Description
This Crockpot Orange Chicken recipe features tender boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked slowly in a flavorful, slightly sweet and tangy orange sauce. Enhanced with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and a hint of spice, this easy slow cooker dish is perfect for a hands-off dinner served over rice and garnished with fresh green onions.
Ingredients
Scale
Orange Sauce
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, or tamari for gluten-free
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, optional, more or less to taste
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup water (for cornstarch slurry)
To Serve
- cooked brown or white rice
- chopped green onions, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the orange sauce: In a liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the freshly squeezed orange juice, water, honey, low sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free), rice vinegar, minced garlic, ground ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. This creates the flavorful base for the slow cooker chicken.
- Arrange chicken in slow cooker: Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle them evenly with salt and pepper to season. Pour the prepared orange sauce evenly over the chicken to ensure it’s well coated.
- Cook the chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on the high setting for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or on the low setting for 4 to 5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Thicken the sauce: Carefully remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board and let them cool slightly. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and ¼ cup water to create a slurry. Pour this slurry into the sauce remaining in the slow cooker and stir well to combine.
- Cut and return chicken: Cut the slightly cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces and return them to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened to a desirable consistency—this can take from 10 to 30 minutes depending on whether the slow cooker was previously on high or low.
- Serve: Serve the orange chicken and sauce over cooked brown or white rice. Garnish with chopped green onions for a fresh and colorful finish. Enjoy your easy and delicious Crockpot Orange Chicken!
Notes
- Nutrition estimate does not include rice.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to your preferred level of spiciness.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
- Cooking times may vary depending on your slow cooker model; check chicken for doneness before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (without rice)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
