warm water or broth, then reheat.
- This recipe can be easily customized with your favorite egg noodles and your preferred vegetable medley. When switching veggies, the total should be about 3.5-4 cups.
- Vegetables like carrots, onions, and mushrooms can be added before pressure cooking. Broccoli, snow peas, etc., should be added later for best results. Red peppers can be added before or after pressure cooking. If you prefer them crisper, add later. If using matchstick carrots, add them after pressure cooking.
Nutrition
Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 2230mg | Potassium: 692mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 5044IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg