You have probably had this dish many times at a Chinese restaurant, it is a staple. I love making it at home because I get to control all of the ingredients and oils that I put in it. The result is a super flavorful dish that very healthy!
Which kind of chicken works best in this recipe- white meat or dark meat?
I usually like to use dark meat chicken for almost all of the recipes I cook that call for chicken as an ingredient. However, this recipe works equally well using white meat chicken as it does using dark meat. Sometimes white meat chicken can dry out when cooking it but the pressure cooker does a fantastic job of keeping the white meat moist and delicious in this dish.
Should I use white rice or brown rice?
There have been a lot of opinions about whether white rice or brown rice is healthier. My personal view is that the type of rice doesn't matter so much as the quantity. Making sure that you eat a suitable portion is far better than worrying about type. I'm a 6-foot tall man so the right portion for me is about a ½ of a cup cooked. If you have a taste preference between brown or white, I would say let that be your decision maker. Just be sure to portion it correctly for your body type and goals. My favorite rice brand is Lundberg, their products are fantastic.
If I don't have an instant pot can I still make this recipe?
Yes, you absolutely can make this instant pot cashew chicken if you don't have a pressure cooker. Just substitute the instant pot for a large pan and follow the instructions accordingly. When it comes time to pressure cook, put a cover on top of the pan and let it cook for about twice the time of the instant pot cooking instructions.
If you like Chinese style recipes, check out these on my blog:
Recipe Video:
Instant Pot Kung Pao Chicken
Ingredients
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ lbs chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil divided in half for cooking
- 4 dried red chili peppers
- ⅔ cup cashews roasted, unsalted
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 zucchini
- chopped green onions and sesame seeds for garnish optional
For Sauce:
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp five spice powder
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
- ½ tsp dried red chili flakes
Instructions
- Prep by chopping red bell pepper, zucchini and dried red chili peppers into bite sized pieces and set aside.
- Cut chicken breasts into bite sized chunks and season with salt and pepper.
- Set Instant Pot to "sauté" setting and add 1 tbsp oil. Once heated, add in chicken and cook for approx. 4 minutes or until browned.
- While chicken is cooking, prepare sauce by whisking all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Once chicken is done cooking, remove from pot and set aside.
- Add remaining 1 tbsp of oil to Instant Pot and add in red bell pepper, zucchini, dried red chili peppers and cashews and cook for a couple minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add back in chicken and sauce mixture and give everything a good stir.
- Place Instant Pot lid on and lock. Remember to seal the valve.
- Cook on high for 6 minutes. Once cooking is finished, let Instant Pot release pressure. Garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
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