The pot lid rattles and you know dinner is almost ready. That sound never gets old, right? Like a promising hint that soon you gonna have a meal that hits the spot without much fuss. There’s just something about the noise that makes you feel cozy in the kitchen.
You spot the little steam cues sneaking out from under the sealing ring. It’s like a sign the pressure cooker’s doing its thing and locking in all those flavors. You kinda love how it makes you feel like you’re in control of time and taste at once.
As the float valve jiggles, you recall that this means your dish is cooking just right. Waiting for that moment when you’ll release the pressure slow and easy so nothing spills or splatters. You’re almost there, almost ready to enjoy crispy sweet chili chicken over fluffy rice that’s all soaked up in that tangy sauce.
The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method
- You don’t gotta babysit the pot constantly. Just set the sealing ring, close the lid, and walk away. Check out some other one-pot wonders like our Cheesy Kielbasa Hashbrown Casserole Dump Meal Recipe for easy cleanup.
- The steam cues and float valve keep you in the loop on when it’s time to slow release. No guesswork here.
- Your chicken gets crispy outside while staying tender inside thanks to frying after pressure cooking. Similar crisp techniques are key in our Crispy Mashed Potato Fries recipe.
- The broth depth inside the cooker is perfect for steaming rice just right, so no mushy mess.
- The sauce thickens up fast on the stove but you only need one pot for the whole meal if you do your frying in the pressure cooker’s pot first.
- Simple cleanup because you’re not juggling a ton of pans and dishes at once.
What Goes Into the Pot Today
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed — you wanna season these good with salt and pepper first.
- ¼ cup corn starch — perfect for tossing the chicken so it turns crispy as heck.
- ¼ cup vegetable oil — for frying your chicken golden and crunchy.
- ¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup water — these come together in your sweet chili sauce base.
- 1 – 1 ½ tablespoon salam oelek — gotta have that spicy kick in the sauce.
- ¼ teaspoon grated fresh ginger — adds that zing that wakes up the whole dish.
- ½ tablespoon corn starch + 1 tablespoon water — this slurry thickens the sauce so it coats chicken well.
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice, thinly sliced cucumber, cooked edamame, diced avocado, diced mango, and thin radish slices — loads of fresh toppings to jazz up your bowl.
How It All Comes Together Step by Step
First, you gotta season your cubed chicken with salt and pepper. Don’t skimp here because this is where flavor starts. Then toss 'em in the ¼ cup corn starch until they’re coated pretty evenly.
Heat up that vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. When it’s hot, fry chicken pieces in batches so they don’t crowd the pan. Cook each batch bout 4 to 5 minutes till they get golden crispy. Lay 'em on paper towels after frying to drain extra oil.
Meanwhile, get your sweet chili sauce going. In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix rice vinegar, sugar, water, salam oelek, and fresh ginger. Stir it until the sugar completely dissolves. It smells so dang good already.
Mix the cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Add this to your sauce and keep stirring till it simmer thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Once thickened, toss your crispy chicken in this sauce until every piece’s coated well.
Heat up the jasmine rice in your pressure cooker while you fry or just microwave it quick if you wanna save time. Stack your bowls with rice, top with the sauced chicken, and add all your fresh veggies like cucumber, mango, avocado, edamame, and radish on top.
If you got sesame seeds, sprinkle ‘em on as garnish for a nice little touch. Then get ready to dig in!
This whole dinner comes together in about 35 mins. Not bad for crispy fried chicken with sweet spicy sauce plus fresh fixings.
Valve Hacks You Need to Know
- Check the sealing ring before you start to make sure it’s sitting right. A good seal means pressure cooks faster and no weird steam escapes.
- Keep an eye on the float valve—it tells you exactly when it’s pressurized. Once it pops up, go ahead and set your timer.
- For faster meal times, try a slow release for just 5 minutes, then do a quick release. It helps finish cooking and keeps juices in without too much wait.
- If steam’s blasting too hard and you worry about splatter when you do slow release, use a kitchen towel over the valve to catch drops. Works real good.
