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4.5 from 1,713 votes

Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken

This Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken is the perfect, healthy, homemade dinner in under 30 minutes. This spicy Chinese takeout favorite is simple and quick to prepare with just the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 370 kcal
Course: Main Course , Dinner
Cuisine: Asian , American

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken breast skinless and boneless, cut into bite size pieces
  • ¼ cup soy sauce low sodium
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger fresh, grated
  • 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water
Optional Garnish
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 2 green onions chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. (See your manufacturer's guide for detailed instructions on how to use your instant pot.)
  2. Add the chicken pieces to the Instant Pot then dump the rest of the ingredients to it, excluding the cornstarch and water. Stir everything well with a spoon.
  3. Close the lid (follow the manufacturer's guide for instructions on how to close the instant pot lid). Set the Instant Pot to the Poultry setting and set the timer to 5 minutes.
  4. Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, wait until the natural release cycle is complete, should take about 10 minutes. Follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release, if in a rush. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.
  5. Switch the Instant Pot to the saute setting (do not put the lid on). Transfer the chicken to a bowl using a slotted spoon. 
  6. In a small bowl whisk the cornstarch and water together then pour over the sauce and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add the chicken back to the Instant Pot and turn off your Instant Pot by pressing the cancel button.
  7. Garnish the chicken with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve over rice.

Notes

  • I strongly recommend reading the manufacturer's guide for instructions on how to use your Instant Pot before attempting this recipe. 
  • Substitutes: Boneless skinless chicken thighs may also be used with the same cooking time. Rice vinegar can be substituted with cider vinegar. Red pepper flakes can be replaced with cayenne pepper. Hoisin sauce is a delicious sweet and spicy mix and a must for many authentic Asian meals. A simplified shortcut to using something else instead would be mixing sweet barbecue sauce with sriracha and five-spice powder. 
  • For less sweetness, feel free to reduce the honey or brown sugar.
  • Nutrition: Nutritional information does NOT include rice.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 370kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 23g (8%) Protein 50g (100%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 145mg (48%) Sodium 1045mg (44%) Potassium 945mg (27%) Sugar 17g (34%) Vitamin A 225IU (5%) Vitamin C 5.2mg (6%) Calcium 51mg (5%) Iron 1.8mg (10%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 370

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 370kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 23g 8%
Protein 50g 100%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 145mg 48%
Sodium 1045mg 44%
Potassium 945mg 20%
Sugar 17g 34%
Vitamin A 225IU 5%
Vitamin C 5.2mg 6%
Calcium 51mg 5%
Iron 1.8mg 10%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.