Yield: 6 servings
Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
Orange Chicken that's so much better than takeout! Tender chicken bites tossed in sticky sauce and citrus glaze is a kid-friendly meal that you can make in the Instant Pot any night of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp ground gigner
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
For the glaze
- 3 Tbsp orange juice
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
Garnish
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 orange, zested
Instructions
- In the Instant Pot on SAUTE, add the olive oil with chicken pieces. Saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until chicken is mostly cooked.
- Add orange juice to the pot and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pot so you don't get the burn notice (this is called deglazing). Turn off.
- Add ginger, garlic, sesame oil, tomato paste, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, sugars, and soy sauce to the pot. Do not stir.
- Secure the lid and make sure the vent on top of the pot is set to "SEALING." Select High Pressure (or Manuel) for a cook time of 5 minutes.
- When cook time ends, allow pot to naturally release pressure for ten minutes, then move the valve on top to "VENTING" to release the remaining pressure.
- In a small bowl, whisk the orange juice with cornstarch. Open the lid, stir the chicken and add the slurry to the pot. Select "SAUTE" and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until thick and bubbly.
- Turn off and allow to thicken for 5 minutes. Add sliced green onions and orange zest to the top. Serve over rice.
Notes
- Recipe tested in 6 qt Instant Pot.
- Swap out the chicken breasts for thighs if you prefer.
- Store leftover orange chicken in an air tight container in the refrigerator. It'll keep for about 3 days.
- Remember to scrape ALL the pieces of chicken from the bottom and sides of your pot before adding the rest of the sauce ingredients. This step prevents getting a "burn notice" when you pressure cook the orange chicken.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 423Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 1090mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 48g
*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.