
This recipe is very sweet. Once it you top it over the rice, it cuts some of the sweetness. It also tastes so good, you will want to double the recipe to save for leftovers the next day. It is an easy, delicious and quick meal that your whole family will love. Cook this Instant Pot Orange Chicken Recipe in 15 minutes. It is an easy, delicious meal that your whole family will love. If you want a truly golden-brown chicken, brown it on the stove top, as the Instant Pot isn’t really good for that.
Instant Pot Orange Chicken Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs chicken breast (cut into 1-2 inch pieces)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 cup orange juice (no sugar added)
- 1 tbsp ginger (grated)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp rice wine or dry white wine
- ¼ cup lite soy sauce
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce (optional)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Sriracha
- zest from 1 orange
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp orange juice
For Garnish:
- 4 green onions (sliced)
- extra orange zest
Preparation:
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 bite-sized pieces. Heat up your pressure cooker. Press Saute, click on the Adjust button, 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. 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.
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. Stuck bits may burn or cause the pot not to come to pressure. 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.
Sriracha Sauce
You can skip the Sriracha sauce or add more if you prefer your food on the spicier side.
Add the tomato sauce if you are using it. You can use less, or completely leave it out if you want a pure orange aroma. 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 and use a 10 minute Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Release the remaining pressure by opening the vent. Open the lid. 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.
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. 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.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 337
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 96 mg
- Sodium: 827 mg
- Potassium: 775 mg
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Sugar: 22 g
- Protein: 33 g