4.8 from 12 votes
Instant Pot General Tso Chicken
Instant Pot General Tso Chicken is an easy-to-make, flavorful, restaurant-quality meal with juicy, tender chicken in a delicious sauce, ready in just 30 minutes!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 305 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Chinese
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thighs cut into 2-3 inch chunks
- 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 6 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
Cornstarch Slurry:
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
Garnish:
- red pepper flakes
- sesame seeds
- green onions chopped
Instructions
- Start by cutting the chicken into 2-3 inch chunks. I tend to leave them a bit larger as the pressure cooker tends to make the chicken very moist, which helps to avoid breaking the pieces.
- Heat up your pressure cooker: press Sauté, click on the Adjust button, and select More to activate the Sauté More function. This means that the food will be sautéed over medium-high heat. Wait for the Instant Pot indicator to read HOT.
- Add the oil to the hot IP, wait one minute for the oil to heat up, and add the chicken. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times, until it just starts to get golden.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot: ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and water.
- Stir well to combine.
- Close the lid, select the Poultry function, and adjust the time to 5 minutes.
- Use a 10-minute Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Release the remaining pressure. Open the lid. Gently stir, being careful not to crush the chicken.
Cup of Yum
Cornstarch Slurry:
- Select the Sauté function again. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the water and whisk until all is combined with no lumps. Add the mixture to the Instant Pot and gently stir to combine. Cook on Sauté function for five more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. This way, you can make the sauce thicker. You can add more if you want to make the sauce even thicker; please note that it thickens as it cools, too.
- Turn off the Instant Pot and let the General Tso Chicken stand for 5-7 minutes; the sauce will thicken more.
- Serve over rice with broccoli and garnish with fresh chopped green onions, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds.
Nutrition Information
Calories
305kcal
(15%)
Carbohydrates
12g
(4%)
Protein
14g
(28%)
Fat
21g
(32%)
Saturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Cholesterol
74mg
(25%)
Sodium
1134mg
(47%)
Potassium
213mg
(6%)
Fiber
0g
(0%)
Sugar
7g
(14%)
Vitamin A
110IU
(2%)
Vitamin C
0.9mg
(1%)
Calcium
20mg
(2%)
Iron
1.1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 305
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 305kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 14g | 28% |
| Fat | 21g | 32% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 74mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 1134mg | 47% |
| Potassium | 213mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 0g | 0% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 110IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 0.9mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 20mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1.1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.