Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or wheat-free tamari
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or substitute with more low-sodium soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons creamy natural peanut butter
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha (or to taste)
For the Pad Thai
- 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1.5-inch dice
- 1 cup matchstick carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- 1/4 cup diced green onion, white and light green parts only (reserve dark green part for garnish)
- 8 oz rice noodles
- 2 zucchini, spiralized or cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
To Serve
- Cilantro
- Sliced green onion (dark green parts reserved earlier)
- Lime wedges
- Chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, chicken broth, rice vinegar, low-sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, creamy peanut butter, minced garlic, sesame oil, and Sriracha until smooth and well combined.
- Pressure cook the chicken and vegetables: Place the diced chicken in the Instant Pot and pour the prepared sauce over it. Add the matchstick carrots and diced green onions on top. Seal the Instant Pot lid and set to Manual High Pressure for 4 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the pot to come to pressure. After cooking, allow a 5-minute Natural Pressure Release (NPR) before quick releasing any remaining pressure.
- Cook the rice noodles: While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stovetop. Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions until just tender. Drain and set aside.
- Steam the remaining vegetables: After releasing the pressure from the Instant Pot, stir in the spiralized zucchini, bean sprouts, and sliced red bell pepper. Place the lid back on the Instant Pot (do not seal for pressure cooking) and let the vegetables steam in the residual heat of the sauce for about 3 minutes to soften slightly without losing their crunch.
- Toss noodles with chicken and vegetables: Add the drained rice noodles to the Instant Pot. Using tongs, gently toss to combine everything and evenly coat the noodles with the sauce. Allow the mixture to sit for a minute if needed to warm the noodles through.
- Serve: Dish out the Chicken Pad Thai immediately. Garnish with reserved green onion tops, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and chopped peanuts. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and consume within 4 days.
Notes
- This recipe was tested using a 6-quart Instant Pot model.
- Nutrition information excludes optional garnishes.
- Inactive time accounts for the Instant Pot coming to pressure and releasing pressure.
- For an 8-quart Instant Pot, you can double the recipe or double all ingredients except the noodles.
- Refer to the recipe post for tips on pressure cooking noodles along with the chicken if you want to streamline the process.
- Do not use the “Steam” function on some Instant Pot models as it will pressure cook the vegetables, turning them mushy. Instead, steam vegetables in the heat of the cooked chicken and sauce by simply covering the pot.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Thai
