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Instant Pot Orange Chicken, has an addictive sweet sticky sauce and a touch of heat.

Instant Pot Orange Chicken

Chicken bites with an addictive sweet sticky sauce and a touch of heat. Quick and easy, this Instant Pot recipe has dinner served in less than 30 minutes.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time :5 minutes
Cook Time :25 minutes
Total Time :30 minutes
Servings :6
Calories :310
Course :Main Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds chicken breast Boneless, skinless, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic about 6 cloves
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce or Ponzu
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 large green onion thinly sliced for garnish (optional)
  • 1 medium orange sliced for garnish (optional)

Instructions 

  • To help the chicken brown, dry the chicken breasts with paper towel to remove all moisture. Cut into 1- inch chunks.
  • Heat up the Instant Pot. Press the Saute button, and keep pressing the button to toggle to MORE on the indicator. MORE function means that the food will be saute'd over medium-high heat. Wait for the display to read HOT.
  • Add the oil to the Instant Pot. When hot, add the chicken and saute for 3-4 minutes. Stir the chicken constantly so the chicken does not stick to the bottom of the pan. If you see excess moisture at the bottom of the Instant Pot, use a spoon to remove the excess moisture and discard it. Cook until the chicken is golden. If you have any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan, de-glaze the pan by pouring in 1/4 cup of the orange juice and stirring until the bits have released.
  • Add the ginger, garlic, orange juice,water, red pepper flakes, vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce and sriracha to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine and coat the chicken.
  • Close the lid and select the Pressure Cooker function. Set on HIGH for 5 minutes. Make sure the Keep Warm light is ON and the Vent is CLOSED.
  • Use the 10 Minute Natural Release method. Turn off the heat, carefully open the vent and vent the remaining pressure. Remove the lid.
  • Again, select the Saute' function. Select LOW.
  • In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Add to the Instant Pot and Saute' until the sauce is thickened. If the sauce is too thin, mix another tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and add it to the pot. Turn  off the heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes to continue thickening.
  • Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with green onion and orange slices. Serve with rice or a grain like farro for a complete meal.

Chef Tips

*Ponzu is like soy-sauce, but has citrus flavors added. It is readily available in the Asian aisle at the grocery store.
**If you like less heat, omit the sriracha from the recipe
*** Champagne vinegar or another light vinegar can be substituted for the rice vinegar

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Serving Size
 
1 serving
Amount per Serving
Calories
310
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
6.36
g
10
%
Saturated Fat
 
2.77
g
17
%
Cholesterol
 
96.77
mg
32
%
Sodium
 
739.45
mg
32
%
Potassium
 
691.81
mg
20
%
Carbohydrates
 
29.18
g
10
%
Fiber
 
0.71
g
3
%
Sugar
 
24.57
g
27
%
Protein
 
33.71
g
67
%
Vitamin A
 
202.07
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
 
25.46
mg
31
%
Calcium
 
33.52
mg
3
%
Iron
 
1.02
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

© Copyright Christine Mello for Must Love Home. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.