This Instant Pot Orange Chicken is a one-pot dump dinner with rice and broccoli that tastes just like the version from Panda Express.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Canola oil – or another neutral cooking oil like olive oil or avocado oil.
- Chicken breasts – chicken thighs would work as well but will increase the calorie count.
- Orange juice – I find freshly squeezed provides the best flavour but bottled OJ will work as well.
- Orange zest – you can try using lemon zest but the flavour will be slightly different.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic can be used in a pinch.
- Fresh ginger – ground ginger will work if you don’t have any fresh ginger.
- Soy sauce – tamari or coconut aminos are the best substitutes for soy sauce.
- Rice vinegar – try using white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead.
- Brown sugar – make your own using a combination of white sugar and molasses.
- Chicken broth – vegetable broth is the best substitute here.
- White rice – use any kind of white rice of your choice like basmati or jasmine rice.
- Broccoli – leave this out altogether if you don’t like broccoli.
- Green onions – chives or shallots would also be good.
- Sesame seeds – both black and white sesame seeds can be used.
How to make orange chicken in the Instant Pot
- Add everything but broccoli, green onions and sesame seeds to the Instant Pot in order.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure.
- Stir in the broccoli.
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve and dig in!
Calories in this version vs. Panda Express
My version of orange chicken has just 332 calories per serving, including the rice. The Panda Express version, on the other hand, has 490 calories per serving not including the rice (a side of their white steamed rice is an additional 380 calories). By making orange chicken at home, you’ll be saving on calories and saving money on takeout!
Frequently Asked Questions
Orange chicken is a delicious dish commonly found in North American Chinese restaurants. It consists of battered and fried chicken in a sweet and spicy orange sauce, typically garnished with sesame seeds and served over rice. To cut down on calories, I made this version with non-battered chicken breasts.
The orange chicken sauce is mostly made up of soy sauce, rice vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, garlic, ginger, brown sugar and chicken broth. Most of the items can be found in your kitchen cupboard!
This recipe is definitely healthier than the takeout version. There are way less preservatives since you’re making it at home with whole fresh ingredients and the chicken isn’t battered and fried.
Storing and reheating
This recipe is great for meal prep. You can make a big batch and enjoy it throughout the week. Store any leftovers in airtight glass containers for up to 5 days then reheat in a skillet on the stovetop or microwave for 2-3 minutes. Make sure to sprinkle some water over top of the chicken before microwaving so it doesn’t dry out!
Freezing this recipe
This recipe freezes beautifully! It’ll last in the freezer for up to 3 months in airtight glass containers. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More takeout-inspired recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- These are the square glass meal prep bowls I use in this recipe.
- If you’re looking to stock your freezer with grass-fed beef, then check out Butcher Box – they’re an awesome way to cut down on shopping time.
Instant Pot Orange Chicken {Panda Express Copycat}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 3 chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cups dry white rice
- 1 head broccoli, chopped into very small pieces
- 4 green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds, for topping
Instructions
- Add canola oil, chicken, orange juice, zest, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chicken broth and rice to Instant Pot in that order. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes and then do a quick release of the pressure.
- Open lid when safe to do so and stir in broccoli. Replace lid and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Serve in bowls and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
