Instant Pot Black Pepper Noodles

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Silky, saucy Instant Pot Noodles and chicken dressed in an addictive Black Pepper Sauce that'll have you twirlin' and slurpin' right out of the pot!

Oh how I love a good noodle dish and this, THIS is a good one!

I know many of you veer towards Italian when it comes to pasta/noodle dishes, but my heart belongs to all things Asian food when it comes to this carb.

Spicy, tangy, silky, saucy noodles that feature condiments like soy sauce, mirin, and sesame oil . . . THAT IS MY JAM!

However, if you've been around here long, you know that I'm not a fan of a plain bowl of pasta.  If I'm serving a carb as the main course, it's got to be LOADED with “the goodies”, AKA everything besides the carb like meat, vegetables, etc.  

So if you're an Asian noodle lover who also enjoys their food “loaded”, you are in the right place.  Let's talk more about this dreamy noodle dish.

WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT BLACK PEPPER NOODLES

• SILKY SAUCE:  Tangy, peppery, slightly sticky, yet still smooth sauce that coats each noodle like a dream.
• IN YOUR FACE BLACK PEPPER FLAVOR:  If you typically love adding an extra garnish of fresh cracked black pepper to your food, you're gonna flip for this sauce.  The black pepper flavor is undeniable (which may or may not be scaring you right now), but the other Asian flavors complement and highlight it the best way possible.  IT IS SO ADDICTING!
• LOADED:  Again, a noodle bowl without goodies is a sin in my book.  This one is loaded with plenty of tender, juicy chicken and topped with a heavy hand of edamame (or peas) and crunchy, roasted peanuts.
• ONE POT WONDER:  Noodles, sauce, chicken, and veggies all get cooked up in one pot.  Hallelujah for easy cleanup dinner recipes!

HOW TO MAKE BLACK PEPPER NOODLES IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

1. Blend Black Pepper Sauce ingredients and pour into the pressure cooker pot
2. Add chicken
3. Scatter pasta on top and add water
4. Pressure cook for 2 minutes – the sauce will be runny at this point
5. Stir in edamame and simmer for about a minute
6. Let it sit for a few minutes to thicken

SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• FRESH GROUND:  I've tried this dish with both store-bought ground black pepper and freshly ground black pepper from my pepper grinder, and there is no denying the better flavor of the fresh cracked.  If you don't own a pepper grinder, don't stress it!  The sauce is incredible both ways, just a tad stronger with fresh.
• THE CHICKEN:  I REALLY like to use chicken tenderloins to ensure a tender bite for these types of dishes, but for this recipe, the chicken breast also worked quite well.  Take your pick!
• THE NOODLES:  Udon are my favorite noodles for this dish, but I've had success with just about any twirly noodle, both whole wheat and regular.  Spaghetti, linguine, etc, all will work!
• COOK TIME:  Find a noodle that calls for an 8 – 10 minute cook time on the box.  If the cook time is longer for your pasta of choice, you may want to add an extra minute of cook time.
• THICKENING THE SAUCE:  When you first open the pot, the sauce will be thin, but I find it thickens nicely after it sits for about 5 minutes.  If you'd like a thicker, stickier sauce, simply stir in a cornstarch slurry at the end when the edamame is added (more details on that in the recipe card).
• TOPPINGS:  My husband does not like peanuts so he refuses to let me put a handful of them on his bowl, but TRUST ME!  That little crunchy extra on top is straight-up magic!

