This Instant Pot Sweet And Sour Chicken recipe is a family favorite. It is so easy to make and prepare in only one pot, the perfect weekday meal that will make you skip take-out. Served over white rice, you'll love this sticky sweet, and tangy chicken.
Cooking in the Instant Pot is a real-time saver and is really a great option for busy weeknights or meal prep. Have you gotten yours yet? I love cooking chicken in it like my whole bbq roasted chicken. Anything Instant Pot chicken is a great quick option.
This delicious meal with an Asian flair is perfect to pair with steamed vegetables such as broccoli or beans.
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🔪 How Do I Make It?
This sweet and sour chicken breast recipe is all about the sauce. There are actually 2 main steps to this recipe.
- First, you'll need to take care of the chicken. Pat it dry, cut it into chunks, roll in flour, and here it goes in the egg wash. Using the sauté mode on the Instant Pot, cook the chicken bites in a little olive oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes and set aside. That part is done.
- Next, let's prepare the sauce. You will need some fresh garlic, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, some soy sauce, and olive oil. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
- Now, get let's finish this recipe for sweet and sour chicken! In your Instant Pot, place your chicken first and pour your sauce on top. Put your Instant Pot on High Pressure and program for 8 minutes.
- In the meantime, take some cornstarch and add a little bit of water, stir well so there is no lump.
PRESSURE RELEASE: 2 ways
Once the 8 minutes are over, your IP will beep. Now, you can do a quick pressure release by pressing the quick-release button and the steam will come out of the valve. It is really hot, be careful.
If you don’t do this right away, your IP will go on ‘keep warm’ mode and start a natural pressure release. It takes longer but if you are doing something else, it is doing the job for you.
Lastly, open the lid and pour your water/cornstarch mix. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate. Leaving the lid off, put your Instant Pot on Sauté mode. Cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve over some white rice, and sprinkle with fresh green onions and sesame seeds.
📋 Variations
You can make your own version of this sweet and sour chicken Instant Pot.
Spice it up: Add some red pepper flakes to your sauce. I don't handle the heat very well but go ahead!
Fruit anyone? Some versions of this easy sweet n sour chicken recipe include some pineapple chunks or some pineapple juice in the sauce. Will you make it fruity and sweeter?
More veggies? Some. bell peppers will pair well if you want to add a vegetable.
💭 Helpful Q&A
You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. This is also a great meal to freeze, I would not keep it for more than 2 months in the freezer. To serve, allow to thaw out completely and warm up in the microwave for a few minutes.
This recipe calls for thawed-out chicken. If you used frozen meat or a different piece of chicken, it could require a longer cooking time and therefore be chewier.
When you buy your Instant Pot, you get a card to guide you in the cooking times. My rule of thumb is 8-10 minutes per pound.
It is very similar in the preparation but the flavours are different than this chicken's sweet and sour sauce.
More Instant Pot Recipes You'll Love
Effortless Instant Pot Basmati Rice: Serve this Sweet and sour pork with this simple rice.
Instant Pot Bbq Chicken: Easy peasy recipe, perfect for a weekday meal and dinners made with leftovers.
Instant Pot Bone Broth: Perfect use of the chicken carcass or any other bone! Homemade broth is so good for you and it tastes so much better than the store-bought version.
More Chicken Recipes You should Try
French Basque Chicken: Delicious and even better warmed up as the flavours have blended even more together.
Carrot and Chicken patties: Use your leftovers and make lunch for the next day.
Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas: Again using your leftovers is always a great way to make a brand new lunch!
📖 Easy Instant Pot Sweet And Sour Chicken
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast raw, thawed out
- 4 tablespoon flour
- 2 eggs medium size
- salt to taste
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 tablespoon ketchup
- 150 ml apple cider vinegar (10 tbsp)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Take the chicken breast (raw), pat it dry, cut it into chunks. Season with salt, to taste.
- Prepare 2 shallow dishes, one for flour. One with the 2 eggs, beaten.
- Roll your chicken chunks in flour, and then the egg wash.
- Turn your Instant Pot (IP) on the Sauté mode. After 2-3 minutes when it's hot, drizzle with olive oil and cook the chicken bites 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Repeat until all the chicken pieces are done and set aside. That part is done. Turn off your IP.
- Next, prepare the sauce, in a medium size bowl: chop the garlic, add the ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and olive oil.
- Stir all the ingredients together. Set aside.
- In your Instant Pot, place your cooked chicken chunks first and pour your sauce on top.
- Program your Instant Pot on High Pressure for 8 minutes.
- While it cooks, pour the cornstarch in a small bowl or ramekin and add a little bit of water, stir well so there is no lump.
- Once the 8 minutes are over, your IP will beep. Now, you can do a quick pressure release by pressing the quick-release button and the steam will come out of the valve. It is really hot, be careful.
- Open the lid and add your water/cornstarch mix. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate.
- Leaving the lid off, put your Instant Pot on Sauté mode. Cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Your sauce will thickened.
- Serve over white rice and with some steam vegetables. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make it? Share it and tag me on Instagram @bonappeteat or leave me a comment here!
Tara Noland says
This looks delicious, can't wait to try it!!
Mélanie says
Thank you so much Tara!
Claudia says
What a great instant pot recipe I just love sweet and sour chicken thanks 😊
Mélanie says
We do too! So flavourful!
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
These look so much better than take out and got to love our Instant pots for recipes like this. Sweet and sour is my husband's favorite.
Mélanie says
It is such a success each time I make it!
Tatiana says
My kids absolutely love this chicken when we go to Chinese take out place. Followed your recipe and made it in Instant pot, turned out delicious
Mélanie says
This makes me so happy Tatiana!
Gail Montero says
Sweet and sour dishes are right up my alley! Love that this cooks so quickly in the instant pot. YUM!
Mélanie says
Me too! Perfect for a weekday meal!
Swathi says
Instant pot sweet and sour chicken looks delicious perfect bite size treat with a bowl of rice.
Mélanie says
Agreed!