Crockpot Orange Chicken Recipe

What could be better than delicious Orange Chicken? Crockpot Orange Chicken of course. Make this today and come home to dinner ready to enjoy thanks to the slow cooker.

The chicken slow cooks all day and gets so tender. The flavor is so amazing that I could literally just eat this orange sauce by the spoon. Wait till you try it. You might also like our 3 Ingredient Orange Chicken Recipe, Instant Pot Orange Chicken, or any of our Asian Slow Cooker Recipes.

What is Orange Chicken?

Orange chicken a popular dish to at your local fast food Asian restaurant. Diced up boneless skinless chicken breasts is covered in corn starch and then placed in a slow cooker.

The orange sauce mixture is poured over the chicken and cooked. Orange chicken can also be prepared with fried chicken or with boneless skinless chicken thighs.

It is one of my favorite slow cooker recipes.

Ingredients

• Chicken Breasts – We used boneless skinless chicken. Cut into bite size pieces
• Cornstarch – Helps to thicken the sauce
• Black Pepper – We like using freshly ground pepper
• Orange Marmalade – The key ingredient for the orange flavor
• Low Sodium Soy Sauce – If you are out, see Best Soy Sauce Substitute
• Rice Vinegar – See The Best Substitutes for Rice Vinegar
• Sesame Oil – See The Best Sesame Oil Substitute
• Minced Garlic – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves
• Optional Topping – Sesame Seeds and Green Onions

Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe details.

How to Make Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

Step 1 – Toss Chicken – Place chicken pieces in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and pepper. Toss to coat the chicken in cornstarch mixture. You can add olive oil to the slow cooker if you prefer.

Step 2 – Place Chicken – Add the chicken to the slow cooker.

Step 3 – Combine Orange Mixture – Meanwhile in a small bowl whisk together the orange marmalade and soy sauce. Add in rice vinegar, sesame oil, and minced garlic.

Step 4 – Pour Sauce – Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat in the crock pot.

Step 5 – Cover and Cook – Cover and cook on low for 3 hours or until chicken is cooked through.

Step 6 – Serve and Enjoy – Serve topped with the remaining sesame seeds and the green onions. We like to season with salt and pepper before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Prepare Chicken – Prepare your chicken beforehand by dicing in bite size pieces. It is nice to already have this done so it is easy to serve. We did not brown the chicken before adding to the slow cooker, but you can if you prefer.
• Coat Chicken – Before adding the chicken to the slow cooker, coat with corn starch. This helps the orange sauce stick to the chicken to give it flavor.
• Frozen Chicken – Cooking time may vary if you are using frozen chicken. Make sure your chicken is cooked through before serving.

Variation Ideas

• Change the Chicken – If you prefer you can use different types of chicken to make this recipe. You can use chicken thighs, chicken drumsticks or chicken tenders.
• Add Vegetables – For a complete meal idea, you can easily add in vegetables to cook with the chicken. Depending on the vegetables you add, you may need to wait to add the vegetables. We like to wait until there is about 20 minutes remaining then add the vegetables.
• Seasoning – Feel free to change the seasoning in if you prefer. We have added in red pepper flakes for an extra kick to the sauce. It gives it the right amount of heat that my kids will still eat it.
• BBQ Sauce – Feel free to add in sweet baby rays barbecue sauce to balance out the flavors. The sweet and savory combination really is delicious.
• Brown Sugar – To enhance the sweetness flavor, you can add in a tablespoon of brown sugar. We love the flavor it adds to the sauce.

What to Serve with Slow Cooker Orange Chicken?

When we make Slow Cooker Orange Chicken we usually serve over cooked white rice. The top with the rest of the sliced green onions and sesame seeds.

But you can also serve with one of these delicious sides or just on its own. Here are some recommendations.

• Stir Fry Vegetables – Roasted zucchini and squash recipe is one of our favorite and easiest go to side dish recipes. It is the perfect sheet pan recipe for a delicious veggie side dish full of flavor.
• Cauliflower Rice – Cauliflower rice a great alternative to regular rice. It is a low carb option and you easily season it with simple spices. Topping the Orange Chicken over the Cauliflower Rice is one of my favorite ways to serve it.
• Easy Fried Rice – Enjoy this Easy Fried Rice Recipe in less than 10 minutes making it perfect for busy weeknights.  Make this in less time than it takes to get take out and you will save money too.

Storage and Reheating Tips

• Fridge – Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. This is a perfect recipe to meal prep with.
• Freezer – Place your leftovers in a freezer bag or freezer container and freeze for up to 2 months. Make sure it has cooled before storing.
• Reheating – When ready to enjoy, thaw the orange chicken in the fridge overnight. Then you can reheat in a skillet or the microwave to enjoy. We think it taste even better the next day.