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Instant Pot Orange Chicken Recipe
4.2 from 84 votes

Instant Pot Orange Chicken Recipe

Instant Pot Orange Chicken is made by coating chicken pieces with flour and seasonings, then cooking them in a sauce of orange juice, zest, soy sauce, brown sugar, and chili garlic paste. The chicken is sautéed briefly before pressure cooking to lock in flavors and tenderize, offered with optional garnishes like sesame seeds and green onions.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 308 kcal
Course: Main Course, Dinner
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1-to-1 blend
  • ½ tsp. salt to taste
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. neutral cooking oil olive or avocado, generic cooking oil
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil toasted
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • ½ tsp. ginger or fresh, finely minced, paste
  • ¾ cup orange juice freshly squeezed
  • 1 Tbsp. orange zest
  • 3 Tbsp. soy sauce Tamari, or coconut liquid aminos
  • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1-2 tsp. chili garlic paste depending on desired spice level
  • sesame seeds toasted, optional
  • green onions optional
  • basmati rice for serving, or cauliflower rice

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Prepare the Chicken: In a large bowl combine chicken cubes, flour or starch, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat chicken completely.
  2. Make the Sauce: In a medium-sized bowl combine orange juice, zest, soy sauce, sugar, and chili garlic paste. Whisk to combine. Pour sauce over chicken and be sure to lift it off the bottom of the pan so it does not burn.
  3. Add Everything to the Instant Pot: Add oils, garlic, and ginger to the Instant Pot while it is set to the Sauté function. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken cubes and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. After sautéing, scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure any bits are no longer stuck. (This step is VERY important. If you do not scrape the bottom of the pot you'll end up getting that dreaded BURN error.)
  4. Pressure Cook: Place lid on Instant Pot and close pressure valve. Using the manual pressure cook function turn to High Pressure and set the timer for 5 minutes. Keep the lid on and the valve closed for an additional 10 minutes after the timer goes off. (This is called a 10 minute natural pressure release, or NPR.)
  5. Serve the Chicken: Turn the Instant Pot off, and open the pressure valve. Once the lid has unlocked, you can serve your orange chicken over rice with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!  

Notes

  • Store leftover orange chicken airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days to maintain freshness.
  • Freeze in a container with a wax paper layer for up to 4 months; thaw fully before reheating.
  • Reheat slowly in a covered skillet to retain moisture and prevent drying out.

Nutrition Information

Calories 308kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 19g (6%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 72mg (24%) Sodium 991mg (41%) Potassium 552mg (12%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 145IU (3%) Vitamin C 30.1mg (33%) Calcium 28mg (3%) Iron 0.9mg (5%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 308

% Daily Value*

Calories 308kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 19g 6%
Protein 25g 50%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 72mg 24%
Sodium 991mg 41%
Potassium 552mg 12%
Sugar 8g 16%
Vitamin A 145IU 3%
Vitamin C 30.1mg 33%
Calcium 28mg 3%
Iron 0.9mg 5%

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