Healthier Instant Pot General Tso Chicken Recipe is lighter version of popular take out. Deep fried chicken is replaced with sauted chicken and half the calories to your take-out order. It’s got the sweet, sticky, spicy perfection without deep frying chicken pieces. You won’t miss a thing. Try it once, you’ll be hooked.
- General Tso chicken recipe is one of the most popular “Chinese” dishes in America. This Americanized Chinese dish is mostly made from dark meat cut and deep fried, then tossed in a wok with sweet and spicy, tangy sauce.
- It has complex flavors that is garlicky, tangy, intensive, sweet, spicy and salty, all flavors balanced beautifully.
- Fun Facts : You won’t find General Tso Chicken in China.
- I know .. I know.. some of you might be getting furious by now reading the recipe, you may even call this ‘this is really not General Tso’s chicken recipe’.
- Yes, General Tso’s chicken recipe in general is deep fried chicken tossed in General Tso sauce. But we all are allowed to tweak and add twist to a recipe and create your own favorable version.
- According to me this recipe still qualifies to be called General Tso’s Chicken and we are loving the fact that it’s healthier version, so YAY lesser guilt while eating these on your busy weeknight dinner.
This light Instant pot General Tso’s chicken recipe is made with tender juicy chicken. It’s dump, saute and turn on instant pot recipe. No deep frying.
This healthier homemade instant pot General Tso’s chicken is ready in less than 20 minutes. And so much better than take-out. With the option to add any variation of your choice. SCORE!
If you are looking for authentic General Tso’s chicken recipe simply follow this exact recipe and deep fry the chicken pieces marinated in soy sauce and coated in corn flour until browned.
Saute all ingredients as exactly mentioned in the recipe. You can refer to the recently posted General Tso Tofu recipe to get the idea.
One of the common question I got when I posted General Tso Tofu recipe was
Who is General Tso?
A little help from Wikipedia –
The dish is named after Zuo Zontang (TsoTsung-t’ang) a military leader from Qing’s dynasty. Eileen Yin-Fei Lo states in her book The Chinese Kitchen that the dish originates from a simple Hunan chicken dish and that the reference to “Zongtang“. Info source – Wikipedia!
What is General Tso Chicken?
It’s a crispy, deep fried chicken in a flavorful sauce that is not too spicy and not too sweet. General Tso’s chicken is an American Chinatown invention, definitely not an authentic Chinese dish.
But the dish has definitely gained popularity with the Americans, considering it’s one of the most popular Chinese food take-out.
General Tso Sauce
General Tso’s Chicken has a versatile Asian sauce that has a perfect balance of sweet, spice, salt and tang called General Tso Sauce. We like to call it magic Asian sauce that you will want to pour one everything! General Tso sauce is rich, pungent with a hint of sweet and spice in it.
It’s a versatile sauce and you can adjust ingredient as per your palate. If you love to have the hint of spiciness, just add more dried red chilies and chili sauce to it.
Ginger
Garlic
Dark and light soy sauce
Zhenjiang vinegar or Rice-wine vinegar
Hoisin sauce
Corn starch
Brown sugar or white sugar
And stock (chicken)
Easy Healthier General Tso’s Chicken Recipe
This is healthier version of General Tso’s chicken recipe, so there is not deep frying, rather we just saute chicken cubes for few minutes until it changes it’s color.
Pro-Tip : Alternatively you could just dump chicken cubes along with rest of the sauce ingredients into instant pot, turn on instant pot and walk away until General Tso’s chicken is done. Still tastes good.
Ofcourse with deep fried chicken pieces you’ll get a crunch in your bite, that probably might be the only thing you’ll miss, but otherwise I think the flavors and taste are not compromised with this instant pot General Tso’s chicken recipe.
Add
ginger garlic
Dried red chilies
Scallions
Hoisin sauce
Low sodium light soy sauce
Brown sugar
Zhenjiang vinegar or Chinese wine vinegar
Lemon juice
Chili sauce (optional)
Salt and pepper
Saute all ingredients well.
Cover lid and select POULTRY setting on instant pot. Adjust timer to 5 minutes.
Note – I tested twice with chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) with for 10 minutes cooking time and I found that the chicken get over cooked and they turned almost like shredded chicken.
5 minutes for chicken thighs or chicken breasts works best for me. Select 5 minutes first when you make this recipe, once cooking time is done, open lid and test a chicken piece but piercing with a fork. If it tears/cut smooth then you chicken is cooked well.
