Instant Pot Orange Chicken
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.
Servings: 6
Calories: 292kcal
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 can sub boneless chicken thighs cut to the same size
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch see note 1
- 3 tablespoons water
- Optional garnishes: Sesame seeds & sliced green onions
- For serving: cooked rice
Instructions
- Make the sauce. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, orange zest, garlic powder, ground ginger and sriracha (if using).
- Sauté the onion. Turn on the Sauté function on the Instant Pot. Wait until the screen says "HOT", then add the vegetable oil. Sauté the onion for about 3 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Turn off the Sauté function. Using a spatula, scrape up any bits of onion stuck to the bottom of the insert, if any. If there are any stubborn bits, use a small amount of water to help deglaze.
- Add the chicken and sauce. Place the chicken pieces in an even layer on top of the onion, then pour the sauce over top. Do not stir.
- Pressure cook. Close the lid and set the vent to sealing. Pressure cook on Manual High pressure for 4 minutes for chicken breast (your Instant Pot may have a "Pressure Cook" button rather than a "Manual" button). It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure. At the end of cooking time, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.
- Thicken the sauce. Open the lid and remove the chicken to a clean plate with a slotted spoon. Turn on the Sauté function. Whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry, then whisk the slurry into the sauce. Let it simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 2-3 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Add the chicken back to the Instant Pot with the thickened sauce and gently stir until well coated. Serve immediately with rice and your chosen garnishes. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.
Notes
- Cornstarch: we use 3 tablespoons of for a thick, glossy sauce. If you'd like a slightly runnier sauce that soaks nicely into rice, you can reduce this to 2 tablespoons (reduce the water to 2 tablespoons too).
- Garlic and ginger: we used dried powdered versions for a smoother sauce, but if you have fresh garlic and ginger they taste great!
- Nutrition estimate: is for the orange chicken only, without garnishes or rice.
- Inactive time: indicates the time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and release pressure.
- Reheating:
- Microwave: reheat individual portions for 1.5-2 minutes, or until fully heated through.
- Stovetop: reheat in a non-stick frying pan over medium/low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water, if needed, to loosen the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 945mg | Potassium: 768mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 131IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg
