Description
This Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken recipe offers a quick and flavorful take on a classic Chinese-American favorite. Tender chicken thighs are coated, sautéed to crispy perfection, and then pressure cooked in a rich, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce. The dish is finished with a velvety thickened sauce and garnished with sesame seeds and green onions, perfect for serving over steamed rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1 pound (227 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup (64 g) cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons oil (more if needed)
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if preferred spicier)
Thickener/Garnish
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Finely sliced green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a medium bowl, combine rice vinegar, granulated sugar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes. Mix well and set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Coat the chicken: Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. Place cornstarch in another bowl. Dip each chicken piece first into the beaten egg, then thoroughly coat with cornstarch. Arrange coated chicken on a plate.
- Sauté the chicken: Set the Instant Pot to the SAUTE function and allow it to heat. Add oil to the pot insert. Add chicken pieces in batches, cooking about 2 minutes per side until crispy and browned. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate between batches.
- Sauté aromatics and deglaze: Add chopped garlic and ginger to the pot and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in chicken stock and use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the pot bottom, deglazing the pan thoroughly.
- Add sauce and chicken: Pour the prepared sauce into the pot, then return the sautéed chicken pieces. Stir to combine and coat the chicken evenly in the sauce.
- Pressure cook: Cancel the SAUTE mode. Secure the Instant Pot lid, set the valve to SEALING, then select MANUAL mode on HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Release pressure: When cooking is complete, perform a quick release by carefully switching the valve from SEALING to VENTING. Open the lid when the pin drops.
- Thicken the sauce: Mix cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Stir this into the pot; the residual heat will thicken the sauce. If needed, turn on SAUTE mode and simmer until the sauce reaches desired consistency.
- Serve and garnish: Plate the General Tso’s chicken with cooked rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and finely sliced green onions. Enjoy your flavorful meal!
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for juicier and more flavorful meat compared to chicken breasts.
- If you prefer less spice, reduce or omit the red pepper flakes.
- Work in batches when sautéing chicken to avoid overcrowding and ensure crispiness.
- Shoaxing wine can be substituted with dry sherry if unavailable.
- Make sure to deglaze the pot well to prevent any burn warning during pressure cooking.
- Adjust thickening by adding more cornstarch slurry if needed for a thicker sauce.
