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

Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken – a simple weeknight chicken dinner made in the pressure cooker. This homemade recipe is a healthier keto version of this popular takeout dish, that has the same amazing flavors as your local Chinese restaurant. 

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HOMEMADE GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN CROCKPOT RECIPE

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.

MAKING GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN WITH AN INSTANT POT

• 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:

IS GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN FREEZER-FRIENDLY?

• 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.

MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES:

Chicken Cacciatore  – Instant Pot

Cashew Chicken – Instant Pot

Instant Pot Lemon Chicken with Garlic

5 from 10 votes

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Instant Pot General Tso's Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Instant Pot General Tso’s Chicken - a simple weeknight chicken dinner made in the pressure cooker. This homemade recipe is a healthier keto version of this popular takeout dish, that has the same amazing flavors as your local Chinese restaurant. 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: chinese chicken, chinese chicken recipe, easy chicken dinner, easy chicken dinner recipe, general tso recipes, general tso's, Instant Pot, Instant Pot chicken recipe, keto chicken recipe, paleo dinner recipe

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*

Fat 13g20%

Carbohydrates 6g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 29g58%

* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.