Instant Pot Orange Chicken

By jiafei

6 Person

30 Minutes

337 Calories

Instant Pot Orange Chicken is one of the easiest and most flavorful dishes that you can make in just 30 minutes. Forget about takeout, this easy dinner made with easy to find ingredients is so good that it will become a staple in your house. The Instant Pot Orange Chicken is made entirely in the Instant Pot, so fewer dishes for you to clean. Made with orange juice and orange zest gives the dish an amazingly fresh aroma. Sweet and hearty, served over brown rice, this dinner is so much healthier than takeout and also budget-friendly, as you will have leftovers that taste great.

Ingredients

Garnish

Extra orange zest
4 Sliced green onions

Cornstarch Slurry

2 tbsp. Orange juice
2 tbsp. Cornstarch

Sauce

Orange zest
1 tbsp. Sriracha
1/4 cup Lite soy sauce
1/4 cup Brown sugar
1/4 cup Granulated sugar
1/2 cup Tomato sauce
1 tbsp. Rice wine
6 cloves Minced garlic
1 tbsp. Grated ginger
1 cup Orange juice

2 tbsp. Vegetable oil
2 pounds Chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

Method

01

It is important for the chicken not to have any extra moisture, dry it with a few paper towels and after that cut the chicken into 1-2 inch chunks.
02

Heat your pressure cooker: press Saute, click on the Adjust button, then select More to get the Saute More function, which means that the food will be sauteed over medium-high heat. Wait for the Instant Pot indicator to read HOT.
03

Add the oil to the hot Instant Pot, add the chicken and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times. Cook until it just starts to get golden. When sauteing it, stir constantly so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
04

Also, after you saute the chicken, check if bits stuck to the bottom, in that case, deglaze the pot with 1/4 cup orange juice and scrape them with a wooden spoon. If you leave the bits stuck to the bottom, they may burn or cause the pot not to come to pressure. If you want a truly golden-brown chicken, brown it on the stovetop, as the Instant Pot isn't really good for that.
05

Add the sauce ingredients to the pot: remaining 3/4 cups of orange juice, minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce, white sugar, brown sugar, rice wine, orange zest, and Sriracha sauce. You can skip the Sriracha sauce or add more if you prefer your food on the spicier side.
06

Add the tomato sauce if you are using it. The tomato sauce adds a tanginess to the overall sweet recipe, and it makes it taste more savory. It is based on your preference. I like it both ways: with and without the sauce. You can use less, or completely leave it out if you want a pure orange aroma.
07

Stir gently until all the ingredients are combined and coated in sauce. Close lid, select Manual and select 5 minutes on High Pressure. Make sure the vent is closed. Use a 10-minute Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Release the remaining pressure by opening the vent. Open the lid.
08

Select again the Saute function, on LOW. In a medium bowl combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the orange juice, whisk until all combined with no lumps.
09

Add the mixture to the Instant Pot and gently stir to combine. Cook on Saute function for a few more minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. If you want the sauce even thicker, mix one more tablespoon of cornstarch with orange juice and add it to the pot.
10

Let the Orange Chicken stand for 5-7 minutes, the sauce will thicken more. Serve over rice and garnish with fresh chopped green onions and extra orange zest.

Related Tags

Chicken Recipes

Chicken Thigh Recipes

Chicken Breast Recipes

Instant Pot Orange Chicken

4.9

( By jiafei )

01 Information

Grade easy
Serving 6 servings
Calorie 337 Kcal
Prep Time 15 Mins
Cook Time 15 Mins
Total Time 30 Mins

02 Ingredients

Garnish

Extra orange zest

4 Sliced green onions

Cornstarch Slurry

2 tbsp. Orange juice

2 tbsp. Cornstarch

Sauce

Orange zest

1 tbsp. Sriracha

1/4 cup Lite soy sauce

1/4 cup Brown sugar

1/4 cup Granulated sugar

1/2 cup Tomato sauce

1 tbsp. Rice wine

6 cloves Minced garlic

1 tbsp. Grated ginger

1 cup Orange juice

2 tbsp. Vegetable oil

2 pounds Chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

03 Method

Step 1

It is important for the chicken not to have any extra moisture, dry it with a few paper towels and after that cut the chicken into 1-2 inch chunks.

Step 2

Heat your pressure cooker: press Saute, click on the Adjust button, then select More to get the Saute More function, which means that the food will be sauteed over medium-high heat. Wait for the Instant Pot indicator to read HOT.

Step 3

Add the oil to the hot Instant Pot, add the chicken and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times. Cook until it just starts to get golden. When sauteing it, stir constantly so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Step 4

Also, after you saute the chicken, check if bits stuck to the bottom, in that case, deglaze the pot with 1/4 cup orange juice and scrape them with a wooden spoon. If you leave the bits stuck to the bottom, they may burn or cause the pot not to come to pressure. If you want a truly golden-brown chicken, brown it on the stovetop, as the Instant Pot isn't really good for that.

Step 5

Add the sauce ingredients to the pot: remaining 3/4 cups of orange juice, minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce, white sugar, brown sugar, rice wine, orange zest, and Sriracha sauce. You can skip the Sriracha sauce or add more if you prefer your food on the spicier side.

Step 6

Add the tomato sauce if you are using it. The tomato sauce adds a tanginess to the overall sweet recipe, and it makes it taste more savory. It is based on your preference. I like it both ways: with and without the sauce. You can use less, or completely leave it out if you want a pure orange aroma.

Step 7

Stir gently until all the ingredients are combined and coated in sauce. Close lid, select Manual and select 5 minutes on High Pressure. Make sure the vent is closed. Use a 10-minute Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Release the remaining pressure by opening the vent. Open the lid.

Step 8

Select again the Saute function, on LOW. In a medium bowl combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the orange juice, whisk until all combined with no lumps.

Step 9

Add the mixture to the Instant Pot and gently stir to combine. Cook on Saute function for a few more minutes, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. If you want the sauce even thicker, mix one more tablespoon of cornstarch with orange juice and add it to the pot.

Step 10

Let the Orange Chicken stand for 5-7 minutes, the sauce will thicken more. Serve over rice and garnish with fresh chopped green onions and extra orange zest.

04 Author