This Easy Instant Pot Orange Chicken is sweet, citrusy, tender, slightly spicy, and OH SO delicious! This easy recipe is made with simple ingredients and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s also eggless. Better than any take-out. Pressure cooker and slow cooker directions included.
Why I Love This Recipe
I am super excited to introduce my uber-delicious, jaw-dropping Easy Instant Pot Orange Chicken.
Orange chicken has been on my list for quite a while and I finally got around to making it in the Instant Pot. I am so happy I did it because it is our new favorite! And no eggs require. Woohoo!!
The luscious orange sauce is totally customizable: you can add more or less ginger, garlic, soy… anything that makes your taste buds happy!
This Easy Instant Pot Orange Chicken is one of those recipes that the whole family will request again and again.
If you’re a fan of orange chicken, give this one a try. You’ll love it.
The orange sauce is heavenly! It is a sweet-citrusy orange sauce made with orange juice, sugar, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, cayenne pepper, and orange zest. It is both sweet and spicy and full of flavor.
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
Chicken: This version of the popular takeout dish is made with boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces, dredged, and then lightly fried until crispy. Feel free to use boneless chicken thighs if that it’s what you prefer.
Shaoxing wine: If you don’t have or find, the Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) substitute with dry sherry.
Cayenne Pepper: Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper in the sauce to your liking. ¼ teaspoon was too much heat for my kids so I am planning to add just a pinch next time.
Step By Step Recipe Photo Tutorial
1 – Make the sauce
Place orange juice, sugar, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, Chinese wine, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, cayenne pepper, and orange zest in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
2 – Coat the Chicken
Place the cornstarch, salt, and pepper together in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Add the chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake until the chicken is well-coated.
3 – Brown the Chicken
Turn the Instant Pot ON and select “sauté” mode, adjust heat to more. When hot, add oil. Add the chicken in batches, making sure not to crowd the pot, and cook about 2 minutes per side, or until the cornstarch coating is slightly crispy and dry. Transfer the chicken to a plate and repeat with any remaining chicken. Press “cancel”. NOTE: You can also sauté the chicken in a skillet over the stove
Pro Tip: Browning meat in the Instant Pot can be tricky. The trick to brown meat in the Instant Pot is to do it in small batches and not turn until they have formed a crust on the bottom, or they will stick.
4 – Add the Sauce and Cook
Return chicken to the pot and pour the sauce over it. Secure the lid to the Instant Pot, close the pressure valve and select “manual” or “high pressure” and cook for 10 minutes. When the time is over, carefully turn the valve to “venting” to release the pressure. Then remove the lid. Press “Cancel”.
Turn the Instant Pot ON and select “sauté” mode, adjust heat to normal. Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until no lumps. Pour mixture over the chicken; mix to combine. Simmer for 1 – 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serving Ideas
Serve orange chicken with white rice, fried rice, or cauliflower rice.
More Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love
- Instant Pot Cuban Pulled Pork
- Easy Instant Pot Stroganoff Meatballs
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Barbecue Ribs
- Instant Pot Mexican Pulled Pork
- Instant Pot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
- Easy Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
- Instant Pot Hawaiian Pineapple Pork
- More Recipe
Easy Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Salt and black pepper to taste (I added 1 teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon black pepper)
- 2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water
- Sesame seeds to garnish (optional)
- Green onions, sliced (optional)
For the orange sauce:
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 3-4 oranges)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine Shaoxing wine (see notes)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (I used toasted sesame oil)
- 1 teaspoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
Instructions
Make the sauce:
- Zest 2 oranges. Reserve zest.
- Place orange juice, sugar, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, Chinese wine, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, cayenne pepper, and orange zest in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Make the chicken:
- Place the cornstarch, salt, and pepper together in a gallon-sized zip-top bag. Add the chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake until the chicken is well-coated.
- Turn the Instant Pot ON and select “sauté” mode, adjust heat to more. When hot, add oil. Add the chicken in batches, making sure not to crowd the pot, and cook about 2 minutes per side, or until the cornstarch coating is slightly crispy and dry. Transfer the chicken to a plate and repeat with any remaining chicken. Press “cancel”. NOTE: You can also sauté the chicken in a skillet over the stove
- Return chicken to the pot and pour sauce over it. Secure the lid to the Instant Pot, close pressure valve and select “manual” or “high pressure” and cook for 10 minutes.
- When the time is over, carefully turn the valve to “venting” to release the pressure. Then remove the lid. Press “Cancel”.
- Turn the Instant Pot ON and select “sauté” mode, adjust heat to normal. Mix the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until no lumps. Pour mixture over the chicken; mix to combine. Simmer for 1 – 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Serve chicken with rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions, if desired.
Slow Cooker:
- Follow the same steps to make the sauce and to saute the chicken. If your slow cooker does not have “saute” mode you might need to do that over the stove.
- Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours on the LOW setting or 45 minutes to 1 hour on the HIGH setting., or until chicken reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