When You Finally Get to Eat
You feel that first bite crunch with the crispy chicken coated in sticky, sweet chili sauce. It’s sweet but with a tang that dances with the hint of heat from salam oelek. Flavor just jumps at you.
The jasmine rice beneath soaks in the sauce’s goodness and pairs so well with the fresh crisp cucumber and juicy mango chunks. It’s a little sweet, a little savory, all kinda perfect.
The avocado and edamame add creaminess and texture that balances everything. You spot some radish slices adding crunch, making each spoonful a fun mix of flavors and feels. Dang, dinner done right.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh and Ready
Store your leftover chicken and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. This helped it keep that saucy flavor nice and strong for up to 3 days.
If you got the rice left, keep it separate in its own container. That way it won’t get soggy and you can reheat just the way you like.
When reheating, sprinkle a little water on the rice to keep it moist and cover the container. Microwave or use your pressure cooker on low steam setting for a quick warm up.
You can also toss leftover veggies like cucumber and avocado fresh on top when reheating just before eating. Keeps them crisp and fresh tasting, no one wants soggy avo!
Common Questions and Real Answers
- Q: Can I use chicken thighs instead of breast?
A: Totally, just adjust cooking time a bit since thighs are thicker and juicier. They tend to stay moist and work great. For more tips, see our Classic Crockpot Pierogi Casserole with Kielbasa recipe that uses different cuts of meat beautifully. - Q: What if I don’t have salam oelek?
A: You can swap with sriracha or chili garlic sauce. It’ll change flavor a bit but still delivers that spicy kick. - Q: How do I know when to slow release?
A: Watch the float valve. When it’s steady up and cooking time's done, you do a slow release to avoid splatters. - Q: Can I make this all in one pot to save dishes?
A: Yep! Fry chicken right in your pressure cooker’s pot if it’s safe to do so, then use the same pot for sauce and rice. Just wipe out excess oil between steps. - Q: Rice got mushy, how to fix?
A: Could be broth depth or cooking time issue. Use exact 1:1 rice to water ratio and fluff immediately after cooking. - Q: How spicy is this dish?
A: It’s got a gentle heat—enough to tingle but not burn. You can adjust the salam oelek for milder or hotter.
For other comforting dinner ideas, explore our Cheesy Kielbasa Hashbrown Casserole, and if you're into quick snacks, try Easy Marinated Cheese Appetizer with Salami & Olives that pairs beautifully with these mains.
Crispy Sweet Chili Chicken Rice Bowl Made Easy in Your Pressure Cooker
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl Large
- 1 Frying pan Large, for cooking chicken
- 1 Saucepan Small, for sweet chili sauce
Ingredients
Crispy Chicken
- 1 ½ lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast cubed and seasoned with salt & pepper
- ¼ cup Corn Starch for coating chicken
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil for frying
Sweet Chili Sauce
- ¼ cup Rice Vinegar
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Water
- 1 – 1 ½ tablespoon Salam Oelek
- ¼ teaspoon Grated Fresh Ginger
- ½ tablespoon Cornstarch for slurry
- 1 tablespoon Water for slurry
Bowl Toppings
- 2 cups Cooked Jasmine Rice
- ½ English Cucumber sliced thinly
- 1 cup Edamame cooked
- 1 Avocado diced
- 1 Mango peeled and diced
- 1 Radish sliced thin (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Sesame Seeds for garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Season cubed chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with ¼ cup corn starch until evenly coated.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken in batches 4–5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- In a saucepan, combine rice vinegar, sugar, water, salam oelek, and ginger. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
- In a small bowl, mix ½ tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry. Stir into sauce. Simmer 2–3 minutes to thicken.
- Toss crispy chicken in the thickened sweet chili sauce until fully coated.
- Heat jasmine rice or reheat in microwave if previously cooked.
- Assemble each bowl with rice, sauced chicken, cucumber, mango, avocado, edamame, and radish slices.
- Garnish with sesame seeds if available.
- Enjoy immediately while warm and crispy!
