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Life Made Sweeter

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Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken – Keto, Low Carb, Paleo

10/4/18

Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken – the perfect easy weeknight meal made in the pressure cooker. Best of all, this healthier recipe for this popular takeout dish has the same amazing flavors as your local Chinese restaurant. Low carb, keto and paleo-friendly!

Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken - the perfect easy weeknight meal made in the pressure cooker. Best of all, this healthier recipe for this popular takeout dish has the same amazing flavors as your local Chinese restaurant. Low carb, keto and paleo-friendly!

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General Tso’s or General Tsao’s Chicken is my husband’s favorite Chinese take-out dish. It’s probably one of the most popular menu items along with Orange Chicken, Cashew Chicken and Chicken Lo Mein.

This Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken is a riff from my Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken and Easy General Tso’s Chicken. It has that delicious sweet, spicy and savory combo we all love from the North American delivery restaurants.
And the best part? It comes together in 30 minutes in just one pot using your Instant Pot pressure cooker. Plus it’s low carb, keto and paleo friendly and way healthier and better for you than the takeout version.

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN

  • First, you’re going to whisk together the sauce and toss over the chicken in the slow cooker insert. Cover with lid and cook on low for a few hours
  • Stir in the slurry to thicken the sauce and you’ve got dinner on the table the whole family will LOVE!

IS GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN HEALTHY?

General Tso’s Chicken usually gets dunked in a breaded coating and deep fried in peanut oil in order to get that signature crispy coating.

For this homemade Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken, there is no deep frying involved. You’re going to saute the chicken in healthy avocado oil until it gets that brown caramel coating. This helps to seal in the juices and creates that extra layer of flavor.

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN:

  1. MAKE THE SAUCE: In a medium bowl, combine the coconut aminos, fish sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper chili flakes.
  2. Season chicken with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the sauce/marinade. Dip in egg white and coat with almond flour. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes.
  3. Turn your Instant Pot to SAUTE then add in oil. Once oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes, until a brown coating appears (chicken will not be cooked through which is fine). You may have to work in batches.
  4. Once you’ve browned all the chicken, pour in the remaining sauce along with 1/3 cup water (or chicken broth). Cover with lid.
  5. Press the valve to SEALING and press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will take some time to come to pressure. Once the 4 minutes is up, use a long spoon and push the valve to VENTING for a QUICK RELEASE.
  6. Once all the pressure is released, carefully unlock the lid. Press the SAUTE button, then whisk the arrowroot starch (or xanthan gum) with 2 tablespoons water until combined and stir into the Instant Pot.
  7. Add the dried chili peppers, if using. Adjust seasonings with salt, pepper or red pepper chili flakes an / or add more water as needed to thin out sauce. Give everything a final tossing to coat well.
  8. Transfer to a platter and serve warm on a large platter or over zoodles, cauliflower rice.
  9. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, if desired.

IS GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN FREEZER-FRIENDLY?

microwaveable lunch container with allergy-friendly General Tso's Chicken, rice and mixed vegetables

  • Yes, you can make a batch of Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken ahead of time on your meal prep Sunday and  portion them out into air-tight containers or freezer-friendly bags in the freezer for up to 3 months
  • You can reheat them when you’re ready to eat or pack them into lunchboxes for school or work lunch bowls
  • Switch things up and add your favorite roasted or stir-fried vegetables to the your lunch bowls – I used broccoli, zucchini and red bell peppers
  • For easier weekly meal prep – chop all the vegetables ahead of time and store in an airtight container the night before.
  • Pack with your favorite low carb side – cauliflower rice, spiralized zoodles or if you’re not keto or low carb, you can pack them with Jasmine or brown rice.

 Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken - the perfect easy weeknight meal made in made in the pressure cooker. Best of all, this healthier recipe for a popular takeout dish has the same amazing flavors as your local Chinese restaurant. Low carb, keto and paleo-friendly!

