Instant Pot Orange Chicken

Do you have a grandchild that wants Orange Chicken all the time? I’ve made orange chicken a couple of ways on this site, but if you know me by now I’ve got to be able to make it in my Instant Pot. Will you save time? My Crockpot recipe took 4+ hours and I know the Wok recipe took some time and messy. Total Time: 45 minutes  Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2”-3” pieces
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons cornstarch
6 oz green onions, finely sliced
Rice for serving
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

Select sauté on your Instant Pot. Season the chicken with salt. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pot, swirl to coat and add the chicken. Sauté to a golden brown, flipping once about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a large plate as they finish. Add the remaining oil and the onion, season with salt and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the orange juice, zest, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, honey and red pepper flakes; stir scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Place the chicken back in the pot in a single layer if possible. Cover, close vent and cook on high pressure for 18 minutes. Let the pressure release manually. Open lid, carefully. Remove chicken to a plate and cover with tin foil to keep warm.

Select sauté again. In a medium size bowl add the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid; whisk until smooth. Pour into the pot and whisk until boils and thickens slightly. Add the chicken back in the pot. Cook enough rice for 4 people according to package instructions. To serve. Put the cooked rice in a large bowl, cover with orange chicken and top with thinly sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if using. Yum Yum!