4 Creative & Delicious Pressure Cooker Recipes

The humble pressure cooker is the uncrowned King of the kitchen. This single pot can do so much more than most conventional pots and pans. The advantages of a pressure cooker are often appreciated by those living away from home, whether as a student living away from studies or even someone abroad with slightly different kitchen setups. 

Pressure cookers even come in handy when you need to prepare something elaborate at short notice or simply want to prepare something good without the worry of extra vessels to wash. 

The reasons may be plenty but a good pressure cooker will never fail you. We have collected a few appealing savoury recipes that come together in a pressure cooker. 

Thai Sweet Chilli Chicken Bowl 

This recipe is the perfect blend of sweet, savoury and spice. It comes together very easily using just a pressure cooker. It looks attractive and tastes even better. 

Serves: 6 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 kg chicken boneless
• 200gm sliced mushrooms 
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup yellow and red bell peppers mixed and chopped. 
• 1 cup Barbecue sauce 
• ¾ cup sweet chilli sauce 
• ¼ cup soy sauce 
• 2 tbsp juice of a lemon
• 4-5 cloves of garlic minced
• 2 tsp grated ginger 
• 1 tsp rice vinegar 
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste 
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh coriander 

Method: 

1. Place the pot of the pressure cooker on the gas stove and put it on medium flame, add the oil and let it heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onions, and cook them till they are translucent. Now lower the flame, add the minced garlic and let it cook. 
2. In a mixing bowl, add the vegetables and pour the barbecue sauce, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and rice vinegar over them. Give it a good mix. 
3. Add the chopped vegetables with sauces into the pressure cooker. Mix everything well. Now add the chopped chicken and mix it in as well. If you feel the mixture is too dry to mix, add not more than half a cup of water. Add a little salt just enough for the chicken. As the sauces are all well seasoned. 
4. Place the lid of the cooker and cook for 3-4 whistles or until the chicken is tender and well cooked. 
5. Wait until the natural pressure of the cooker is released. After that, open the cooker and check the chicken. Add some fresh lemon juice and garnish with fresh coriander. 
6. Using a smaller pressure cooker, prepare some rice. 
7. Serve in a bowl with pressure-cooked rice, and Thai Sweet Chilli Chicken. Optionally pour some Sriracha sauce over it and enjoy it while hot. 

Tuna Noodle Casserole 

This recipe is to break the myth that exotic recipes are tough and need long procedures, fancy ingredients and sophisticated kitchen equipment. Make this appetizing exotic tuna noodle casserole in your humble pressure cooker! 

Serves: 10 servings
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 whole pack, of egg noodles (or regular vegetarian noodles) 
• 500ml chicken broth (or vegetable stock) 
• 200g canned tuna
• 2 tsp onion powder 
• Sea salt to taste (or regular salt)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup mixed chopped vegetables (cauliflower, peas, carrots, capsicum etc) 
• ½ cup fresh cream 
• 3 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or mixed) 

Method: 

1. Place the pressure cooker on medium flame, then add the chicken broth, put the gas to medium flame, and let it heat up. Once bubbles begin to appear, add the noodles in it. 
2. Drain the excess liquid over the tuna, and add the whole can of tuna to the noodle and broth mix. Season it with onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper and give it a quick mix. 
3. Place the lid over the pressure cooker securely, and shut the cooker. 
4. Cook for about 2 whistles, then wait for the natural pressure to release. 
5. Once the pressure is out, remove the lid, add the chopped cup of mixed vegetables and let them cook in the heat of the contents of the cooker. 
6. In the same pressure cooker pot, add the fresh cream and the cheese one by one. Gently stir the casserole. 
7. Once the casserole cools down, it will slowly thicken. Serve directly when still warm and enjoy. 

Fancy Fajitas

Ever heard of preparing fajitas in a pressure cooker? Check this recipe, making fajitas has never been simpler! 

Serves: 8 servings
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 5-6 chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• 1 tsp cumin powder 
• Salt to taste 
• 1 tsp chilli powder 
• ½ tsp red chilli flakes 
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ cup water
• 2 tbsp lemon juice 
• 45 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 whole red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 whole onion, thinly sliced 
• 8 flour tortillas (or 8 whole wheat rotis) 
• Additional Topping (optional) – Avocado sliced, sliced jalapenos, chopped tomatoes, grated cheddar cheese grated mozzarella cheese etc. 

Method: 

1. In a mixing bowl, add the chicken strips along with salt, cumin powder, chilli powder, and red chilli flakes, mix well marinate the chicken and set aside. 
2. Take the pot off the pressure cooker place it on medium heat, and add some oil in it. Once the oil is hot, quickly toss the onions in it. Cook until they appear pink. Then add the minced garlic followed by the red bell peppers. 
3. Now add the marinated chicken and give everything a good mix, add some water if needed. Add some lemon juice, adjust the salt and close the lid of the pressure cooker. 
4. Cook for 2-3 whistles on a high flame, then wait until the pressure naturally comes off. 
5. Remove the lid from the cooker and check the chicken. If it is well cooked, remove the fajita stuffing. 
6. Serve the chicken and vegetables with tortillas and toppings of choice. 

Teriyaki Chicken and Rice 

This Japanese dish is a fast-growing favourite among many. Though it might seem fancy or tough to make, it is surprisingly easy to prepare in a pressure cooker. 

Serves: 4 servings
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 medium size chicken breasts 
• 2/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup water 
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp honey 
• 3 tbsp brown sugar 
• 4-5 garlic cloves minced
• 3 tbsp cornstarch (mixed with water to make a cornflour slurry) 
• 1 tbsp cooking oil

To Serve with 

• Green onions, thinly sliced 
• Pressure cooker rice 
• Stir-fried mixed vegetables 

Method: 

1. Take the pot off the pressure cooker, place it on medium heat, now add the cooking oil to it. 
2. Place the chicken breasts on the bottom of the pot. 
3. Take a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, honey, brown sugar and garlic and whisk everything together. Pour this prepared sauce over the chicken. 
4. Close the lid of the cooker, place it on high flame and cook for 2-3 whistles or until the chicken is cooked through. Wait for the pressure to naturally come out. 
5. Open the lid and check if the chicken is cooked. Once it is cooked and the heat can be handled, using chopsticks or a fork, slowly tear the chicken breasts to get shredded into smaller bits. 
6. Once again, light the gas flame on low, and whisk the contents of the cooker. Till you get a sauce with a smooth consistency with finely shredded chicken. 
7. Remove the Teriyaki Chicken from the cooker. Prepare some rice in another cooker. 
8. Serve in a bowl with rice and Teriyaki chicken with green onions as toppings and some stir-fried vegetables on the side.