Craving the bold, tangy-sweet flavors of takeout orange chicken — without the frying, sugar overload, or long prep time? This Instant Pot Orange Chicken delivers all the flavor you love in a faster, healthier, one-pot version. 🍽️
Tender chunks of chicken are pressure-cooked in a vibrant, zesty sauce made with fresh orange juice, garlic, ginger, and a touch of brown sugar or honey. It’s comforting, easy, and totally customizable — plus, using the pot-in-pot method means you can even cook rice at the same time! 🥢
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Orange Chicken 💡
✅ Healthier than takeout – No deep frying or excess sugar
✅ Ready in under 30 minutes – Start to finish ⏱️
✅ Easy cleanup – One pot for the whole meal
✅ Naturally dairy-free – Light and flavorful
✅ Customizable heat and sweetness – Adjust it to your taste 🌶️🍯
Ingredients You’ll Need 🛒
For the Orange Sauce:
- Zest of 1 orange – Bright citrus aroma 🍊
- ½ cup fresh orange juice – About 1 large orange
- ¼ cup brown sugar, honey, or pure maple syrup – Choose your sweetener
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce – Salty umami depth
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar – Balances the sweetness
- 2 cloves garlic, minced – Bold flavor 🧄
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated – Warm zing
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional) – For subtle heat 🌶️
For the Chicken:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil – For sautéing
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces 🍗
For the Rice (Pot-in-Pot Method):
- 1 cup long grain white rice (jasmine or basmati), rinsed
- 1 cup water
To Thicken the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water (for slurry)
✨ Optional Toppings:
– Sliced green onions
– Toasted sesame seeds
– Extra orange zest for garnish
How to Make Instant Pot Orange Chicken 🧑🍳
Step 1: Make the Sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk together orange zest, juice, sweetener of choice, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using). Set aside.
Step 2: Sauté the Chicken
Turn on the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add olive oil and the diced chicken. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The goal isn’t browning, but locking in flavor. Press Cancel when done.
Step 3: Add the Sauce
Pour the orange sauce over the chicken. Stir to coat and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot (to avoid burn warnings).
Step 4: Add Rice (Pot-in-Pot)
Place a 2.5-inch trivet inside the Instant Pot. In a 7-inch oven-safe bowl, combine rinsed rice and 1 cup of water. Place the bowl on the trivet. (Skip this step if cooking rice separately.)
Step 5: Pressure Cook
Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (High) for 4 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.
Step 6: Natural Release
When the cook time ends, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully switch to Venting to release any remaining pressure. Press Cancel and open the lid.
Step 7: Thicken the Sauce
Remove the rice and trivet. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water. Turn the pot back to Sauté and stir in the slurry. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Turn off heat.
Step 8: Serve & Garnish
Spoon the orange chicken over rice. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, or extra orange zest if desired. Serve warm and enjoy! 🍊🍚
Tips & Variations 💡
- Prefer dark meat? Chicken thighs stay super juicy
- Low-carb option: Skip the rice or serve with cauliflower rice
- Want it sweeter? Add more honey or a splash of orange marmalade
- Make it spicy: Use more red pepper flakes or a squirt of sriracha
- Make it gluten-free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce
Serving Suggestions 🍽️
- With steamed broccoli or snow peas for added veggies 🥦
- On cauliflower rice or quinoa for a lighter base
- Over noodles for an orange chicken twist
- Topped with chopped cilantro for brightness
- As a meal prep bowl – Keeps well and reheats beautifully
Storage & Reheating 🧊
- Refrigerator: Store in airtight container for up to 4 days
- Freezer: Freeze for up to 2 months – thaw in fridge overnight before reheating
- To reheat: Warm in microwave or stovetop with a splash of water to loosen the sauce
FAQs About Instant Pot Orange Chicken ❓
Q: Can I use bottled orange juice?
A: Fresh juice is best, but bottled works in a pinch. Use one with no added sugar.
Q: Can I double the recipe?
A: Yes — make sure not to fill past the Max line. Use the same cook time.
Q: What’s the pot-in-pot method?
A: It allows you to cook rice above the chicken using a trivet and bowl inside the pot — no need for a second pot!
Q: Can I use frozen chicken?
A: Yes, but skip sautéing and increase pressure cook time to 8 minutes.
Final Thoughts 🍊💬
This Instant Pot Orange Chicken is everything we love about quick weeknight cooking: bold flavor, minimal cleanup, and total satisfaction in every bite. With its sweet-savory sauce, tender chicken, and built-in rice option, it’s a dinner hero you’ll turn to again and again.
It’s also endlessly adaptable — swap in veggies, adjust the spice, or go low-carb. Whether you’re cooking for your family, meal prepping for the week, or just craving healthier comfort food, this recipe delivers. 💥
Best of all, it takes just one pot and 30 minutes to make — proving that homemade can be just as fast (and way more delicious) than takeout. So grab your oranges and let your Instant Pot do the work — dinner is served! 🧡🍗
Short version
Instant Pot Orange Chicken
Ingredients
For the Orange Chicken:
- zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup orange juice from 1 large orange
- 1/4 cup brown sugar or honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs or tenders
For the Rice:
- 1 cup long grain white rice such as jasmine or basmati rinsed and drained see note
- 1 cup water
For the Cornstarch Slurry:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the orange zest, freshly squeezed orange juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a bit of heat. Whisk everything together until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is well blended into a flavorful, slightly tangy sauce.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, about one inch in size, so that it cooks quickly and evenly in the Instant Pot.
- Add one tablespoon of olive oil to the Instant Pot and activate the sauté function. Once the pot is hot, add the chicken pieces and cook them for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the chicken won’t get deeply browned due to the moisture inside the pot, this step builds flavor. Once done, press Cancel to stop the sauté mode.
- Pour the prepared orange sauce into the Instant Pot, stirring well to coat the chicken. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom, which helps prevent a burn warning and adds depth to the sauce.
- If you’re cooking rice using the pot-in-pot method, place a 2.5-inch trivet on top of the chicken and sauce inside the Instant Pot. In a 7-inch oven-safe bowl, combine the rice with 1 cup of water and place it on the trivet. If you don’t have a pot that fits inside, cook the rice separately according to package directions.
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the steam release valve to the sealing position.
- Use the Manual or Pressure Cook function and set the timer for 4 minutes at high pressure. It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to build pressure before the cooking time starts.
- After the 4-minute cook time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then, carefully turn the steam release valve to venting to release any remaining pressure. Once the float valve drops, press Cancel to turn off the warm setting and open the lid.
- If you cooked the rice pot-in-pot, use oven mitts to carefully lift out the bowl of rice and set it aside. Then remove the trivet from the Instant Pot.
- In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water to make a slurry. Turn the Instant Pot back on to sauté mode and stir the slurry into the chicken and sauce. Continue stirring for a minute or two until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency. As soon as it thickens, press Cancel and remove the inner pot to prevent overcooking.
- Spoon the saucy orange chicken over the cooked rice and top with chopped green onions and sesame seeds if you like a bit of added flavor and texture. Serve warm and enjoy.
Notes
Sprinkle sesame seeds over the finished dish for a subtle nutty flavor and added texture. They also make a great visual finishing touch.
