Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken

Make your favorite take-out food at home with this Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken. Quick, easy, and the perfect meal for any day of the week!

This Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken is an easy and amazing dish to make, it will quickly become a weeknight dinner favorite for you and your family.

The chicken is cooked to perfection, smothered in gooey sweet n sour sauce, and served over steamed rice. I would say that this is 100% happiness in a bowl.

When I go and get take-out Sweet and Sour Chicken is one of the recipes that I get most often. There is something about it that just draws me in.

What I love about our version is that we make it in the instant pot! It is such a quick and easy way to make this that once you try it you’ll want to make it this way each time!

Why spend money going out when you can make your favorite dishes at home? I love recreating my favorite restaurant dishes so we don’t have to spend money on them.

I feel like that is one of the best things I have ever done. Because take-out can be expensive and cooking at home saves you so much money in the end.

That is why I highly recommend trying this Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken ASAP! I might be biased, but you will fall in love.

1. Minimal ingredients help this dish come together quickly.
2. Working with an instant pot cuts down on a lot of steps.
3. It can be served many different ways, over rice, in wraps, on a salad, etc.

• Chicken breasts
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• Egg
• Milk
• Cornstarch
• Unsalted butter
• Sweet and sour sauce
• White rice

1. Cube chicken and place in a plastic bag, sprinkle salt and pepper over chicken.
2. Crack an egg in a bowl and whisk, place milk in a bowl with the egg, and set aside.
3. Take another bowl and place cornstarch in that bowl. Dip chicken in the egg mixture and then dip in cornstarch, coating evenly over chicken then place chicken on a plate and set aside. Repeat until you have coated all of your cubed chicken.
4. Tap the saute setting on your instant pot and melt 1 tablespoon of butter, add chicken and saute until the edges are crunchy.
5. Remove chicken from instant pot and place it in a steamer pan. Pour sweet n sour sauce over chicken and put the lid on top.
6. In the second steamer pan and the rice, 2 tablespoons of water, and 1 tablespoon of butter in pan and close lid.
7. Place the rice pan on top of the chicken pan, put both pans in the sling, and set aside.
8. Wipe out the bottom of the instant pot and add trivet, 1/4 cup of water, and place pans in the instant pot. Seal the lid, and set the seal, then turn on manual for 20 minutes and let the instant pot release the steam, do not do a quick release.
9. After your IP is finished cooking, remove pans, fluff rice, and serve chicken and sauce over rice. 

WHAT IS INSTANT POT SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN?

I think we have probably all tried this dish at one point in our lives or another. However, what is it exactly? This dish usually includes chicken breasts, rice, and your favorite brand of sweet and sour sauce.

Mixing this all together, you have something amazing that you can enjoy right at home! If you’re eating low carb, you can go without the rice though and that will help get rid of some of the carbs. 

WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH THIS?

If you’re going to make this meal, you may be wondering what you can make with it. You may not feel like making anything else with this dish and that is okay.

However, sometimes I like to make a four-course meal when I make oriental food. Here are some dishes I have made in the past that will go well with this one!

1. Vegetable Lo Mein 
2. Asian Marinated Grilled Shrimp Skewers
3. Tempura Veggies 

ANY ADDITIONS?

Want to make this dish even better for the entire family? Try adding a few extras to take your Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken to the next level:

• Red bell peppers or green bell peppers – Slice and sauté them on the sauté setting for added crunch and color.
• Sweet pineapple chunks – Toss in some fresh pineapple or canned pineapple for that perfect sweet and tangy sauce combo.
• Green onions – Sprinkle chopped green onions on top for a pop of flavor.
• Sesame seeds – A quick sprinkle adds a nice crunch and makes it look just like a Chinese restaurant dish.
• Fresh garlic – Mix in a clove or two during the sauté function for bold flavor.
• Red pepper flakes – Want heat? Add a pinch for a little kick.
• Carrot matchsticks – Toss in during the last 2-3 minutes of pressure cooking for a touch of sweetness and crunch.
• Orange juice or pineapple juice – Add a splash to the sour chicken sauce for a tropical twist.
• Jasmine rice or brown rice – Switch up the pan of rice to your favorite kind.

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

Need to switch things up? These easy swaps keep this simple recipe delicious and perfect for busy weeknights:

• Chicken thighs – Use skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for tender bites of chicken.
• Brown sugar or maple syrup – Add to the sauce if you want a sweeter flavor without using bottled sauce.
• Apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar – Use in place of white vinegar to adjust the tanginess.
• Gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos – Great for gluten-sensitive eaters.
• Coconut sugar – A healthier option to sweeten your homemade sour flavors.
• Cornstarch slurry – Mix cornstarch with cold water to thicken your own tangy sauce.
• Apricot jam or tomato paste – Mix with vinegar and sugar to create a quick homemade version of sweet and sour sauce.
• Stovetop or crock pot – Don’t have an Instant Pot? Try this recipe on the stove top or as a slow cooker sweet and sour chicken.
• White vinegar – If you’re out of apple cider or rice vinegar, this is a handy swap.
• Egg wash – If you’re low on milk, just dip the chicken in egg only.

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After you’ve made this chicken, you may be wondering how to store it. First of all, this dish will make plenty of leftovers, which is a huge plus.

REFRIGERATOR: As long as you store it in an airtight container, you can easily keep it in the refrigerator where it will keep for 3-4 days. 

Whether it’s the weekend or a busy weeknight, you can’t go wrong making this Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken. I know you’ll love it just as much as my family does! 

If you’ve tried this INSTANT POT SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!