Instant Pot General Tso Chicken – 25-Min Recipe
Instant Pot General Tso Chicken is a sticky, sweet-and-tangy takeout favorite you can make at home in under 30 minutes. Juicy chicken thighs get coated in a bold sauce with hoisin, soy, rice vinegar, and just enough heat to keep things interesting. This is the weeknight dinner that hits like your favorite Chinese restaurant order, but costs a fraction of the price.
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If you have been spending money on takeout just to get that glossy, sweet-spicy sauce, this general tso instant pot recipe is about to save you. The Instant Pot does the heavy lifting by locking in all the flavor while you skip the deep fryer, and the whole thing is table-ready in about 25 minutes.
Love easy Chinese-inspired dinners? You will also want to check out this Ground Beef Chow Mein, these homemade Chinese Dumplings, and this Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice for more budget-friendly takeout nights at home.
Recipe Snapshot ⭐
- Step-by-step pressure cooking method with the exact cook time, natural release technique, and how to nail a thick, restaurant-style sauce every time
- Budget-friendly ingredient picks you can grab at Walmart, including the best cuts of chicken and which pantry sauces actually deliver on flavor
- Real fixes for the most common mistakes, including watery sauce, soggy coating, and overcooked chicken, plus quick troubleshooting if something goes sideways mid-cook
- Serving ideas for weeknights, meal prep, and freezer-friendly portions, plus storage and reheating tips so leftovers taste just as good the next day
Best Instant Pot General Tso Chicken Recipe
Most general tso’s chicken instant pot recipes skip the browning step or go straight to the dump-and-go method. This version takes one extra sauté step to build a golden crust on the chicken before pressure cooking, and it makes a real difference. You get chicken that holds its texture instead of turning into a soggy, gray mess in the sauce.
I also use a mix of all-purpose flour and corn flour for the coating instead of just cornstarch alone, which is what most other recipes default to. That combination gives the chicken a thicker, crispier shell that actually stands up to the sauce without dissolving. The cornstarch slurry at the end tightens everything up into that glossy, clingy sauce you see in the photos, and you control exactly how thick it gets.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 25 minutes: You get all the takeout flavor without a 30-minute drive or a $20 bill, and dinner is on the table before anyone starts complaining.
- Bold, restaurant-style sauce: The combination of hoisin, soy, rice vinegar, and brown sugar creates that sticky, glossy sauce that coats every piece of chicken.
- Budget-friendly and meal prep approved: This general tso’s chicken instant pot recipe uses affordable chicken thighs, stores well in the fridge for four days, and freezes great for busy weeks.
Ingredients For General Tso Instant Pot
- Boneless chicken thighs: Dark meat stays juicy and tender under pressure, and it won’t dry out the way chicken breast can when overcooked.
- All-purpose flour and corn flour: This double-flour coating creates a thick, sturdy crust that holds up to the sauce much better than a straight cornstarch dredge.
- Hoisin sauce: This thick, slightly sweet sauce is the backbone of General Tso flavor, and it’s easy to find at Walmart in the Asian foods aisle.
- Rice vinegar and soy sauce: These two work together to create the tangy, savory base that balances out the sweetness of the brown sugar.
- Fresh ginger and garlic: Use fresh here, not the jarred stuff, because the pressure cook time is short and you want that sharp, bright flavor to come through.
- Cornstarch slurry: A simple mix of cornstarch and water stirred in at the end is what transforms the cooking liquid into that thick, restaurant-worthy sauce.
Best General Tso Chicken Instant Pot Tips
- Don’t rush the sauté step: Let the Instant Pot fully heat to HOT before adding the oil, and give the chicken time to get a light golden color on the outside before you seal the lid.
- Use the natural release, not quick release: A 10-minute natural pressure release gives the chicken time to finish cooking gently without seizing up or turning tough.
- Add the cornstarch slurry gradually: Stir it in while on the sauté setting and let it cook for the full 5 minutes so the sauce reaches the right consistency before you serve it.
- Let the chicken rest before serving: Turn the Instant Pot off and let the general tso chicken sit for 5 to 7 minutes before plating so the sauce clings and the flavors settle.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Skipping the sauté step: Adding the chicken straight to the sauce without browning it first leaves you with pale, rubbery pieces that fall apart instead of holding up in the thick sauce.
- Using quick release instead of natural release: Venting the steam immediately after cooking sends the chicken from high pressure to low pressure too fast, which causes the texture to tighten up and turn chewy.
- Not whisking the cornstarch slurry until smooth: If the cornstarch has lumps before you add it to the pot, those lumps will set in the sauce and you will end up with a gloppy, uneven texture.
- Serving it immediately without resting: The sauce is still loose right after cooking. Giving it 5 to 7 minutes off heat lets it thicken up and coat the chicken properly.
General Tso’s Chicken Instant Pot FAQs
Yes, but chicken breast is leaner and can dry out faster under pressure. If you use it, keep an eye on size: cut it into similar-sized chunks as the thighs and stick with the same cook time. Thighs are recommended here because they stay juicy and hold up better in the sauce.
The most common reason is not cooking the cornstarch slurry long enough after adding it. Make sure the Instant Pot is back on the sauté setting and let it cook and stir for the full 5 minutes. If the sauce still looks thin, mix another tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and stir it in.
In a pinch, you can substitute with a mix of sweet barbecue sauce and a small splash of soy sauce, but the result will taste different. Hoisin is sold at most Walmart stores in the Asian foods section for a few dollars.
The browning step builds a crust that holds up under pressure. If your coating is still soft after cooking, make sure the Instant Pot is fully preheated to HOT before adding the chicken, and give each piece 2 to 3 minutes per side before sealing the lid.
Dry chicken in the Instant Pot is almost always caused by using quick release instead of natural release, or by cutting the chicken into pieces that are too small. Stick with 3 to 4 inch chunks and always use the 10-minute natural pressure release.
How To Store Leftovers
Storage: Store leftover general tso chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep the rice separate if possible so it does not absorb all the sauce.
Freezing: This recipe freezes great. Let it cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, and add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much. The microwave works too: cover it and heat in 60-second intervals.
Serve this general tso’s chicken instant pot over steamed white rice. It also goes great over noodles or cauliflower rice if you want to keep it lighter.
Instant General Tso Chicken
Equipment
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 2-3 eggs beaten
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup corn flour
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 6 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons 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.