This Instant Pot Orange Chicken is saucy, packed with flavor, and incredibly simple to make. In about 30 minutes you’ll have a home-cooked dish that tastes like takeout—without the extra oil or long wait.
Simple Instant Pot Orange Chicken
If you enjoy takeout-style meals but prefer to cook at home, this Instant Pot Orange Chicken is for you. The sauce is bright and balanced—sweet from orange juice and honey, savory from soy sauce, with a gentle kick from sriracha. It’s an easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love.
This recipe includes a convenient way to steam green beans in the same pot so you can serve the chicken with a crisp vegetable and rice for a complete meal. It’s also well suited for meal prep—make a larger batch and portion it out for quick lunches or dinners during the week.
Why You’ll Love It
- Ready in 30 minutes: Quick prep and short pressure-cook time make dinner fast.
- Family-friendly: Mild, sweet, and tangy—kids and adults both enjoy it.
- Simple ingredients: The sauce uses basic pantry staples and orange juice for freshness.
What You Need
The sauce is the star of this dish. Keep the ingredients straightforward for maximum flavor without fuss.
- 2/3 cup 100% orange juice
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (for thickening)
Additional ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
- 12 oz trimmed green beans
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to Make Instant Pot Orange Chicken
- Make the sauce: Whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, honey, and sriracha in a bowl. Set aside.
- Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Brown the chicken: Use the Instant Pot’s Sauté function and heat the coconut oil. Sear the chicken briefly—about 1.5 minutes per side—just to get light browning.
- Deglaze and combine: Turn off Sauté, pour the sauce into the pot, and scrape any browned bits from the bottom to deglaze. Toss the chicken in the sauce.
- Pressure cook: Seal the pot and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes. Allow the pot to come to pressure first; this can take 10–15 minutes.
- Add green beans: Quick-release the pressure, open the lid, and place the trimmed green beans on top of the chicken—do not stir them into the sauce. Lightly season the beans, reseal, and pressure cook on High for 0 minutes (this steams them quickly).
- Thicken the sauce: Quick-release, remove the chicken and beans to a plate, leaving the liquid in the pot. Mix about 1/4 cup sauce with 2 teaspoons cornstarch to make a slurry, then use Sauté to whisk it into the remaining sauce until it thickens and becomes glossy.
- Toss and serve: Return the chicken and green beans to the pot and toss to coat in the thickened sauce. Serve over rice or your preferred grain with fresh orange zest if desired.
Quick Tip on the Green Beans
Green beans steam quickly and can overcook if mixed into the sauce too early. Placing them on top of the chicken and setting the cook time to 0 minutes yields crisp-tender beans that keep their bright color and texture.
How to Thicken the Sauce
Remove the chicken and beans first. In a small bowl, combine a few tablespoons of the hot sauce with cornstarch to make a smooth slurry, add it back to the pot, and simmer on Sauté while whisking until the sauce thickens. This prevents lumps and yields a glossy coating for the chicken.
Substitutions: Tapioca starch or arrowroot can replace cornstarch in equal amounts.
Orange Chicken 101
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs work well and stay juicy. Cut them into similar-sized pieces as you would for breasts so they cook evenly.
What should I serve with orange chicken?
This dish pairs nicely with steamed white or brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option. Add a crunchy green vegetable like green beans, broccoli, or bell peppers to balance the meal.
What vegetables can I substitute?
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Halved Brussels sprouts
- Bell peppers
Storage and Freezing
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–5 days. To freeze, cool completely, then store in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 2/3 cup 100% orange juice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into pieces
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 12 oz green beans, trimmed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk orange juice, soy sauce, honey, and sriracha; set aside.
- Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and season lightly.
- Sauté chicken briefly in coconut oil until lightly browned.
- Pour in sauce to deglaze, scraping up browned bits.
- Seal and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes (allow time to reach pressure).
- Quick-release, add green beans on top, reseal and cook on high for 0 minutes to steam.
- Quick-release again, remove chicken and beans, whisk cornstarch into a small amount of sauce, then simmer to thicken.
- Return chicken and beans to the pot, toss to coat, and serve with rice or grains.
Nutrition (approximate per serving)
Calories: 337 kcal; Carbohydrates: 23 g; Protein: 42 g; Fat: 9 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 14 g.
Nutrition estimates are approximate and should be used only as a guideline.