Steaming Broccoli And Chicken: The Instapot One-Two Punch

Broccoli is a nutritious vegetable that can be cooked in a variety of ways, one of which is steaming. Steaming broccoli helps retain its nutrients and is recommended to prevent overcooking. It can be steamed in an instant pot/pressure cooker in under 15 minutes. This method is hands-off and ensures perfectly tender, crunchy broccoli every time. You can steam broccoli while cooking chicken in an instant pot to make a healthy, tasty, and quick meal.

How to steam broccoli in an instant pot

Steaming broccoli in an Instant Pot is a quick and easy way to cook this healthy vegetable. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get perfectly steamed broccoli every time.

Step 1: Prepare the Broccoli

Start by washing the broccoli under running water. Then, use a chef's knife to cut the broccoli head into evenly sized florets, around 1.5 inches in size. This ensures that the broccoli cooks evenly and at the same rate.

Step 2: Add Water to the Instant Pot

Pour about 3/4 to 1 cup of water into the inner pot of your Instant Pot. You can also use vegetable or chicken broth instead of water for added flavour. Place the trivet that came with your Instant Pot inside the pot, and put the broccoli florets on top. If you have a steamer basket, you can place it inside the pot and put the broccoli inside the basket.

Step 3: Set the Pressure and Cook

Secure the lid on your Instant Pot and make sure the vent is in the sealing position. Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for "0" minutes. Yes, you read that right! The broccoli will be perfectly steamed in the time it takes for the pressure cooker to come to full pressure, which is about 5-10 minutes.

Step 4: Quick Release and Serve

Once the Instant Pot reaches full pressure, immediately press the quick-release valve. Remove the broccoli from the pot as soon as the pressure has been released to prevent overcooking. Season with salt and pepper, or your desired toppings, and enjoy!

Tips:

• If your pressure cooker doesn't have a "0" minute option, you can set it to cook for 1 minute on low pressure.
• If you're using frozen broccoli, cook on high pressure for "0" minutes or 1 minute.
• It's important to quick-release the pressure and remove the broccoli from the pot immediately to prevent it from overcooking and becoming mushy.
• Try adding different seasonings like parmesan cheese, lemon juice, garlic, or olive oil for extra flavour.

How to cook chicken in an instant pot

Ingredients:

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 pounds, cut into 1-inch pieces)
• Fresh broccoli florets (4 cups)
• Medium carrots, julienned (4)
• Sliced water chestnuts, drained (1 8-ounce can)
• Minced garlic cloves (6)
• Reduced-sodium chicken broth (3 cups)
• Reduced-sodium soy sauce (1/4 cup)
• Brown sugar (2 tablespoons)
• Sesame oil (2 tablespoons)
• Rice vinegar (2 tablespoons)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

• Place the chicken, broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, and garlic in a 6-qt electric pressure cooker.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
• Secure the lid, close the pressure-release valve, and set the cooker to pressure-cook on high for 3 minutes.
• Quick-release the pressure. The internal temperature of the chicken should be at least 165°F.
• Remove the chicken and vegetables from the cooker and keep them warm.
• To thicken the sauce, mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth, then stir this mixture into the cooking juices.
• Select the saute setting and adjust for low heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened (this should take 1-2 minutes).
• Serve the chicken and vegetables with hot cooked rice.

Tips:

• To steam broccoli as a side dish, it can be cooked in the Instant Pot in under 15 minutes.
• To steam broccoli, add water to the bottom of the Instant Pot and place a steamer basket or trivet inside. Place the broccoli on top, season, and cook on high pressure for 0 minutes (yes, zero minutes!). The broccoli will cook as the Instant Pot comes to pressure.
• To prevent overcooking, do a quick release of the pressure as soon as the Instant Pot beeps.
• To thicken the sauce for the chicken, add cornstarch, flour, or reduce the amount of liquid.
• To add extra flavour to the chicken, include ginger, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, or red pepper flakes.

How to steam broccoli without a steamer basket

Yes, you can steam broccoli while cooking chicken in an Instapot. Here is a guide on how to steam broccoli without a steamer basket:

Step 1: Wash the broccoli and cut it into equal-sized florets. The size of the florets will impact the cooking time, so try to keep them around 1-1.5 inches in size. You can also chop the stalks into quarters if you want to cook them as well.

Step 2: If you're using an Instapot, add about a cup of water to the inner pot. Place the trivet that came with your Instapot inside, and put the broccoli on top. If you're using a different type of pot, add just enough water to cover the bottom and avoid submerging the broccoli.

Step 3: Set your Instapot to cook on high pressure for 0 minutes (yes, 0 minutes!). The broccoli will be perfectly steamed by the time the Instapot reaches full pressure. If you're using a different pot on a stovetop, bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender but still crisp.

Step 4: Once the Instapot reaches full pressure, quickly release the pressure and remove the broccoli immediately to prevent overcooking. If you're using a stovetop, drain the broccoli in a colander when it's finished cooking.

Step 5: Season the broccoli with salt and pepper, or other seasonings of your choice, and serve immediately.

How to prevent overcooking chicken and broccoli

Chicken

When cooking chicken in an Instapot, it is important to follow the recipe closely to avoid overcooking. Here are some specific tips:

• Set the Instapot to cook on high pressure for a short period, such as 3 minutes.
• Once the cooking time is complete, quickly release the steam and open the lid.
• If you are thickening the sauce with a slurry (cornstarch and water), add it after releasing the pressure and opening the lid. Saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• If you are adding broccoli, it is best to use raw broccoli and let it "steam" in the residual heat of the Instapot after cooking the chicken. This will prevent overcooking the chicken.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a nutritious vegetable that can be easily overcooked, resulting in a mushy texture. Here are some tips to prevent overcooking broccoli in an Instapot:

• Cut the broccoli into even-sized florets to ensure uniform cooking.
• Add water to the bottom of the Instapot and use a steamer basket or trivet to keep the broccoli above the water.
• Set the Instapot to cook on low pressure for 0 minutes. This will allow the broccoli to cook as the pot comes to pressure without overcooking.
• If using frozen broccoli, cook on high pressure for 0 minutes or low pressure for 1 minute.
• Quickly release the pressure and remove the broccoli from the pot immediately to stop the cooking process.
• Season the broccoli with salt, pepper, garlic powder, or other seasonings to enhance the flavor.

Seasoning ideas for steamed broccoli

There are many ways to season steamed broccoli. Here are some ideas:

Simple

A drizzle of olive oil, a pat of butter, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper are easy ways to add flavour.

Cheesy

Sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese or serve your broccoli with a cheese sauce.

Olive Oil & Lemon

A simple yet delicious combination! Use either lemon juice or lemon zest.

Italian

Sprinkle on some Italian seasoning, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil.

Garlic Butter

Spread some garlic butter on broccoli for a buttery, garlicky treat.

Sesame

Try a splash of soy sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Spicy

Sprinkle on a pinch of red pepper flakes, along with your other seasonings of choice.

Other ideas

You could also try adding walnuts or other nuts, thyme, or garlic salt.

Frequently asked questions