Name: Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup orange juice (not from concentrate); ½ cup soy sauce; ¼ cup brown sugar; 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 2 teaspoons orange zest; 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or 3 garlic cloves, minced); 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger); 1-3 teaspoons of sriracha (optional, for added heat); 1 teaspoon vegetable oil; 1 yellow onion, small dice; 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1.5-inch pieces; 3 tablespoons cornstarch (see note 1); 3 tablespoons water; Optional garnishes: Sesame seeds & sliced green onions; For serving: cooked rice

Skip the takeout and make this easy Instant Pot Orange Chicken! It’s a quick, flavourful dinner made with tender chicken breast in a zesty, not-too-sweet orange sauce. Serve it with rice and veggies for a simple, satisfying meal your whole family will love.

You might also like my reader favourite Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice!

A closeup of Instant Pot Orange Chicken served on a rimmed white plate with a side of white rice, topped with sesame seeds, sliced green onion and orange slices.

Why you’ll love this recipe

We enjoy making takeout-inspired dishes in our Instant Pot (like this pad Thai-inspired dish!) and this easy Instant Pot Orange Chicken recipe is definitely going on the meal rotation. We think you’ll love it too because it’s

Quick & easy to make so it’s perfect for busy weeknights.
Has an amazing homemade orange sauce that has so many layers of flavour! The sauce itself is super customizable to your taste, whether it’s adding some heat with sriracha or using fresh garlic and ginger for extra bite.
Full of family-friendly flavours that both kids and adults enjoy.
Great as leftovers or for meal prep, as it reheats nicely in the microwave.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this takeout-inspired orange chicken recipe. Most of the ingredients are for the amazing tangy orange sauce that has the perfect balance of sweet, salt, acid and heat. See the recipe card below for full details.

Chicken breast – boneless skinless, cut into 1.5-inch pieces. You can also use chicken thighs cut to the same size.
Orange juice – use a not-from-concentrate variety for best flavour.
Orange zest – to deepen the orange flavour.
Soy sauce – for saltiness to complement the sweeter elements.
Brown sugar – to add syrupy sweetness to the sauce.
Rice vinegar – for acidity to balance the sweet and salty flavours.
Sesame oil – to add Asian-inspired flavour.
Garlic powder and ground ginger – adding more complexity to the sauce. We use the dried versions to keep a smooth looking sauce, but you can swap in fresh garlic and ginger if that’s your preference.
Sriracha – optional, if you like a bit of heat. You could also use a small amount of red pepper flakes (a quarter teaspoon will give a mild heat).
Onion – sautéed to deepen the savoury flavour.
Cornstarch + water – to make a slurry. This thickens the sauce after pressure cooking.

Ingredients needed to make Instant Pot Orange Chicken viewed from overhead on a grey countertop, with text label overlays.

How to make it

First, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

Next, use the Sauté function on the Instant Pot to sauté the onion. Turn off the Sauté function, use a spatula to scrape up any bits of onion that are stuck to the insert, then layer in the chicken pieces. Pour the sauce over top.

A four-photo process collage showing the steps to make Instant Pot Orange Chicken.

Pressure cook on High for 4 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure.

Open the lid and transfer the cooked chicken to a clean plate with a slotted spoon. Turn on the Sauté function again and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Let it simmer for about 2-3 minutes until thickened.

Add back the chicken, gently stirring until evenly coated in sauce, garnish, then serve! We love it with rice and a green veggie like broccoli or green beans.

Orange Chicken garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onion, being scooped from an Instant Pot by a large silver slotted spoon.

Tips for Success

Use fresh orange zest. It really deepens the orange flavour which is so important for this dish. If you have one, a microplane is amazing for creating a beautiful fine zest. For the most pleasing result, avoid zesting too much of the pith (the white part) because this can impart a bitter flavour.
Deglaze the insert after sautéing the onion and don’t stir after adding the sauce. Both of these steps will help to avoid a burn warning.
Don’t skip the natural pressure release. Releasing pressure gradually helps the chicken remain tender and juicy.
Remove the chicken to a plate before thickening the sauce. You can technically leave the chicken in the pot, but we find it starts to break apart and can become overcooked if it’s sautéing more while the sauce thickens. You’ll have the most appetizing result (both taste and appearance) if you take the time to remove it first.

Instant Pot Orange Chicken served on a rimmed white plate with a side of white rice, topped with sesame seeds, sliced green onion and orange slices, placed in front of an Instant Pot and another plateful of the meal.

More Instant Pot chicken recipes

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