Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

Easy slow cooker orange chicken recipe homemade from scratch with simple ingredients. Tender chicken breasts are coated in a sweet and spicy Chinese orange sauce.

This recipe is so satisfying and easy to make a big batch of! Great for those nights you don't want to eat out, but still want Chinese! Just as tasty as this Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken.

How to make crockpot orange chicken from scratch?

1. Add all the ingredients - Dump everything in the slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook - On high heat for 2 hours.
3. Remove the chicken - Set aside and leave the sauce.
4. Whisk in cornstarch - Until fully dissolved.
5. Cover and cook - On high heat for 30 minutes.
6. Add the chicken back - Stir well.
7. Enjoy- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.

What sides to serve with orange chicken?

This dish is at its best when served over rice or with rice noodles. The most popular rice is regular white rice or fried rice. Low mien or similar noodles are a stellar choice.

A hearty dish like this is always great when paired with a salad. The best way to tie it in is by using an Asian inspired dressing. This really helps the side dish pop as part of the meal.

Roasted veggies are never a bad idea when it comes to Asian dishes such as this one. Some popular veggie choices are squash, zucchini, onion, baby corn, carrots, etc. A splash of soy sauce when roasting the vegetables is superb.

Variations

Make it mild - Nix the crushed red pepper flakes.

Make it spicier - Add in diced jalapenos or some pepper jelly/marmalade to add more spice to the recipe.

Grill or Bake the chicken - When you remove the chicken from the pot, grill it or bake it to get another flavor profile.

Shred it - Shred the chicken instead of serving it in chunks or whole.

Make it a wrap - Use lettuce leaves, add a bit of rice, and top it off with this recipe to make a delicious Asian wrap.

Storage

Refrigerate - In an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Freeze - In an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Reheat - In the microwave.

Tips and Techniques

How to thicken sauce? Add more cornstarch or let cook longer, uncovered.

How to make sauce thinner? Add more orange juice or a touch of water.

Don’t use frozen chicken - This will cause your dish to become too thin or watery.

What cut of chicken to use? Anything without bones and skin works well.

Dissolve cornstarch first – Make a cornstarch slurry in a dab of water before adding it to the pot so it won't clump.

Fresh orange juice vs. Store-bought juice - Both options are a great choice! Try to use 100% juice options when going with store-bought and no added sugar.

Recipe