HOW TO STORE, REHEAT, AND FREEZE

• Store:  Cool leftovers and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Reheat:  The noodles will be sticky and dry after sitting in the fridge.  To make them saucy again, warm the noodles gently in a pan on the stovetop with a splash of water.
• Freeze:  This dish does not freeze well.  The noodles become mushy and unpleasant.  I do not recommend freezing this dish.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS 

These two tips will make this dinner come together very fast on a busy weekday night:

• Blend sauce and store in a jar in the fridge up to 5 days in advance.
• Dice chicken into bite-size pieces a day or 2 in advance.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH BLACK PEPPER NOODLES

This is a complete one-pot meal, but if you'd like to round it out a bit more:

• Add a side of fruit (not necessarily a typical Asian side, but it's a must at my dinner table)
• Steamed edamame (I like to buy the frozen bags of edamame still in the pods that can be thrown in the microwave for 2-3 minutes)
• Frozen egg rolls cooked in an Air Fryer (AMAZING!)

VARIATIONS

• KICK UP THE SPICY:  My husband and I like to stir in a scoop of Chili Garlic Sauce into our own bowls or drizzle it with Sriracha.
• VEGETARIAN BLACK PEPPER NOODLES:  Simply omit the chicken and add extra veggies if you like.
• MIX UP THE VEGGIES:  Any steamed vegetable tastes amazing with these noodles.  Peas, snap peas, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, etc.  Simply cook them while the noodles are pressure cooking and stir the veggies in at the end.

If your goal for this year was to eat less takeout and cook for yourself more often, this healthy bowl of noodles has got your back!

Or if your goal for basically every night of the week is to thoroughly enjoy your dinner life (this is me), this recipe is also for you.

Enjoy!

MORE INSTANT POT ASIAN RECIPES

• Instant Pot Asain Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
• Instant Pot Korean Beef Bowl
• Instant Pot Quinoa Fried Rice

TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT BLACK PEPPER NOODLES

• Instant Pot
• Udon Noodles (my favorite)
• Pepper Grinder

Instant Pot Black Pepper Noodles

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Silky, saucy, slightly stick Instant Pot Black Pepper Noodles with Chicken for an easy, satisfying meal any night of the week!

• Author: Marci
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 2 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Pressure Cooker
• Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Black Pepper Sauce

• 1 – 2 teaspoons black pepper (fresh ground is the best)
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

 

• 1 pound chicken tenderloins or chicken breast, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• 8 ounces udon noodles (see note for other noodle options)
• 2 cups water

 

• 1 cup frozen, shelled edamame (peas will also work)

Optional for serving: sesame seeds, chopped dry roasted peanuts

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Instructions

1. Blend sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Pour sauce into the pressure cooker pot.
2. Add diced chicken and spread it out evenly so it’s not in a big clump.
3. Break noodles in half and scatter them over the chicken, alternating the direction of the noodles so they don’t clump together while they cook.  Pour 2 cups of water over noodles.  Gently press down on the noodles to help them reach the level of the water.  It’s okay if the noodles aren’t completely submerged.  
4. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 2 minutes.
5. When cooking is complete, unplug the cooker and allow the pressure to naturally release for 3 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.  If starchy water sprays through the valve, flip the knob to a sealed position and wait another 2 minutes.
6. Bring noodles and sauce to a simmer and add frozen edamame.  Let it simmer for about 1 minute to heat the edamame through.  The sauce may look a little thin, but it will thicken as it sits.  See notes if you’d like a thicker, stickier sauce.
7. Serve hot with a sprinkle of sesame seeds to make it pretty.

Notes

• I prefer the taste of freshly ground black pepper, but use what you have.  For a very mild heat level, use 1 teaspoon, for spicy use 2. 
• Udon noodles are more authentic to this dish, but I’ve used whole wheat spaghetti and linguine with good results.
• Check the stovetop directions of your pasta.  If the cook time is 8-10 minutes, the 2 minute cook time written for in the recipe will be perfect.  If the time is different, simply divide the cook time in half, then subtract 2 minutes to find the best cook time. 
• When you first open the pot, the sauce will be thin, but it thickens nicely after it sits for 5 minutes or so.  For a thicker/stickier sauce add a cornstarch slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water to the noodles along with the edamame and simmer for 1 minute.

Keywords: Instant Pot noodles, Black Pepper Noodles, Easy Dinner Recipe

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