INSTANT POT SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN WITH RICE

INSTANT POT SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN WITH RICE 2 lbs. chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces 1 TBS olive oil 1 tsp sesame oil 1/2 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp ground ginger 1 ½ cups bell peppers, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, and orange bell peppers ½ cup red onions, sliced 1 cup pineapple chunks Sauce 1 cup water 1 cup white sugar 1 cup ketchup 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained 1/3 cup distilled apple cider vinegar 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1 Tbs soy sauce 1/2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce 1/2 Tbs hot sauce 3 tablespoons cornstarch Rice 16 ounces basmati rice (white) 2 cups water 3 Tbs butter ¼ tsp salt Cut your chicken into pieces, and trim all the fat. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté function Add the olive oil and sesame oil to the inner pot to heat up. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper, and ground ginger. Add the chicken to the inner pot once hot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, browning on all sides. Turn the Instant Pot to the off position. Meanwhile whisk all of the sauce ingredients together except the corn starch. Pour half the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Add peppers and onions. Place a trivet over the chicken in the instant pot. Rinse your rice well, until water runs clear. Then combine the rinsed rice, water, butter, and salt in an oven safe dish (metal, glass, or pot in pot) making sure it is only half way filled so the rice has room to expand. Place the rice filled dish on top of the trivet and close the Instant Pot lid, making sure the vent on top is in the sealed position. Press MANUAL and HIGH PRESSURE for 4 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then use the quick release to finish releasing pressure. Carefully remove the rice and fluff with a fork, then cover with foil and set aside while you finish the chicken. Take the remaining half of the sauce, and add the cornstarch to it, and whisk it together really well. Turn Instant Pot to Sauté mode again, pour in the remaining sauce into a pot, the pineapple chunks, and stir until sauce thickens to the desired amount (about 3 to 4 minutes). Serve chicken over the rice and garnish with sliced green onions if desired. Enjoy! Notes Cut peppers into larger pieces so they cook properly in the time frame, or add at the end while thickening the sauce. Otherwise they will be too mushy.