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Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

This Slow Cooker Orange Chicken is simple to whip up with a sweet and tangy citrus sauce and is way easier than take-out! You can even make it in an Instant Pot pressure cooker!

Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Chinese
Keyword Instant Pot, orange chicken, slow cooker, slow cooker recipes meat
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 493 kcal
Author Kelly

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3-4 tablespoons cooking oil

Sauce:

  • 1 cup low sodium chicken broth can substitute with vegetable broth
  • 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce can substitute with gluten free tamari or coconut aminos for paleo-friendly version
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar can substitute with coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup orange juice fresh squeezed from 1 large orange
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest from 1 large orange
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated or minced ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha or red pepper chili flakes optional or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Cornstarch Slurry:

  • 1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons cold water

Toppings

For Lunch Bowls:

  • cooked rice, quinoa, or noodles
  • roasted or stir-fried vegetables
  • lunch containers

Instructions

  1. In a large zip-top bag, toss in the chicken, cornstarch salt, and black pepper. Shake until well-coated. Set aside.
  2. Make the sauce In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce, set aside.

For Slow Cooker Method:

  1. 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.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 2.5 - 4 hours or HIGH for 1.5 - 3 hours. (SEE NOTES)
  3. 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. (if your slow cooker is not hot enough to thicken the sauce - pour sauce into a pot and heat on the stovetop on high to thicken the sauce or you can just skip the cornstarch slurry instead)
  4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired.

For Instant Pot Method:

  1. Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE (skip this step and just cook on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (high) 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 then 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 back to the Instant Pot and pour sauce over top.
  2. Close and seal Instant Pot and set the valve to sealing.
  3. Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (high) and set for 3 minutes. Once the 3 minutes is up and the Instant Pot beeps, allow to naturally release for 15-20 minutes. Open the lid and press the SAUTE button. Combine the cornstarch with water and stir into the Instant Pot. Cook and allow the sauce to bubble and thicken up.
  4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired

For Meal Prep:

  1. Prepare your favorite carb (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.

Recipe 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.

Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (1/4 recipe; chicken only))
Calories 493 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Cholesterol 108mg36%
Sodium 1226mg51%
Potassium 840mg24%
Carbohydrates 47g16%
Sugar 38g42%
Protein 38g76%
Vitamin A 125IU3%
Vitamin C 22.1mg27%
Calcium 53mg5%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy using the WPRM recipe calculator. It is best to make your own calculations to ensure accuracy. We expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.