Instant Pot Ginger Chicken

I just recently reran the MRT Food Sensitivity Panel on myself (read more about this panel here) which is a blood test that looks at an individual's inflammatory response to various foods and chemicals. Some foods that I had suspected were causing inflammation did show up, but many were totally unexpected. Foods I had once believed were "safe" are now on the inflammatory list, meaning I've had to totally change up my recipe repertoire. 

Elimination diets often challenge us to think outside the box of our normal recipes and ingredients. Often times I surprise myself by finding substitutions that taste just as good or even better. By switching things up with our diet not only do we avoid food ruts and foods sensitivities, but we also are able to receive a greater variety of nutrients from constantly switching things up! This simple Instant Pot recipe is free of grains, dairy and added sugar. Though I have used real orange juice, the total carbs in this recipe are low enough to be considered Ketogenic as well! 

GATHER

2-3 pounds of chicken (I used a combo of breasts and thighs) 

Juice of 1 medium orange + 1 tbsp orange zest

4 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 orange or red bell pepper, diced

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp Tamari or Coconut Aminos

1 tsp salt, or to taste

1/4 cup + 1/2 avocado oil 

MAKE

Whisk together a marinade of fresh orange juice, orange zest, ginger, coconut aminos, salt and 1/4 cup avocado oil. Place chicken in marinade and allow to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in your refrigerator. If using large chicken breasts, you might consider cutting in half to make them fit easier into your Instant Pot and you can do this before or after marinating. After the chicken is done marinating, turn your Instant Pot onto the saute setting and heat 1/2 tbsp of avocado oil. Once heated, place your diced garlic, onion and peppers into the Instant Pot and saute for about 2-3 minutes or until soft. Next, lay the chicken on top of the onions, peppers and garlic and pour over the remaining orange marinade into your Instant Pot. 

Lock your Instant Pot lid into place and ensure that the steam valve is at the sealing position. Cook under high pressure for 8 minutes by hitting the manual or pressure button on your Instant Pot and setting to 8 minutes. It will take about 10-15 minutes to build up enough pressure before the 8 minute timer begins to count down. After the 8 minutes is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. After ten minutes you may manually release pressure by switching the nozzle on the lid towards venting but take caution as the steam will still be extremely hot. I recommend using a dish towel and wooden spoon for this part. Do not manually release pressure with just your hand.  

Since the chicken was not seared before hand, I recommend making a sauce with the leftover juices, peppers and onions to pour over top of the "naked" chicken breast and or thighs.  Start by removing the chicken and setting it aside in a serving dish. Using an immersion blender, blend the remaining pepper and onion liquid to create a sauce. You might need to tilt the inner pot inside your Instant Pot for your immersion blender to really do its job! If desired, you may chose to add 1-2 tbsp of Agar Agar Sea Vegetable Gelatin Flakes to thicken your sauce, but my sauce was thick enough for my preference. Once fully incorporated, pour your sauce back over the chicken. Top with fresh chopped cilantro and or scallions. Serve with your favorite stir-fry veggies (as shown) and or cauliflower rice and enjoy!