Select the sauté button, and place chicken and butter in the Instant Pot. Saute the chicken strips in the butter until they are just beginning to turn golden brown.
1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon butter
Turn off sauté, then add in the remaining ingredients, except for the cornstarch. Stir and make sure the chicken is submerged.
1 cup orange juice, ½ cup water, 1 tablespoon orange zest, ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup soy sauce, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers
Place the lid on the pot, and seal. Close the valve and cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before releasing the remaining steam. Remove the lid and stir the chicken in the sauce.
Add in the cornstarch one teaspoon at a time, stirring for about 30 seconds after each teaspoon, until the sauce thickens to your preference.
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Serve with rice and stir fry veggies. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.
Video
Notes
Add in the cornstarch 1 teaspoon at a time. The sauce will thicken quickly, so add a little and stir until you get the consistency that you like.
Make sure that the chicken is full submerged in the liquid before sealing the Instant Pot to ensure that it cooks through evenly.
Storage: Store Instant Pot orange chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days, or freeze for 3 months.