Got Some Orange Juice Left in the Fridge? Why Not Make It Into Some Orange Chicken…

Got Some Orange Juice Left in the Fridge? Why Not Make It Into Some Orange Chicken…

Recipes

We’re really starting to love using our Instant Pot.  It’s been kind of like the FitBit – a motivational tool that as encouraged us to use our kitchen more and create wholesome food vs. restaurant bought food.  Here’s another great recipe that we’ve come across and the beauty of it is that we experimented with the Pot-In-Pot so we were able to make some steam rice at the same time our main dish was cooking.  We’re hoping that you enjoy it too!  Just a reminder that the InstantPot that we use is a DUO 6 qt..  We have provided the alternate Non-Instant Pot user recipe on the bottom and how to make this using a slow cooker instead.

Serves 6

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes in the InstantPot

+ Natural Release for 10 minutes = 15 minutes total

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 lbs chicken breast or thighs cut into 1-2″ pieces
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 6 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce *optional (not to be used if using a slow cooker)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup lite soy sauce
• 1 tbsp of Sriacha – can be omitted if you don’t like spice
• zest from an orange for garnish
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp orange juice

Instructions for Making this in the InstantPot

1. Dry your chicken as much as possible as it is important that it has minimal moisture.
2. Press Saute until you are in its highest setting which is the “More” setting on the InstantPot.  Wait for the Instant Pot to read HOT.
3. Add the oil and then the chicken and saute the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes stirring it so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom.  You want it to cook until it starts to get a golden color.
4. Once done, check that bits of chicken are not stuck to the bottom of the pot.  If so, deglaze it with about 1/4 cup of orange juice and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon.  Make sure all the stuck bits are removed.
5. Add these ingredients:  the remaining 3/4 cup of orange juice, minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce, white sugar, brown sugar, rice wine, and Sriracha (if you’ll be using it) in to the pot.
6. Add the tomato sauce in if you want a bit more tanginess.
7. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients.
8. ***If you’d like to make steam rice at the same time – using a glass bowl or stainless steel bowl – add 1 cup to 1.5 cups rice (clean the rice) and equal parts water.  Use a trivet on top of your meat to support the bowl of rice.  See photo below.
9. Close the lid and select Manual or Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes ensuring the vent is closed.  While waiting combine the 2 tbsp cornstarch to the 2 tbsp oral juice.
10. Naturally release for 10 minutes..  Turn off the heat and release the remaining pressure by opening the vent.  
11. ***If you included rice, remove bowl of rice to continue finishing your Orange chicken.
12. Select the Saute function and put on Low the add the Cornstarch orange juice slurry it in.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
13. Let stand for 5-7 minutes.
14. Serve over rice and garnish with orange zest and green onions.

Instructions for Making this in the Slow Cooker

1. The slow cooker does not require as much liquid as the InstantPot so you can either reduce your combine liquid by 1/4 cup OR increase your chicken by 1/2 lb.
2. Using your stove top, brown your chicken for 2 to 3 minutes and remove the liquid.
3. In a separate bowl, mix your ingredients together:    3/4 cup of orange juice, minced garlic, ginger, soy sauce, white sugar, brown sugar, rice wine, and Sriracha (if you’ll be using it).  Depending on whether you added the extra 1/2 lb chicken place the mixture into the slow cooker or if not, remove a 1/4 cup of the mixture then place this into the slow cooker.
4. Cook on high for 4 hours.
5. Mix together the 2 tbsp orange juice and 2 tbsp cornstarch and add slurry to slow cooker and mix well.  Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Add on top of rice and serve. 

Even though the slow cooker has been our best bud in the kitchen for many years, it seems that our InstantPot has taken over.  You definitely can’t compare the tenderness of the meat, the speed at which it cooks food and the ability to cook multiple items at once.  It has been quite the time saver for our family of 5.

Thank you for reading our Recipe Corner!

We would like to give Sweet & Savory Meals credit for the original recipe we adjusted.