My Top Picks Instant Pot Slow Cooker

Instant Pot: Orange Chicken (or Slow Cooker)

This is amazing. You can make in Instant Pot or Slow Cooker.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 1-2-inch pieces
  • 1 lb. chicken thighs, cut into 1-2-inch pieces
  • 2 Tbls. canola oil
  • 2 Tbls. cornstarch
  • 2 Tbls. cold orange juice
  • 4 green onions, sliced
  • extra orange zest for garnish
  • 1 c. uncooked Basmati rice

Orange Sauce

  • ¾ c. (4 oranges) fresh orange juice (or no sugar added, purchased) * SAVE ZEST FROM 2 ORANGES
  • 1 Tbls. grated fresh ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbls. dry white wine, optional
  • ½ c. tomato sauce
  • ¼ c. white sugar
  • ¼ c. brown sugar
  • ¼ c. low-sodium soy sauce (Kikkoman)
  • 1 Tbls. Sriracha (or to your liking)
  • zest from 1 orange

Slurry

  • 2 Tbls. cornstarch
  • 2 Tbls. orange juice

Garnish

  • 4 green onions
  • extra orange zest

Instructions

Add 2 tablespoons oil to a large skillet and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times. Cook until it just starts to get golden. Transfer chicken to InstaPot and discard juices.

Mix sauce ingredients: orange juice, ginger, garlic, wine, tomato sauce, sugars, soy sauce, Sriracha and orange zest; add to InstaPot. Stir gently until all ingredients are combined and coated in sauce.

Close lid (make sure the vent is closed). Choose Manual, and select 5 minutes on High Pressure.

Slurry: While cooking, in a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold orange juice and whisk to blend until smooth. Set aside.

After cooking chicken for 5 minutes, do a 10 minute Natural Release (set a timer for 10 minutes or watch the pot count up to 10). Turn off heat and release the remaining pressure by opening the vent (I use a wooden spoon and stand back). Open the lid and set lid aside.

**While pressure is releasing naturally, start to cook rice according to package directions (about 18 minutes).

After natural release, select Saute function, on LOW. Add the orange slurry to the InstaPot and gently stir until the sauce thickens. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Let stand for 5-7 minutes and the sauce will continue to thicken.

Serve over rice and garnish with fresh chopped green onions and extra orange zest

NOTE: To Make in Slow Cooker: Sauté chicken in skillet, until it starts to get golden, following InstaPot directions above. Transfer chicken (discard juices) to slow cooker. Add the sauce (but not the orange slurry). Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Make the slurry, gently stir it in and cook on high for 20 minutes more to thicken sauce. Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and extra orange zest.