If you’re in need of a quick and easy weeknight family meal, here’s an Instant Pot Korean chicken and potatoes recipe that everyone, including babies, will enjoy! It’s super straightforward with minimal ingredients, and it delivers the perfect balance of savory and sweet.

cooked chicken, carrots, potatoes with green onion inside an instant pot

Contents

What is Korean Chicken and Potatoes

One of my ultimate Korean comfort foods is chicken stew, otherwise known as dakdoritang “닭도리탕” or dakbokkeumtang “닭볶음탕.” It reminds me of my mom’s homecooking and always succeeds in soothing my soul.

There are two versions of this dish. The spicy version contains Korean chili paste and chili flakes as its main sauce ingredients, while the non-spicy version includes soy sauce.

I used to be a fan of the spicy version, but after I eliminated spicy food during my breastfeeding days, I totally became weak sauce. I’m working on building up my tolerance but still have a long ways to go!

The husband, on the other hand, grew up eating the non-spicy version most of the time and so it’s what he’s always preferred. It reminds him of growing up with 3 older siblings and fighting over who gets the most chicken. My siblings and I, on the other hand, always fought over the potatoes.

Now, because I’m always looking for ways to make baby-friendly versions of classic, beloved recipes, I’m presenting you today with the non-spicy, savory Instant Pot Korean Chicken and Potatoes!

Becoming Friends with My Instant Pot

I unexpectedly became an Instant pot owner last year, thanks to a Target MEGA sale. 6 months later and I’m still learning all the ins and outs. I’m finding that:

There IS a learning curve contrary to what many people have told me. Perhaps it’s because I’m such a creature of habit and find myself resorting to cooking things the way I’ve always done rather than trying to familiarize myself with this new equipment.
It’s not as quick as everyone claims. I mean add on the time it takes to come to pressure + cooking time + time to release pressure, I question how this is saving me time.

But I suppose it’s quicker than a slow cooker and my hands are free to do other things, so I can see how it would save many parents’ sanity. All this to say, I’m still at the “learning to love my Instant Pot” stage.

Step By Step Instructions

cooked chicken on the left and chicken with potatoes and carrots on the right in an Instant Pot

While the original stove-top method is not hard, it does require several steps and some babysitting. The beauty of this version is you can just dump all the ingredients into the pot and walk away!

Cook the chicken using the saute function.
Add vegetables, pour in the sauce. Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes! Easy Peasy!

What Makes this Baby-Friendly

cooked korean chicken and potatoes served in a baby sectioned plate with multigrain rice and quartered cherry tomatoes

I made every attempt to cut back on the sodium level without sacrificing the flavor too much. If you have older children, you can add more soy sauce (up to 1/3 cup) and include oyster sauce.

To achieve that balance of savory and sweet, I personally like to use honey. BUT when serving to your baby, most definitely use brown sugar. Remember, no honey before 1! Or if you’re really set on no added sugar before 2, then you can try substituting sugar with pureed fruits (I recommend apple or pear), just like I did with my baby-friendly bulgogi recipe.

It’s best to avoid sodium-rich condiments and added sugars as much as possible during the first year.

However, keep in mind that your baby is most likely only going to eat a small portion of this entire dish. And it’s all about balance. The goal by the end of the first year is for your baby to eat the same foods that the rest of the family are enjoying with age-appropriate modifications.

Texture-wise, this dish is PERFECT for babies. The chicken gets super tender and moist and the vegetables are soft but won’t get crushed by their clumsy little hands.

I first served a slow cooker version of this dish when my son was around 9 months old, and he absolutely LOVED it! Follow me on Instagram for more examples of the actual meals I served him when he was a baby.

Serving Suggestions

cooked chicken and potatoes with rice in a white bowl laid on top of blue striped kitchen towel

So without further ado, here’s the recipe!

You can serve with this Instant Pot Multigrain rice. But to be quite honest, I must side with the hubs on this one. It tastes better with just plain white rice ;).

This will also be good with noodles or as a filling for burrito, quesadillas, etc.

Other Baby-Friendly Asian Chicken Dishes

Moo Goo Gai Pan

Did you make this dish? Follow me on Instagram post a photo and tag me, post a photo on my Facebook page, or save it to Pinterest. I love to see what you’re making!

3 cover pages for MJ and Hungryman's baby led weaning ecookbooks

Looking for more baby-friendly recipes that the entire family can enjoy? My ecookbooks are packed with quick and easy, veggie-forward, freezer-friendly recipes!

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