More Instant Pot Recipes:

Chicken Cacciatore  – Instant Pot

Cashew Chicken – Instant Pot

Instant Pot Lemon Chicken with Garlic

5 from 1 vote
Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken - the perfect easy weeknight meal made in the pressure cooker. Best of all, this healthier recipe for this popular takeout dish has the same amazing flavors as your local Chinese restaurant. Low carb, keto and paleo-friendly!
Print
Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken - the perfect easy weeknight meal made in the pressure cooker. Best of all, this healthier recipe for this popular takeout dish has the same amazing flavors as your local Chinese restaurant. Low carb, keto and paleo-friendly!

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: chinese chcken, chinese takeout, general tso, general tso recipes, general tso's, Instant Pot, keto, low carb, paleo, takeout
Servings: 4
Calories: 276 kcal
Author: Kelly
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 lb chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces (can also use chicken breasts)
  • sea salt and black pepper , as needed
  • 1 large egg white
  • 3 tablespoons almond flour
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
  • 3-4 dried red chili peppers , to taste or leave out if desired; found in Asian supermarkets or the International section of a large chain grocery store
  • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum for low carb (can also use 1/2 tablespoon arrowroot starch for paleo)
  • 1 tablespoon water , plus more as needed to thin out sauce
  • 1/3 - 1/2 cup water OR chicken broth
SAUCE and MARINADE
  • 6 tablespoons coconut aminos , gluten free tamari or low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon monk fruit sweetener , or other sweetener of choice
  • 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 3/4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper chili flakes , plus more if desired
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
Optional
  • toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 green onion sliced thinly
Instructions
MAKE THE SAUCE:
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the coconut aminos, tomato paste, fish sauce, sesame oil, monk fruit sweetener, five spice powder, vinegar, red pepper chili flakes, ginger and garlic together.

PREP THE CHICKEN:
  1. Season chicken with salt, pepper and 1/2 tablespoon of the sauce/marinade. Dip chicken in egg white and coat with almond flour. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes.
  2. Turn your Instant Pot to SAUTE then add in oil. Once oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes, until a brown coating appears (chicken will not be cooked through which is fine). You may have to work in batches.
  3. Once you've browned all the chicken, place back in the Instant Pot and pour in the remaining sauce along with 1/3 cup water (or chicken broth). Cover with lid.
  4. Press the valve to SEALING and press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will take some time to come to pressure. Once the 4 minutes is up, use a long spoon and push the valve to VENTING for a QUICK RELEASE.
  5. Once all the pressure is released, carefully unlock the lid. Press the SAUTE button, then whisk the xanthum gum (or arrowroot starch) with 2 tablespoons water until combined and stir into the Instant Pot. Allow sauce to cook until it bubbles and thicken.
  6. Add the dried chili peppers, if using. Adjust seasonings with salt, pepper or red pepper chili flakes an / or add more water as needed to thin out sauce. Give everything a final tossing to coat well.
  7. Transfer to a platter and serve warm on a large platter or over zoodles, cauliflower rice.
  8. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 276 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 20%
Total Carbohydrates 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 1g
Protein 29g 58%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Posted October 4, 2018 In 30 Minute Meal, Chicken, Chinese, Freezer Friendly, Gluten Free, Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker, Keto / Low Carb, Meal Prep, paleo

As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There are affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.

Comments

  1. PAM -

    January 21, 2019 at 8:53 pm


    What’s FOR DINNER? WHY, INSTANT POT GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN, OF COURSE!
    FINALLY MADE THIS RECIPE FOR DINNER TONIGHT. IT WAS A BIG HIT AND I WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZED AT HOW FLAVORFUL IT WAS. I’VE NEVER HAD GENRAL TSO’S CHICKEN BEFORE, SO I DON’T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO COMPARE IT TO, BUT THIS RECIPE WAS DELICIOUS!

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Kelly. I'm a mom of two who shares healthier and authentic Asian recipes I grew up making. Plus low carb & family friendly recipes. About Work With Me

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