Made with tender chunks of chicken and a sweet and savory citrus sauce, this healthier spin on a popular Chinese-American take-out dish is sure to be a family favorite!
1poundboneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighscut into 1 inch chunks
¾-1cuporange juicesee note
2teaspoonsorange zest~the zest of one large navel orange
¼cuplow-sodium soy sauce
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
1garlic cloveminced
2tablespoonsrice wine vinegar
1tablespoonfresh ginger rootgrated
1tablespooncornstarch
2tablespoonswater
Instructions
Turn the Instant Pot to saute, add in the oil, and let heat for 1-2 minutes.
Once the oil is heated, add the cubed chicken to the inner pot and saute for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned on all sides. Turn the Instant Pot off.
In a small bowl, combine orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl to combine. Add this mixture to the inner pot and using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pot, while stirring the sauce into the chicken. *Use ¾ cup orange juice for a 6-quart Instant Pot & 1 cup of orange juice for an 8-quart Instant Pot.
Place the lid on the pressure cooker, be sure the vent knob is sealed or locked, and set it to cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. Do this by hitting the manual or pressure cook button and using the +/- buttons to adjust until it reads 5.
Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes to keep the chicken tender. It is okay to leave on keep warm.
Once the pressure has been released, remove the lid from the inner pot. Hit cancel to turn off the keep warm function and then hit saute. Allow the mixture to come to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk together cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the bubbling sauce. Stir/whisk constantly, until the sauce has thickened. It won’t take but a minute or two. Once thickened, turn the Instant Pot off.
Serve with steamed rice or cauliflower rice.
Video
Notes
Orange Juice: Use ¾ cup for a 6-quart Instant Pot and 1 cup if using an 8-quart Instant Pot.Corn-Free Modifications: If you have a corn allergy, you can substitute the cornstarch for tapioca starch or arrowroot powder. Gluten-Free Modifications: If you need this to be Gluten-Free, be sure to use Tamari or soy sauce labeled gluten-free. Ginger: If you do not have fresh ginger, do NOT use powdered ginger, just skip the ginger altogether. Storage: Cooled Leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or frozen for up to 3 months.