Slow Cooker Orange Chicken makes the perfect easy weeknight meal. Best of all, it’s so simple to whip up in your crock-pot or Instant Pot pressure cooker. Great for Sunday meal prep for work lunch bowls & better than the local Chinese restaurant takeout!
I’m back with another takeout favorite! This popular dish (along with Kung Pao Chicken, General Tso’s Chicken and Sweet and Sour Chicken) is one of my husband’s favorite dish he loves to order when we’re out. I’ve recreated it to make it healthier and the best part of all? I made it in the crock-pot!
This Slow Cooker Orange Chicken is super simple and easy to whip up (I’ve also included how to make it in your Instant Pot pressure cooker). It’s full of bright citrus flavors with a sweet and savory flavor-packed sauce. Making it at home means you can skip the stop at that local greasy takeout restaurant! Plus, it’s healthier and you get to customize the flavors.
Just start off with some cubed chicken that gets coated in a little bit of cornstarch. For a crispier texture, you pan-fry it on the stove for a couple minutes before adding it to the slow cooker. It’s an extra step but makes a HUGE difference!
If you want to keep things simple, you can certainly just add the chicken directly to the crock-pot without browning it. I’ve made them both ways and they are still lip smacking-ly delicious!
And the sauce! Oh my goodness! Totally my favorite part! It’s wonderfully sweet and tangy with bright citrus flavors!
Made with orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, some cider vinegar and fresh garlic and ginger. It will make your house smell AMAZING while it simmers away in the slow cooker.
Serve it along with some veggies or over a bed of your favorite rice or noodles and you’ve got a complete meal without having to order takeout ❤
Make ahead tips for this Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
- cube the chicken beforehand and store in a ziptop freezer bag in the fridge
- mix the sauce together the night before and store in a mason jar or an airtight container
Weekly meal prep-tips for your school or work lunch bowls
-
- Delicious for leftovers or make a batch on Sunday meal prep and pack for your weekly school or work lunch bowls
- Serve with your favorite side – Jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice or spiralized vegetables or zoodles
- Add your favorite roasted or stir-fried vegetables to the your lunch bowls – I used broccoli and red bell peppers
- For easier weekly meal prep – chop all the vegetables ahead of time and store in an airtight container the night before – I use this lunch container
More lunch bowls:
General Tso’s Chicken Lunch Bowls
Slow Cooker Sweet & Sour Lunch Bowls
Asian Lemon Chicken Lunch Bowls
Honey Lime Chicken with Asparagus Lunch Bowls
Yields 4
This Slow Cooker Orange Chicken is simple to whip up with a sweet and tangy citrus sauce and is way easier than take-out!
15 minPrep Time
3 hr, 30 Cook Time
3 hr, 45 Total Time
Save Recipe5 based on 1 review(s)
Ingredients
1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking oil (about 3-4 tablespoons to lightly shallow fry (we are not deep-frying for this recipe)
Toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions (optional - for garnish)
Sauce
1 cup of low sodium chicken broth (for meatless version use vegetable broth)
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
2/3 cup brown sugar
juice from 1 medium/large orange or about 1/2 cup
zest from 1 medium-large orange about 1/2 - 2 tablespoons
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons of freshly grated or minced ginger
1 teaspoon Sriracha or red pepper chili flakes, optional or to taste
1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
salt and black pepper to taste
Cornstarch slurry
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
Toppings
Sesame seeds
Green onion, thinly sliced
For lunch bowls: cooked rice, quinoa or noodles, roasted or stir-fried vegetable of your choice, lunch containers
Instructions
- In a large zip-top bag, toss in the chicken, cornstarch salt and black pepper. Shake until well-coated. Set aside.
- Make the sauce In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce, set aside.
- For Slow Cooker method
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (You can skip this stove-top step if you prefer or are in a pinch. Just add chicken directly to slow cooker. Chicken will not have that crispy coating) Cook chicken (in batches) about 2-3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. (You may have to cook in batches) Transfer chicken into the slow cooker and pour sauce over chicken.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2.5 - 4 hours or HIGH for 1.5 - 3 hours. (SEE NOTES)
- About 30 minutes before serving, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for another 20-30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened up.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired.
- For Instant Pot Method:
- Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE. (skip this step and just cook on MANUAL for 5 minutes if you are in a pinch or prefer. The chicken won't have that crispy coating.) Allow pan to heat up for a few minutes and add oil. Cook chicken in batches (placing the browned chicken on a paper-towel lined plate) about 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Once all the chicken is browned, add them all back to the Instant Pot and pour sauce over top.
- Close and seal Instant Pot.
- Set on MANUAL for 3 minutes, let naturally release for 10 minutes.
- Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE.
- Combine the corn starch with water and stir into the Instant Pot. Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken up.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired.
- For meal prep: Prepare your favorite starch (rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, roasted potatoes, rice noodles) and add to containers. Divide chicken among containers and add your favorite roasted or stir-fried vegetables.
Notes
The sauce doubles easily if you need to make a larger batch.
***If your slow cooker runs hot, be sure to check on chicken earlier as it may cook faster than the suggested cooking times.
***This dish can easily be made with cubed extra firm tofu (roasted or unroasted) and cauliflower florets. Just cook for an hour less than you would the chicken. Mine were done cooked on HIGH at an hour and 2 hours on low.
For a meatless version, the sauce is awesome with extra firm tofu (roasted or raw) and cauliflower. Just toss them into the slow cooker with the sauce and cook everything for an hour less than the directed time.
More slow cooker favorites:
Healthier Slow Cooker Kung Pao Chicken
Skinny Slow Cooker General Tso’s Chicken
Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Lo Mein Noodles {Crock-pot} + NEW VIDEO
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