Orange Chicken

I’m finally done tweaking this one – it only took like 4 or 5 attempts and at least twice of forcing myself to try again after giving up in *failure*.

A little spice… a lot of sweet… and all the yum!

This is not the breaded orange chicken like you’ll find in some take-out places, it’s a juicy, not-soggy, bowl of deliciousness!

Orange Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast – cut into 1″ cubes
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp cornstarch (divided)
• 1 1/4 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) (divided)
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 4 tsp minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
• 1/3 cup coconut aminos
• 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup orange juice (from about 1 large orange – same one used for zesting!)
• 2 tsp Sriracha
• 2 Tbsp cold water

Directions

1. In a gallon-size Ziplock bag, toss 1″ cubes of 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast with 2 tsp cornstarch, until well-coated, then refrigerate for 15 mins.
2. After 15 mins, rinse coated chicken thoroughly in a strainer.
3. Pat rinsed chicken dry with paper towels. I line a double layer, spread chicken on it, then use another double layer to pat dry. Then, I flip the chunks around a bit and pat dry some more.
4. On Instant Pot, select SAUTÉ – NORMAL.
5. Once display reads HOT, add 1 tsp EVOO and 2 tsp sesame oil.
6. Add dried chicken and cook for 2 mins, stirring frequently, then push partially cooked chicken to one sides of the pot.
7. Add remaining 1/4 tsp EVOO, 1 tsp ground ginger, and 4 tsp minced garlic.
8. Sauté for 1 min, then select CANCEL.
9. If your pot needs deglazing (mine usually doesn’t if I stirred chicken frequently enough), add a bit of the orange juice to the pot and use a wooden spoon to deglaze.
10. Add 2 Tbsp orange zest, 1/3 cup coconut aminos, 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp seasoned rice vinegar, 1/2 cup orange juice, and 2 tsp Sriracha, then stir until well-combined.
11. SEAL lid, then select PRESSURE COOK (or MANUAL) for 5 mins.
12. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 Tbsp cornstarch and 2 Tbsp cold water until well-combined in a slurry, then set aside.
13. When cooking cycle completes, select CANCEL and do a quick release (QR).
14. Remove lid and set aside, then select SAUTÉ – NORMAL.
15. Pour slurry over chicken in IP, stirring until well-combined.
16. Allow chicken to come to a boil, stirring often, until sauce begins to thicken (about 5 mins).

NUTRITION FACTS
Servings	6
Amount Per Serving	1 cup
Calories	229
		%Daily Value*
Total Fat	6.1g	8%
Saturated Fat	1.3g	7%
Cholesterol	85mg	28%
Sodium	303mg	13%
Total Carbohydrate	9.9g	4%
Dietary Fiber	0.2g	1%
Total Sugars	3.8g
Added Sugars	0.95g
Protein	31g
Vitamin D	0mcg	0%
Calcium	16mg	1%
Iron	0.6mg	3%
Potassium	378mg	8%
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

#LowCarb #LowFat #InstantPot