3 Ingredient Instant Pot Orange Chicken Recipe

Best healthy 3 ingredient Instant Pot orange chicken recipe ever! Make this easy pressure cooker chicken orange recipe in just 4 minutes with breasts or thighs this week. Grab your Ninja Foodi too and try it tonight!

Frozen Orange Chicken Instant Pot

I have used small breasts for frozen chicken Instant Pot this way first, and then this mixture of sauces later. You could add them at the beginning but the cook time would change to 12 minutes with a 3 minute natural release. Thawed meat is better cut into bite size pieces as directed because the flavor is more intense.

You don’t have to have an IP brand either. It’s one of our favorite Crockpot Express recipes too and we recently bought a Ninja Foodi too. As long as you have an electric pressure cooker then you are set. Served over a bed of rice it is so good, and in our regular rotation.

I have to say that this may be our favorite quick and easy meal! I’ve made this in the crockpot for years but now with this favorite 7 in 1 appliance I can make it much faster. You only need 3 ingredients for the main ones with another that is optional. Add heat with some spicy seasonings if you like or just leave sweet.

Ninja Foodi Orange Chicken

Next time you go to the store, pick up these few items and give it a whirl this week! For the heat you can use red pepper flakes or chili powder which you likely have in your cupboard already. NO changes are made for a Foodi recipe, you’ll just use the lid that isn’t attached.

I have owned several different Instant Pots including a mini and some with pretty wraps on the outside. I like the 6 quart size as it is plenty large enough to feed the 5 of us in the house. It has made my life so much easier, and has allowed us to sit and eat a great meal as a family more often because it cooks quickly!

• You could use either chicken breasts or thighs, either one turns out excellent.
• This is a healthy orange chicken recipe because there is no breading involved at all. You won’t miss out on the Panda Express flavors you love though.

Add a bit of chives or green onion to the top and serve it over rice! We call this “sweet chicken” in our house and my kids all love it!

3 Ingredient Orange Chicken Instant Pot

If you have ever had this jam on toasts you know it is wonderful. Using it as a sauce for chicken is even better. Similar to our pressure cooker apricot chicken but that one has an apricot twist to it of course. Same idea, fruit spread with tender meat and WOW. Here are a few questions you might have before you make this one:

This entire thing is easy to adjust to your liking. Want intense fruit flavors, add a decent amount of marmelade. Use less if you want a hint. The soy sauce counteracts the sweetness to add more of a savory element. If you want some heat red pepper flakes are a good choice. I have used dry Sriracha too.

These are the main items you will need. Soy sauce and onions are optional but I would include them if I were you. Side dishes are up to you but if you want it like at the restaurant rice is a given. As for the bbq sauce you will want one that is on the thinner side so it doesn’t trigger the burn notice.

Orange Chicken Instant Pot Ingredients

1. Chicken breasts or thighs – boneless, skinless, diced into bite size pieces
2. Barbecue sauce of your choice
   1. I love sweet Rays original style – honey style is not best in pressure cookers as there is a lot of sugar content and can cause browning
3. Orange marmelade is what gives it that classic flavor
   1. Onions diced are a great add in we think
   2. Cornstarch (if you want to thicken sauce)
   3. Rice – this is how to make the perfect Instant Pot white rice

Soy sauce is optional but I would highly suggest using it to counteract the sweetness, you could use the low sodium variety

Of course you need an Instant Pot, Crockpot Express or Ninja Foodi pressure cooker to get this done too. I have never had or used an old fashioned type so I don’t have instructions for those. It needs to be electric with the high pressure function to work.

Instant Pot Orange Chicken Thighs

We use 1/4 cup of marmelade but if you like bold flavors then you can increase that to 1/3 or 1/2 of a cup.  If you have a larger household just double it too. I will say that it is pretty intense so start with what is listed below and adjust the next go around if you feel like you want to use a heavier hand. What do you serve with Instant Pot chicken?

• We typically serve it over Jasmine rice
• Cauliflower rice would be a low carb and gluten free option as well
• Brown rice is a healthier option

Find many more Instant Pot recipes on our site using the tab at the top of our main page. There are a few more Instant Pot chicken recipes below too!

• Instant Pot chicken parmesan casserole is a great one pot meal with pasta, meat and sauce cooked together at the same time.
• Pressure cooker chicken and rice is one of the most popular recipes on The Typical Mom
  • Creamy chicken and rice casserole is a bit different than the one above as it has some heavy cream in it
• Easy Instant Pot butter chicken is an Indian favorite of ours served with some naan on the side.

Here’s the printable recipe for orange chicken in an Instant Pot + a video. Watch that first so you can see how I have made it year after year, then you will be able to throw it together easily yourself. Adjust the heat as you like but be light handed at first as a little goes a long way with that if you ask me.

Can you use pressure cook frozen chicken?

If cooking all together as directed your frozen chicken would need to be previously cut up into small bite size pieces. Then they need to be separated so they don’t start out in one solid thick clump. It won’t cook all the way thru if this is the case. Run under some cool water to separate first.

Using whole pieces you too need to ensure that they aren’t stuck together. Even under high pressure it won’t get to a safe internal temp. if there are a few of them together. Same as before, run under cool water and use your hands to break them apart. You will want to use small to medium sizes if using whole. Timing will need to be adjusted to 12 minutes for these, I would only add 4 max.

• Keep in mind that the sauce thickens as it sits so you don’t need a lot of cornstarch.
• Just add a bit into a small bowl with some of your hot liquid if you really feel like you need it.

If you do I would remove your chicken first and set aside. Leave the sauce in there and set to the saute function. It will begin to bubble. Whisk a bit of that liquid in a small bowl with your arrowroot or corn starch until smooth. Pour it in and let it bubble as you stir. It doesn’t take much or long for the texture of it to change.

Here are quick directions but there’s a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post too. Cube your chicken and add to your IP along with your bbq sauce, water or chicken broth, onion if you want, and soy sauce.  Stir so chicken pieces are coated well. 

How to Make Instant Pot Orange Chicken with Marmelade

• Turn your Instant Pot on pressure, high, for 4 minutes cook time.
• Put lid on and close steam valve.  When it beeps do a quick release and carefully lift the lid. 
• Turn IP to saute.  Put cornstarch in small bowl (if you want it a bit thicker) and add some hot bbq sauce from pot in with it and whisk together until smooth.
• Add back into pot and stir. 
• Add marmelade to make orange sauce, stir and allow mixture to bubble for about 2 minutes, stir.  Turn pot and serve over Ninja Foodi rice.

If you love orange chicken flavors but want to skip some of the loaded calories from the breading, this is a great choice. We have directions for air fryer orange chicken too here now.