Better Than Take-Out Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken
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Enjoy Chinese take-out at home with this recipe for Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken! This sweet and slightly spicy breaded chicken recipe is a real treat and ready in under an hour (most of which is hands-off cooking time).
We love making Chinese food in our instant pot! It comes out so flavorful and fresh. Plus, it costs a lot less to make it at home. Some of our other favorite recipes are Air Fryer Crab Rangoon, Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein, Instant Pot Orange Chicken (Panda Express Copycat), and Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice (Better Than Take-Out!).
What is General Tso’s sauce made of?
The General Tso’s sauce is made of a combination of rice vinegar, hoison sauce, soy sauce brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Is Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken spicy?
Yes. This dish is sweet and spicy. It is not overly spice, unless hot peppers are added. We do not include that in this recipe and instead use red pepper flakes to make it just slightly spicy.
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How do you make Instant Pot General Tso chicken from scratch?
(Full printable recipe can be found at the bottom of this page)
- Start by dredging 2-inch chunks of chicken thighs in beaten eggs and then a combination of flour and cornmeal.
- Use your instant pot on saute to fry the chicken in vegetable oil for 5 minutes.
- Mix in the sauce ingredients and stir well.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- NPR for 10 minutes.
- QR remaining pressure.
- Remove the lid and set to saute.
- Mix in a cornstarch slurry and let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn off instant pot and let cool, until sauce thickens.
- Serve and enjoy!
What to serve with General Tso’s Chicken?
Serve it with steamed brown rice or vegetable fried rice. Yum!
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Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- The "I Love My Instant Pot" Affordable Meals Recipe Book
- SteamMates Wraps Compatible with Instant Pot Accessories 6 qt | Customize Your Instant Pot with Different Designs | Fits InstaPot Duo 6 qt ONLY | Spring Floral Red Duo 6 Qt
- Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup corn meal
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 6 teaspoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Pat chicken dry and cut into 2-inch chunks.
- Set out two small bowls.
- Add eggs to the first one and whisk until well beaten.
- Add the all-purpose flour and cornmeal to the second and mix.
- Dredge each piece of chicken into the egg first and then into the flour mixture.
- Place coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat withing reamining chicken until all pieces are coated.
- Repeat steps until all chicken has been coated.
- Press the saute button on your instant pot and wait until the display reads HOT.
- Pour the vegetable oil into the instant pot.
- Add the chicken to the oil and saute for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Turn the chicken as it cooks so it browns on all sides.
- Pour in the 1/3 cup water, rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoison sauce, brown sugar, minced ginger, minced garlic and red chili flakes to the instant pot.
- Stir well, making sure to scrape up any bit of chicken stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Close the lid and set the pressure release valve to sealing.
- Press the manual or pressure cook button and set to high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes and then release the remaining pressure.
- Once the pressure is fully released, open the lid and stir.
- Press the saute button and bring the general tso's chicken to a simmer.
- Whisk together the 3 tablespoons water and cornstarch.
- Mix the corntarch slurry into the instant pot.
- Let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn the insatnt pot off and let it sit for 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Serve and enjoy!
This should not be an instant pot recipe. It turned out bad.
Burned food, mushy texture, and overall frusturating recipe.