If 5 minutes POULTRY setting ends up with under cooked chicken, select SAUTE mode and let the pot simmer for few more minutes with lid off until chicken is cooked through.
In case you pot turns dry, pour about 5-7 tablespoons chicken stocks and allow chicken to cook.
Pro-Tip : Do not cut chicken pieces too small, keep them atleast 1.5 inch cubes. You don’t want to end up with General Tso shredded chicken.
Once instant pot cycle is complete, wait for 5 minutes for NATURAL release. Then turn valve to VENTING position for QUICK release. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.
Whisk flour with little water. Pour it into pot, instant pot set on SAUTE mode. Let it simmer for few minutes as the sauce thickens.
Garnish with chives and sesame seeds.
Serve hot with white rice or cauliflower rice for low-carb options.
Some more Asian inspired recipes for you-
Shrimp Stir-Fry with Snow Peas
Off late I’ve been trying NOT to make everything in instant pot, but I have been failing miserably. It’s hard to not consider the convenience of instant pot cooking.
Do love love making everything in Instant Pot? I’m pretty sure after using your instant pot once, you’ll be converted to Instant Pot Ninja! LOL.
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER FAVORITE INSTANT POT RECIPE COLLECTIONS –
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Healthier Instant Pot General Tso Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs skin less, bone less cut into 1.5 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoon canola oil
General Tso Sauce –
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon red chili sauce
- 1 table spoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon Chinese wine Shaoxing wine or any sherry
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- â…“ cup chicken stock
- 2 teaspoon corn starch
- 5-6 dried red chilies or 3 fresh Thai red chilies
- ¼ cup scallion
- Salt and pepper
Garnish
- Green onions
- Toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Set instant pot to SAUTE mode.
- Add cubes chicken and saute for a minute or until it changes it’s color.
- Add ginger garlic and continue to saute and cook.
- Add dried red chilies, scallions, hoisin sauce, low sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, Zhenjiang vinegar or Chinese wine vinegar, Lemon juice, Chili sauce (optional), Salt and pepper. Give a quick stir.
- Add 5-7 tablespoons chicken stock. Cover lid.
- Select POULTRY setting and adjust timer to 5 minutes.Note – I tested twice with chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) for 10 minutes cooking time and I found that the chicken get over cooked and they turned almost like shredded chicken.5 minutes for chicken thighs or chicken breasts works best for me. Select 5 minutes first when you make this recipe, once cooking time is done, open lid and test a chicken piece but piercing with a fork. If it tears/cut smooth then you chicken is cooked well. If 5 minutes POULTRY setting ends up with under-cooked chicken, select SAUTE mode and let the pot simmer for few more minutes with lid off until chicken is cooked through. In case you pot turns dry, pour about 5-7 tablespoons chicken stocks and allow chicken to cook.Pro-Tip : Do not cut chicken pieces too small, keep them atleast 1.5 inch cubes. You don’t want to end up with General Tso shredded chicken.
- Once instant pot cycle is complete, wait for 5 minutes for NATURAL release. Then turn valve to VENTING position for QUICK release. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.
- Whisk flour with little water. Pour it into pot, instant pot set on SAUTE mode. Let it simmer for few minutes as the sauce thickens.
- Garnish with chives and sesame seeds.Serve hot with white rice or cauliflower rice for low carb options.
Video
Notes
- I recommend you use chicken thighs over chicken breasts.
- The sauce ingredients quantity can be adjusted according to your taste. The number of chilies mentioned in the recipe gives medium spicy sauce (note - I have a palate for spicy food). Adjust the numbers to suit your spice tolerance level.
- Do not cut chicken pieces too small, keep them atleast 1.5 inch cubes. You don’t want to end up with General Tso shredded chicken.
- Note – Tested twice with chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) with for 10 minutes cooking time and found that chicken gets over cooked and they turned almost like shredded chicken.
- Select 5 minutes first when you make this recipe If 5 minutes POULTRY setting ends up with under cooked chicken, select SAUTE mode, simmer chicken for couple of more minutes until it's cooked through. In case you pot turns dry, pour about 5-7 tablespoons chicken stocks and allow chicken to cook.
Comments & Reviews
Debbie says
It seems people have given five star ratings without having made the dish. Most comments are about how good the recipe sounds or looks. Had anyone actually used this recipe? Would love some real feedback, as I’m deciding between this and another recipe. Thank you.
Jyothi Rajesh says
I’ve made many times and love it without doubt 😀
Debbie says
Thank you!