Instant Pot General Tso Chicken
Instant Pot General Tso Chicken is worth making. It’s tender and the flavor is just right!
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RECIPE FEATURES
One Pot Dish – Cooks up directly in the Instant Pot
Budget Friendly – Remake a takeout favorite at home saving money on your food budget
Family Favorite – will be requested time and time again
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Boneless skinless chicken thighs – or chicken breasts or tenders
Eggs – This is for the batter for your chicken
All purpose flour – self rising or bread flour could work as well
Corn flour – Do not use cornmeal instead.
Oil – vegetable or canola oil
Spices – minced garlic, minced ginger, and red pepper flakes,
Rice vinegar – do not use white vinegar
Soy Sauce – regular or low sodium soy sauce will work
Hoisin sauce – any brand will work
Brown Sugar – Light or dark
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1. Start by cutting the chicken into 3-4 inch chunks. In a small bowl add your flour and corn flour mixto combine. In another small bowl add your beaten eggs.Take your chicken 5-6 pieces at a time, dip them in the egg mixture first then into the flour mixture. Place on a baking pan top with parchment paper and set to the side. Repeat steps until all chicken has been coated.
Step 2. Press Sauté on your Instant Pot-> click on high. Wait for the Instant Pot to read HOT. Add the oil to the Instant Pot, wait one minute for the oil to heat up
and add the chicken. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, turn your chicken over to ensure even cooking. Do this for a few times. Continue to cook the chicken until it just starts to get golden.
Step 3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the Instant pot: ginger, garlic,
red pepper flakes, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar
and water. Stir well to combine.
Step 4. In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with the water, whisk until all combined with no lumps.
Step 5. Close the lid, select the Poultry function and adjust the time to 5 minutes. Then use a 10 minute Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Open the lid. Gently stir to combine. Select Saute’ on the Instant Pot, Add your cornstarch slurry to the Instant Pot. Cook for 5 minutes. Turn your Instant pot off, let the General Tso Chicken stand for 5-7 minutes Serve
TIPS AND FAQS
To prevent a burn notice make sure that you get all bits and pieces off the bottom of your Instant Pot after frying your chicken.
When your cornstarch slurry starts to thicken turn off your Instant Pot. Do not allow it to over thicken.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS?
I’ve found that the best side dish for this recipe is rice. I make steamed white or jasmine rice usually. My instant pot chicken fried rice is also a great side dish for this General Tso Chicken.
I also like to add in either steamed broccoli or a salad with ginger dressing. It makes me feel better to include something green!
RELATED RECIPES
Instant Pot Guinness Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 2-3 eggs beaten
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup corn flour
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 6 tbsp rice vinegar
- 6 tbsp soy sauce
- 6 tsp hoisin sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Start by cutting the chicken into 3-4 inch chunks.
- In a small bowl add your flour and corn flour mix to combine
- In another small bowl add your beaten eggs.
- Take your chicken 5-6 pieces at a time, dip them in the egg mixture first then into the flour mixture.
- Place on a baking pan top with parchment paper and set to the side.
- Repeat steps until all chicken has been coated.
- Press Sauté on your Instant Pot-> click on high.
- Wait for the Instant Pot to read HOT.
- Add the oil to the Instant Pot, wait one minute for the oil to heat up and add the chicken.
- Sauté for 2-3 minutes, turn your chicken over to ensure even cooking.
- Do this for a few times.
- Continue to cook the chicken until it just starts to get golden.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the Instant pot: ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar and water.
- Stir well to combine.
- Close lid, select the Poultry function and adjust the time to 5 minutes.
- Then use a 10 minute Natural Release.
- Turn off the heat.
- Open the lid.
- Gently stir to combine.
- Select Saute’ on the Instant Pot
- In a small bowl combine the cornstarch with the water, whisk until all
combined with no lumps. - Add your cornstarch slurry to the Instant Pot.
- Cook for 5 minutes.
- Turn your Instant pot off, let the General Tso Chicken stand for 5-7 minutes
- Serve
Notes
Disclaimer:
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
This looks amazing! I was seriously considering making this today except I don’t have all the ingredients! Will wait till later this week to make it!
Regarding the corn flour. Can’t see to find it. Internet, in some places, say corn starch is the same thing but you call for corn starch too.
Corn flour and corn starch are different. In some countries they are the same. If you cannot find corn flour you can use regular flour in it’s place. I have the best look finding corn flour at the larger chains like Kroger, Publix or Walmart. Look for the Mase brand.