Healthy Instant Pot Orange Chicken & Broccoli

Instant Pot Orange Chicken! This Instant Pot chicken recipe is healthier than most and easy to prepare which makes is a GREAT weeknight dinner. This healthy orange chicken recipe is gluten-free, lower in sugar than take out, features lean protein, veggies, and whole grains, It’s got it all! 

Why I Love This Recipe

This healthier orange chicken recipe is a satisfying way to eat well! What I love about this recipe is that it revamps a classic take-out dish to be more wholesome, while not requiring more time. Truly, this sweet and savory recipes comes together just as quickly as ordering take out. 

What makes this Instant Pot Orange Chicken healthy?

This recipe is:

• Made with less sugar than take out (thanks to Bonne Maman INTENSE Orange Fruit Spread)
• Made with lean protein
• Packed with fiber-rich broccoli and oranges
• Full of whole grains
• Made with heart-healthy olive oil

This recipe was inspired by Bonne Maman INTENSE Fruit Spreads line which I am absolutely smitten with. This is the fruit spread I have been WAITING for! All six flavors from the line contain 39% less sugar than regular preserves and more fruit. 

I love that it’s more fruit forward, less sweet, and made with simple, natural ingredients. Why? Because I know when I use it in cooking or simply spread onto a baked good that I’ll actually be adding flavor, not just sweetness. 

The best part? They simply use less sugar. They don’t add any artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners to maintain a certain level of sweetness our buds have become accustomed to.

How to make healthy Instant Pot Orange Chicken and Broccoli:

Since the chicken cooks so quickly in the Instant Pot, it’s really all about starting the different components at the right time. Here is how to make this Instant Pot chicken recipe:

1. Get your rice cooking. 
2. Cut up the broccoli and the chicken; set aside. 
3. Whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
4. Sauté chicken in Instant Pot. 
5. Stir sauce into Instant Pot, secure and lock lid, and close pressure valve. 
6. Cook chicken 4 minutes, then quick release. 
7. Transfer chicken to a bowl, simmer sauce in Instant Pot.
8. Whisk cornstarch and water together to make a “slurry.”
9. Add slurry and broccoli to sauce and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender. 
10. Add chicken and a splash of toasted sesame oil. Serve!

Can I make this orange chicken on the stove top? 

Sure! It’s super simple to make this a skillet orange chicken instead of an Instant Pot Orange chicken. Here’s how to make stove-top orange chicken:

• Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium-high, add chicken and sauté chicken 3 minutes. 
• Add sauce mixture to sauté pan, bring to a simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through (a thermometer inserted in the center of the pieces should reach 165-degrees). 
• Using a slotted spoon transfer chicken to a bowl. 
• Whisk together cornstarch and water and whisk into sauce; stir in broccoli. Simmer sauce until it’s thickened and broccoli is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in reserved chicken and sesame oil.  

Can I make this easy orange chicken ahead of time? 

This orange chicken can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Store the orange chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat individual portions the microwave on medium-high powder for 2 minutes. Or reheat on the stove over low heat for 5 minutes. 

How to meal prep this Instant Pot orange chicken recipe: 

Instead of cooking the recipe and reheating throughout the week, you can also prep the ingredients up to 3 days in advance. Prepping the components of the dish will jumpstart your cooking process and cut down on total kitchen time significantly. 

• Dice the chicken and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 
• Whisk the sauce ingredients together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Cut the broccoli into florets and store in a reusable resealable bag in the refrigerator. 
• Cook the rice and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

You might also like these weeknight chicken recipes…

• Tuscan Chicken Sausages with White Beans and Kale
• Apricot Chicken and Broccoli Sheet Pan Dinner
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken
• Triple Herb Chicken Skewers

Make sure to tag me @ZESTFULKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM or comment below if you make this Instant Pot Orange Chicken!

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This post was sponsored by Bonne Maman, as always the thoughts, opinions, recipe, photos, and content are all my own.