The pot lid rattles and you know dinner is almost ready. That gentle, rhythmic clatter is kinda like a dinner countdown you can count on every time. You catch the smell of garlic and ginger wafting, making your stomach rumble before you even get your plate out.
Inside the pot, chicken is soaking up teriyaki, soy sauce, and sesame oil flavors. It gets all juicy and tender from the pressure cooker but stays perfect enough to crisp up in a skillet after. This combo is pure comfort food vibes with an Asian kick that hits just right.
While the chicken cooks, you toss up a quick coleslaw with crunchy cabbage, green onions, and a splash of rice vinegar. It's got that fresh zing that kinda cuts through the richness of the wonton shells you're gonna fry up real crispy. Yes, you shape those warm wontons into taco shells, and it works real good for holding all that tasty chicken and slaw together.
The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method
- Pressure cooking makes the chicken tender fast, no babysitting required.
- You get crispy chicken edges from post-pressure cooker pan searing, not just boiled meat.
- Using wonton wrappers means taco shells are homemade and super crunchy.
- The fresh slaw adds a cool crunch and balances the savory flavors real nice.
- It's all pretty quick to whip up, perfect when you're hungry and short on time.
All the Pieces for This Meal
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts, thinly sliced for quick cooking and max flavor.
- 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce: gives that sweet and salty base you gotta have.
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil to bring a nutty richness you notice right away.
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, keeps it tasty without pouring on too much salt.
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic and 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger for fresh pungent flavor.
- A bag of coleslaw mix, because you want that crunch and fresh veggie bite with the taco.
- ¼ cup green onions, diced for a bright, sharp little pop in the slaw.
- 1 tablespoon each of rice vinegar, soy sauce, and honey to dress the slaw up just right.
- 16 wonton wrappers for the taco shells-those crisp delicate pockets for chicken.
- Sweet chili sauce, sesame seeds, and chopped cilantro to finish and garnish.
The Full Pressure Cooker Journey
First, you toss the thin chicken slices in a bowl with teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. You wanna mix it all together and let it marinate for about 10 to 15 minutes so all those flavors soak in real good.
Next up, heat your pressure cooker. You put in the marinated chicken and pressure cook it 'til it's tender. You gotta watch for the valve hiss and then let it do that natural release for the best, tender pull results.
While chicken is cooking, toss together the coleslaw with green onions, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and honey. Give it a good mix and set aside to let it chill and get those flavors mingling.
After pressure cooking, pull the chicken out and heat a skillet over medium-high. Now sear that chicken until it's got nice crispy edges. It only takes about 6 to 8 minutes, and you can smell it as it browns. That crisp is the real winner here.
Meanwhile, fry up the wonton wrappers till they pop up golden and crisp. You can do this in a skillet or deep fryer just keep an eye so they don't burn. Right when they're hot and crisp, shape them over a rack or form them into taco shells while warm.
Finally, fill each crispy wonton shell with that tender, crisped chicken and top with your fresh slaw mix. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds, chopped cilantro and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce if you like. Serve 'em while warm and crunchy.
Quick Tricks That Save Your Time
- Make the slaw dressing in advance and toss it with the veggies just before filling tacos, saves some chopping stress.
- Use thinly sliced chicken-this helps it cook super fast in the pressure cooker.
- Heat the skillet for frying wontons before you start cooking the chicken so you can multi-task.
- Natural release the pressure cooker for that perfect tender pull on your chicken, but don't rush it with slow release or the steam cues won't be right.
When You Finally Get to Eat
You hold that crispy wonton taco up and notice the crunch before the first bite. Then, the juicy chicken with its herby teriyaki flavor bursts in your mouth, kinda juicy but with those little crisped edges you worked hard on.
The fresh slaw adds a cool snap that contrasts nicely with the warm chicken. There's a bite of sesame and honey sweetness in the slaw that just makes you wanna take another bite right away.
All topped off with sesame seeds and cilantro that give it a fresh kick. Every bite kinda feels like a perfect little celebration of textures and flavors all wrapped up in an easy handheld taco shell.
Making It Last All Week Long
- Store cooked chicken separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keeps it fresh and juicy.
- Keep your slaw in a sealed container too but add dressing fresh right before serving if you want it extra crisp.
- Wonton shells are best made fresh but you can store them in an airtight container and quickly re-fry or warm up in the toaster oven for a few minutes.
- If you wanna prep a batch for freezing, freeze cooked chicken without sauce separately and thaw overnight in the fridge. Then reheat and finish with fresh slaw.
The FAQ Section You Actually Need
- Can I use frozen chicken breasts? Yeah, you can but slice 'em after they thaw a bit so they cook evenly in the pressure cooker. Frozen thick pieces won't brown so good either.
- What's the best way to get wonton wrappers crispy? Heat oil hot enough and fry 'em until golden but don't get distracted 'cause they burn quick. Fry in batches if you gotta.
- Can I make this recipe gluten-free? You can try with gluten-free soy sauce and find gluten-free wonton wrappers or swap them with crispy corn tortillas.
- How do I store leftovers without soggy shells? Keep wonton shells separate from chicken and slaw. Fill just before eating so everything stays crisp.
- Is there a vegetarian version? Sure, swap chicken with tofu slices or mushrooms and cook the same way in your pressure cooker.
- Can I add other toppings? Absolutely. Try sliced avocado, shredded carrots, or a squeeze of lime for a little twist.
For a different taste of pressure cooker perfection, check out our Vegan Sticky Sesame Chickpeas recipe that also offers quick, flavorful meal ideas.
If you love comforting soups, our Stuffed Pepper Soup is a fantastic complement with rich, hearty flavors perfect for chilly nights.
For those who enjoy a savory roast, try the guide to the Roasted Rack of Lamb for a gourmet meal experience.
And if you want a simple but tasty one-pot dish, Slow Cooker Garlic Butter Beef Bites & Potatoes offers all the flavor in an easy, set-it-and-forget-it way.
Crispy Chicken Wonton Tacos: A Pressure Cooker Spin for Quick Flavor
Equipment
- 1 Pressure cooker
- 1 Skillet
- 1 Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 bag coleslaw mix
- 0.25 cup green onions diced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce for slaw dressing
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 16 wonton wrappers for taco shells
- sweet chili sauce for garnish
- sesame seeds for garnish
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Marinate thinly sliced chicken with teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger for 10-15 minutes.
- Pressure cook the marinated chicken until tender. Let the pressure naturally release.
- Prepare slaw with coleslaw mix, green onions, and dressing (rice vinegar, soy sauce, and honey). Mix and chill.
- Sear cooked chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy on the edges, about 6–8 minutes.
- Fry wonton wrappers until crisp, shape them into taco shells while warm.
- Assemble tacos with crispy chicken, slaw, sesame seeds, cilantro, and sweet chili sauce. Serve warm.
