Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken
4 standard portions
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Dietary & allergen details
Based on listed recipe ingredients. No certification is implied.
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Check the actual product labels and preparation. Substitutions can change this information.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (900 grams) chicken thighs (cubed into bite-size or 1-inch pieces)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons ginger (grated)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- 1 cup general tso's sauce ((recipe follows))
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- cooked rice (for serving)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (toasted)
- ΒΌ cup green onion (chopped)
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- Β½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
Method
- If you're going for the dump and start method, then add all of the ingredients to the pot (except for the cornstarch) and skip to step 5. If you decide to do the saute steps, then in a bowl, mix the chicken with cornstarch until it's well coated.
- On the Instant Pot press on SAUTE (on low) and heat the oil. Add the chicken, and brown it until lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pot onto a plate and set aside. Work in batches.
- Deglaze the pot by adding ΒΌ cup of water, and with a wooden spoon or a heat resistant spatula scrape off any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. I recommend discarding the liquid and the chicken cornstarch bits that were stuck to the pot to get a smooth sauce.
- On the SAUTE setting, cook the garlic, ginger, and chili flakes for 30 seconds. Then add 1 cup of the General Tso's Sauce, put the chicken back in and give everything a mix.
- Secure the lid and set the vent to SEALING. Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL setting and set the cooking time for 4 minutes at high pressure. The Instant Pot will take around 4 minutes to come to pressure and start cooking. When the cooking program ends, quickly release the steam and carefully remove the lid.
- Immediately after removing the lid, add the cornstarch mixed with water (just mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water - add more if needed). Whisk until the sauce is thickened (it thickens very quickly).If the sauce is no longer hot, just press the SAUTE button so it simmers gently as you thicken it (not boiling).
- Serve over rice, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion.