Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Chicken is a classic Chinese American dish that is a fan favorite at restaurants like Panda Express. 

We wanted to create a weeknight, better-for-you version. Just like Panda’s we started with tender chicken breasts, sweet pineapple chunks, bell peppers, and Sweet and Sour sauce.

We also added broccoli and pea pods to amp up the veggies and crunchy noodles for dynamic contrast. 

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED

Don’t be fooled by the longer list of ingredients—this meal comes together easily:

• Canola oil: You can use any oil with a high smoke point, including peanut oil, refined avocado oil, or a blended vegetable oil. 
• Bell pepper: The classic dish uses red bell peppers, but any bell pepper works here.
• Onion: We sliced these long and thin, like they do in many restaurant versions of this dish.
• Garlic: Garlic can cook quite quickly, so make sure you have the pineapple juice ready before you add it to your dish. 
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts: By cutting the chicken into ~1-inch cubes, it ensure the meat cooks in the same time as the rice. 
• Pineapple chunks: The recipe need canned pineapple chunks in juice. You’ll need both the juice and the pineapple in the recipe. 
• Cornstarch and water: Combining coldstarch and cold water and mixing until smooth 
• Sweet and sour sauce: We used Panda Express brand from our local grocery store. This is a major flavor component, so be sure to choose one you love. 
• Broccoli: Chop the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces, so they steam quickly. 
• Snow peas: Make sure you get snow peas, which have thin, edible pods. We usually buy our from the freezer section, but you can use fresh if you have access. 
• Sesame seeds, chopped green onions, crunchy chow mein noodles: Use your favorite toppings to finish this dish. I love the look of toasted sesame seeds, thinly sliced green onions, and the crunchy chow mein noodles for a contrast in texture.
• Rice: We generally use long-grain rice and usually have jasmine rice on-hand, so that’s what we used to test this recipe.
• Salt: Adding salt to your rice before cooking is your chance to really improve its flavor. Even though it’s just a small amount, it makes a big difference in the finished dish.

How to Make Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken

✅ This easy recipe will work in any brand of electric pressure cooker, including the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or Power Pressure Cooker XL.

First off, make sure you prepare the ingredients before you get started cooking:

• Separate the canned pineapple chunks from the juice and have the juice near the cooking pot. 
• Produce chopped and measured.
• Chicken trimmed, salted, and peppered.
• If you’re cooking pot-in-pot, have the rice, water, and salt all measured in the cake pan, with the trivet and sling ready to go.

Saute the chicken for a few minutes, the add the peppers and onion and garlic and saute a little longer. Add the pineapple juice, then scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure no browned bits remain on the bottom of the cooking pot.

Put a trivet over the chicken and make sure it is securely in place. Use the sling to lower the cake pan with rice onto the trivet. Lock the lid, then cook at High Pressure with a 4 minute cook time. 

Remove the rice from the cooking pot and fluff, then cover until ready to serve. 

Whisk the cornstarch and cold water until no lumps remain, then add it to the pot. Stir until the sauce thickens. 

Add the sweet and sour sauce and gently stir until combined. Stir in the veggies, put the lid back in place, and the veggies steam for 3 to 5 minutes.

I like to serve by making a bed of crunchy noodles, then rice, and top with a large scoop of the Sweet and Sour chicken mixture. Garnish to make it pretty.