This Instant Pot Orange Chicken is a delicious copycat version of Panda Express.
Chinese Food in the Instant Pot
Yes, you can do that and it's really simple to do! After sauteing the chicken in the Instant Pot, it's as easy as pouring ingredients into the liner and topping it off with orange juice.
After the Instant Pot comes to pressure, it only takes 5 minutes cooking time to get crispy on the outside chicken from the sauteing and tender in the center from using a pressure cooker.
I used my 6 qt Instant Pot to create this recipe, and it may differ if you use a larger pot. Refer to your user manual to see if you need to increase the liquid.
Instant Pot Orange Chicken Panda Express Copycat
My family loves orange chicken but we don't have a Panda Express local to us. Whenever we take a road trip or a vacation we always stop to eat at a Panda Express.
Like many recipes that I make, they're inspired by food that I love to eat in restaurants and this is no different.
Making this orange chicken in the Instant Pot just makes it easier and more flavorful! It's so much easier to pressure cook instead of standing over the stove stirring the wok to make sure that it doesn't stick.
I absolutely love to use my pressure cooker for recipes like these!
Related: Instant Pot Minestrone Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
Serving Orange Chicken for Dinner
When making this recipe, it's best to serve it immediately. I have found any reheating will cause the cornstarch to gum up and it will lose its sticky texture.
So, if you're serving it for dinner, wait until dinner time to make it. It's really quick in the Instant Pot!
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Orange Chicken (Panda Express Copycat)
Ingredients
For Chicken
- 2 lbs chicken breasts - cut into bite size
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon oil
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar - dark brown
- 1 ½ tablespoon rice wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce - low sodium
- 1 tablespoon ginger root
- 3 garlic cloves - minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- orange zest
- 1 cup orange juice
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
Slurry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- green onions - garnish
Instructions
- Combine salt, black pepper, flour, and cornstarch together in a bowl.
- Crack the egg and pour into a bowl and stir.
- Dip chicken into the egg wash and then toss the chicken into the cornstarch mixture to fully coat.
- Set Instant Pot to Saute and wait until the message reads "Hot."
- Pour the 2 tablespoon of oil into the Instant Pot and brown chicken on all sides until skin becomes crispy (about 2 minutes).
- Pour the sugars, rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger root, garlic cloves, pepper flakes, and orange zest into the Instant Pot.
- Pour in the 1 cup of orange juice and 2 teaspoon of cornstarch.
- Use a spatula to remove anything sticking to the bottom of the Instant Pot liner.
- Close lid and set to Manual for 5 minutes.
- Quick release once the 5 minutes is up.
- In a small bowl, mix together the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and the 1 tablespoon of orange juice to create a slurry.
- Pour into Instant Pot, set the Instant Pot to saute and let the orange chicken cook for about 2-3 minutes. Stir to ensure it does not stick.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
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Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
Instant Pot Potato Soup (Copycat Outback Steakhouse)
Instant Pot Chicken & Gnocchi (Olive Garden Copycat)
Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
Karen says
What if you don’t have rice wine vinegar? Can I use apple cider or regular vinegar?
Dana says
Hi Karen! Apple cider vinegar would be the best substitute. 🙂
Logan says
For me, this was an EPIC FAIL. I followed the recipe EXACTLY, and I got burn notice after burn notice. I would stop, stir everything and make sure nothing was stuck to the bottom of the liner, start again, and then get ANOTHER burn notice. It's a shame, because it smelled (and the sauce tasted) really good. But, I will not be making this again.
Dana says
Logan, I'm sorry to hear that you kept getting the burn notice! I am not sure what could have gone wrong. Thank you for your feedback!
Joe says
You cooked on low pressure bro. You should delete this comment. This recipe is epic.
Danielle says
@Joe, @Dana, @Logan - I just had the exact same issue and I followed the recipe exactly as written. Ended up having to finish it off in the Ninja oven. But agreed, smells delicious but I'm disappointed in the hassle it became.
Ron Ramsay says
I made this recipe last night and it was delicious, but it was orange colour, it was dark brown.
Dana says
Hi Ron!
Glad you thought it was delicious! 🙂 My guess is that you may have used dark soy sauce vs. light?
Elizabeth says
I have the ultra model and there was no setting for manual so I have no idea how to cook this. Switched to meat pressure cook and it said burn. I love this recipe, but wish I could make it as you say to. Do you know what the manual setting would be on the ultra instapot?
Dana says
Hi Elizabeth! The "Pressure Cook" setting is the same as the "Manual" setting on the Ultra. Hope that helps!
Brandon says
Not really a big fan. Followed the directions exactly and came out with a mush product. Taste was right but the texture was AWFUL. Not sure 2 minutes browning in oil is enough time for the batter to adhere in the instantpot. Unfortunately, was not a crowd pleaser and family choose an alternate dinner after first bite. Bummed.
mary sue says
I had to cook the chicken longer to brown it, and in 2 loads. It was great for flavor and consistency but next time I'll brown the chicken on the stove top in my cast iron skillet in 2-3 loads (or split between the 2) then finish in the instant pot.
I'm also going to try reducing the sugar, as much as we loved the flavor I think we can cut the sugar and still be happy. Thanks for a great recipe!
Sarah says
This is so delicious. My favorite instant pot recipe yet. I will def be making it again. I wouldn’t change a thing, except I wish I made more 🙂
Dana says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Mandy says
Rice wine or rice vinegar? If rice wine what brand I’m having trouble finding.
Dana says
You can use them interchangeably. I have the Nakano brand. Hope that helps!
mary sue says
I had to cook the chicken longer to brown it, and in 2 loads. It was great for flavor and consistency but next time I'll brown the chicken on the stove top in my cast iron skillet in 2-3 loads (or split between the 2) then finish in the instant pot.
I'm also going to try reducing the sugar, as much as we loved the flavor I think we can cut the sugar and still be happy. Thanks for a great recipe!
Marie says
Made this tonight with a side of Spanish yellow rice. I loved it! Mine didn’t say burn. Depends on the instant pot. Those of you that had the burn issue, add extra orange juice. I did not put cornstarch in the “sauce” ingredients. You don’t have to worry that you have too much liquid. You can always thicken it up at the end using the sauté feature. Try it again. It’s worth a second try.
Marie says
Made this tonight with a side of Spanish yellow rice. I loved it! Mine didn’t say burn. Depends on the instant pot. Those of you that had the burn issue, add extra orange juice. I did not put cornstarch in the “sauce” ingredients. You don’t have to worry that you have too much liquid. You can always thicken it up at the end using the sauté feature. Try it again. It’s worth a second try.
ปั้มไลค์ says
Like!! Thank you for publishing this awesome article.
jean says
Very good! Next time I cook it I think I will lessen the sugar. It’s very sweet and I do love sweets! Mine was very liquidy and not crisp but that’s probably my error!
Dana says
I'm glad you like the recipe! Pressure cookers retain any liquid so a little cornstarch and water mixed together and added to the pot after it's done pressure cooking will help thicken up the sauce a bit. 🙂