Description
This Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken recipe offers a quick and flavorful take on a classic Chinese-American dish. Tender chicken thighs are coated in cornstarch, sautéed, and then pressure cooked with a tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy homemade General Tso’s sauce. The final dish is thickened into a glossy coating, perfect served over rice and garnished with sesame seeds and green onions for an authentic, restaurant-quality meal at home.
Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- 2 pounds (900 grams) chicken thighs, cubed into bite-size or 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (for thickening sauce)
- 1 tablespoon water (for thickening sauce)
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
To Serve
- Cooked rice
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
- ¼ cup green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: In a bowl, toss the cubed chicken thighs with 2 tablespoons cornstarch until each piece is well coated. This creates a light crust that will help the chicken brown and thicken the sauce later.
- Sauté the chicken: Set your Instant Pot to SAUTE mode on low heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. In batches, cook the chicken until lightly browned on the outside. Remove the browned chicken and set aside on a plate. This step adds flavor through browning.
- Deglaze the pot: Pour ¼ cup water into the hot pot and use a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula to scrape off any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Discard the liquid and residual chicken bits for a smooth sauce base.
- Cook aromatics and add sauce: Using SAUTE mode, cook minced garlic, grated ginger, and red chili flakes (if using) for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in 1 cup of the prepared General Tso’s sauce (made from rice vinegar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, water, sesame oil, and sugar), then return the browned chicken to the pot and stir to combine.
- Pressure cook the chicken: Secure the Instant Pot lid and set the steam vent to SEALING. Select PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL and set the timer for 4 minutes at high pressure. The pot will take about 4 minutes to reach pressure during which the chicken cooks through thoroughly.
- Release pressure and thicken the sauce: When cooking ends, carefully perform a quick release to let out steam, then remove the lid. Immediately stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and add this slurry to the pot. Stir continuously on SAUTE mode to thicken the sauce until glossy and coating the chicken well. If needed, simmer gently but avoid boiling to prevent splitting.
- Serve: Spoon the General Tso’s Chicken over cooked rice. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions to finish.
Notes
- You can skip browning the chicken and use the dump-and-start method by adding all ingredients except the cornstarch slurry directly to the Instant Pot, but browning adds more flavor.
- Adjust the amount of red chili flakes based on your spice preference.
- Make sure to thoroughly deglaze the pot to avoid the burn warning on the Instant Pot.
- The sauce thickens very quickly once the cornstarch slurry is added, so whisk continuously.
- Serve immediately for best texture as sauce may thicken further upon standing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
