The Instant Pot shows off its versatility in this version of spicy chicken lettuce wraps, acting first as a sauté pan, then as a pressure cooker and then again as a sauté pan for thickening the sauce. Pass a platter with chicken, lettuce, and all the toppings at the table and let diners assemble their own wraps as they like.
Instant Pot Orange-Chile Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 lb. (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) cubes
- 5 Tbs. cornstarch
- 2 Tbs. canola oil
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) water
- 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) soy sauce
- 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbs. rice vinegar
- 1 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
- 1 tsp. chile-garlic sauce
- 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) fresh orange juice
- 1 Tbs. grated orange zest
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 or 2 small heads Bibb, butter or baby romaine lettuce leaves for serving
- Sliced cucumbers for serving
- Sliced radishes for serving
- Julienned carrot for serving
- Red pepper flakes for serving
Directions
1. In a bowl, toss the chicken with 2 Tbs. of the cornstarch to coat evenly. In an Instant Pot set to “sauté,” warm the oil. In batches, cook the chicken, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes per batch. Add the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, chile-garlic sauce and 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the orange juice and stir to mix well.
2. Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to “sealing.” Press the “keep warm/cancel” button to reset the program, then press the “poultry” button and set the cook time for 7 minutes at high pressure.
3. When the Instant Pot beeps at the end of the pressure cooking, let the steam release naturally for about 10 minutes, then turn the valve to “venting” to release any residual steam. Carefully remove the lid and transfer about 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) of the sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 3 Tbs. cornstarch to the bowl and stir to dissolve. Return the mixture to the pot and stir well. Press the “keep warm/cancel” button to reset the program, then press the “sauté” button and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) orange juice and the orange zest and season with salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large serving platter and scoop the chicken into them. Top with your choice of cucumbers, radishes, and carrots. Sprinkle lightly with red pepper flakes, if desired, and serve immediately. Serves 4.
For this and more recipes that are big on flavor but short on prep time, check out The Instant Pot Cookbook, by the cooks of the Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen.
6 comments
Fits in with the note Weight Watchers Free Style eatingnn
Fits in with the note Weight Watchers Free Style eating.
Love your heathy recipes
This was tasty, but the chicken did not turn out as pictured. It made quite a lot of sauce, and much of the meat was reduced to shreds, as it stuck to the pot during the sautéing process (does anyone have a remedy?) I made rice to soak up the extra sauce.
Same here. I even reduced the cooking time to 6 minutes based on your post. It was good, but mushy and not the best for a lettuce wrap! It also seems faster to make this as a one-pot meal on the stove,and I think the glazing would work out better.
Looking forward to making this but not with an instant pot. Fits in with the note Weight Watchers Free Style eating.