Name: Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken breast (skinless and boneless, cut into bite size pieces); 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium); 1 tsp dark soy sauce; 2 tbsp honey; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tsp ginger (fresh, grated); 3 tbsp rice vinegar; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp hoisin sauce; 1 tbsp cornstarch; 1 tbsp water; 1 tbsp sesame seeds; 2 green onions (chopped)

This Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken is the perfect, healthy, homemade dinner in under 30 minutes. This spicy Chinese takeout favorite is simple and quick to prepare with just the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken

General Tso’s chicken is a favorite, one that everybody loves. If you’re wondering what exactly this dish is, don’t worry I’ve included a little section below to explain. For those of you who have ordered this dish before, you know that it is the perfect mix of sweet and sour.

I decided to do a healthier spin on Tso Chicken today using my oh so handy instant pot. That means that I had this dish served up in less than 30 minutes! Healthy, tasty, and quick? Now who doesn’t love that.

What Is General Tso Chicken?

Now while this dish is one of the most popular orders in Chinese restaurants here at home, it’s not exactly authentic. Westernized versions are also known as orange chicken if that’s a little more familiar. It is usually served deep fried over a mountain of white rice, but today I decided to cut back on some of the calories and axe the frying. So let’s get into it! Break out that Instant Pot and let’s get cookin.

process shots of making instant pot general tso's chicken

Ingredients In General Tso Chicken

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Chicken – I used chicken breast today but chicken thigh is a tasty alternative, just keep in mind it’ll need to be cooked a minute or two longer than breast.
Soy Sauce – Low sodium so we can control the sodium level in this dish. I also used a bit of dark soy sauce for that umami flavor.
Sweet – I used both brown sugar and honey to get some rich sweetness and an ooey gooey sauce, you’ll thank me later.
Aromatics – Garlic and ginger, fresh is preferred!
Rice Vinegar – The tangy key to this General Tso Chicken recipe. If you don’t have any on hand apple cider vinegar is a great substitute!
Red Pepper Flakes – We need a little heat in this dish and red pepper flakes are the perfect addition.
Tomato Paste – The perfect little acidic base for our sauce, it will also give the dish a nice rich color.
Hoisin – If this thick sauce isn’t already a staple in your fridge, it should be. Pick some up as it’s so crucial in lots of Asian dishes!
Cornstarch – We’re going to make a slurry with cornstarch and a little bit of water to help our dish thicken.

a fork holding instant pot general tso's chicken over a plate with white rice

How To Make Instant Pot General Tso Chicken

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Saute the sauteables: Turn your Instant Pot on the saute setting and add the chicken first. Then add the rest of the ingredients (save for our cornstarch slurry) and stir well. Close the lid and set the Pot to the poultry setting.
Finish the sauce: Allow the pressure to naturally release before removing the lid. Transfer only the chicken to a bowl and switch to the saute setting before adding the slurry. Cook this sauce for an additional 2 minutes till it has thickened and dump the chicken back in before giving it a good stir.
Garnish and serve: Serve this dish over a nice mound of hot white rice. I love to garnish this dish with some toasted sesame seeds and fresh green onion!

a white bowl filled with instant pot general tso's chicken garnished with green onions and sesame seeds

Other Ways To Make General Tso Chicken

Slow cooker

This dish is perfect made in your slow cooker! Just sear the chicken a bit on the stove before adding to the slow cooker. Whisk all of your sauce ingredients together separately (save the cornstarch slurry) and pour over the chicken. Cook all of this on low for 3 – 4 hours. Incorporate the slurry in the last 20 minutes of cooking or until thick and serve over rice!

Stove top

If you’d like to make this over the stove just saute up your chicken before removing and cooking your aromatics and chili flakes till fragrant. Add all your sauces and slurry and allow to cook for a few minutes till the sauce is thick. Add the chicken and combine well before serving!

How To Store Leftover General Tso Chicken

In the fridge this chicken recipe will last up to 4 days as long as its container is airtight. It can also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months, just be sure to thaw completely in the fridge and before reheating over the stove.