Healthy Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

    Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

    A bowl of rice topped with slow cooker orange chicken, garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. The dish is served in a gray ceramic bowl on a dark surface.

    This lightened up Slow Cooker Orange Chicken takes the Chinese restaurant favorite and turns it into an easy, hands-off crockpot meal. Serve it over steamed rice for the perfect weeknight dinner!

    A bowl of rice topped with slow cooker orange chicken, garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. The dish is served in a gray ceramic bowl on a dark surface.

    Orange chicken, but in the crockpot and lightened up!

    cookbook author erin clarke of well plated

    Orange chicken typically consists of chicken that is breaded, deep fried, and tossed in a sugar-laden orange sauce. Delicious but not exactly healthy!

    Like my Healthy Orange Chicken and classic Orange Chicken recipes, this slow cooker orange chicken is a healthier, lightened-up version that still has the sweet, citrusy flavor you love.

    • Almost every other recipe I’ve read for an easy version of homemade orange chicken calls for copious amounts of orange marmalade. Instead, this recipe uses real orange juice.
    • The chicken is cooked in the slow cooker, no breading and no deep frying needed!

    Thanks to the slow cooker, this recipe requires very little hands-on cooking. Along with this recipe, I love turning to other Asian-inspired dishes like Crock Pot Cashew Chicken, Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken, and Pineapple Chicken for a delicious meal that requires less time in the kitchen!

    Orange chicken cooked in a slow cooker with a brown sauce, topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

    5 Star Review

    “This recipe was such a hit!! It’s hard to make a meal that a baby, toddler, and two adults all like. But this is a winner.”

    — Sharon —

    Key Ingredients

    You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.

    • Chicken Breasts. Crowd-pleasing, quick-cooking, and packed with protein, chicken breasts are a fabulous choice for recipes like this one. The neutral flavor of the chicken allows the sauce to shine.
    • Orange Juice. Nothing like a real orange for some real-deal orange chicken.
    • Soy Sauce. The salty counterpoint to the sweetness of the orange.
    • Rice Vinegar. For balance and punch.
    • Honey. Sticky sweetness, done more naturally.
    • Garlic and Ginger. To make the crockpot orange chicken sing and zing!
    • Red Pepper Flakes. Add a little or a lot, depending on your preferred spice level.
    • Cornstarch. Helps thicken the sauce.

    Topping Tip

    Whether you add green onions, almonds, or sesame seeds (or all three!), I urge you to choose at least one. The green onions add a scrumptious freshness and crunch, and the almonds and sesame seeds offer an additional crunch and nuttiness. These toppings really help make your dish taste restaurant-quality!

    How to Make Orange Chicken in the Crockpot

    Overhead view of a glass measuring cup filled with a light brown liquid containing finely chopped garlic pieces, placed on a gray, textured surface.
    Three raw chicken breasts in a slow cooker with minced garlic and sauce, ready to be cooked.
    Three raw chicken breasts sit in a slow cooker, covered with a mixture of chopped garlic and sauce, preparing to be cooked.
    A glass measuring cup pours a slurry into orange chicken sauce inside a black slow cooker on a white surface.
    Chopped cooked chicken pieces sit on top of orange sauce inside a black slow cooker.
    Orange chicken cooking in a black slow cooker, with a wooden spoon resting inside. Steam is rising from the mixture, indicating it is hot and freshly prepared.

    Make the Sauce. Whisk all of the ingredients together.

    Add the Chicken to the Slow Cooker. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper.

    Cook. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low. Remove the chicken.

    Strain and Thicken the Sauce. Stir the chicken back into the sauce and add toppings. ENJOY!

    Recipe Adaptations

    • Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Drumsticks. Swap the breasts for chicken drumsticks. Remove the skin from the drumsticks, then place the drumsticks in the slow cooker. Stir to coat with the sauce, then cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat without touching bone, 2 to 3 hours on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW. Reduce the sauce as directed.
    • Slow Cooker Orange Sesame Chicken. After the sauce is reduced (Step 3), stir 1 teaspoon sesame oil into the sauce. Sprinkle the finished chicken with toasted sesame seeds.
    • Crockpot Orange Chicken Thighs. Swap the boneless, skinless chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat, 2 on HIGH or 4 hours on LOW.
    A bowl of rice topped with slow cooker orange chicken, garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds, next to a small bowl of green onions and another bowl of rice on a gray surface.

    What to Serve with Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

    • Rice. Our #1 choice of side dish! We love stovetop brown rice, Instant Pot Brown Rice, white rice, and quinoa with this recipe.
    • Vegetables. Try Air Fryer Broccoli, Roasted Green Beans, or Sautéed Carrots.
    • Salad. Asian Cucumber Salad and Asian Cabbage Salad are delicious options.
    A bowl of rice topped with slow cooker orange chicken, garnished with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. The dish is served in a gray ceramic bowl on a dark surface.
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    Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

    This slow cooker orange chicken is easy as can be and healthier than the restaurant version since it's made without frying and less sugar!
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Chinese
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 5 hours 10 minutes
    Total Time 5 hours 20 minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 351kcal
    Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 medium breasts)
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup reduced-sugar orange juice
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic about 2 cloves
    • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
    • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
    • Prepared brown rice for serving
    • Sliced green onions optional for serving
    • Sliced or slivered toasted almonds and/or toasted sesame seeds optional for serving

    Instructions

    • Coat the bottom of a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. Arrange the chicken in the bottom, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
    • In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the orange juice, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on high or 5 to 6 hours on low, until the chicken registers 165°F and is cooked through. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the slow cooker and let cool slightly. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
      Three raw chicken breasts sit in a slow cooker, covered with a mixture of chopped garlic and sauce, preparing to be cooked.
    • With a mesh sieve, strain the sauce into a bowl or measuring cup. Discard the solids, then return the liquid to the slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker heat to high. Mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water to create a slurry, then stir it into the slow cooker sauce. Cover and cook on high until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring it often. Return the chicken pieces to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve with prepared rice, sprinkled with green onions and toasted almonds or sesame seeds as desired.
      Orange chicken cooking in a black slow cooker, with a wooden spoon resting inside. Steam is rising from the mixture, indicating it is hot and freshly prepared.

    Video

    Notes

    • Cooking times can vary widely based on the model and size of your slow cooker. Be sure to check the chicken early, especially if you are using a larger-size slow cooker, to make sure it does not overcook.
    • TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
    • TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm chicken in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
    • TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1(of 4), with 1/2 cup brown rice | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Potassium: 1002mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 268IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg

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