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Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 103 reviews

This Slow Cooker Orange Chicken recipe features tender bite-sized chicken pieces coated in cornstarch, lightly browned, and then simmered in a flavorful, tangy orange marmalade sauce with soy, garlic, ginger, and a touch of heat. Perfect for an easy, hands-off dinner, this dish is garnished with sesame seeds and scallions and pairs beautifully with steamed rice.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into bite size pieces
  • ⅓ cup cornstarch
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce

  • 1 1/2 cups orange marmalade (about one 16 oz jar)
  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (plus more for garnish)

Garnish

  • Chopped scallions
  • Additional sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken breasts or tenders into approximately 1-inch pieces to ensure even cooking and easy serving.
  2. Coat the chicken: Pour the cornstarch into a shallow dish, add the chicken pieces, and toss thoroughly to coat each piece evenly. This coating helps create a light crust and thickens the sauce slightly during cooking.
  3. Brown the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coated chicken pieces and lightly brown them on each side. Do not cook the chicken through at this stage, just achieve a nice golden exterior.
  4. Transfer to slow cooker: Place the browned chicken pieces into the basin of a 6-quart slow cooker, spreading them out evenly.
  5. Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange marmalade, low sodium soy sauce, white vinegar, sesame oil, ground ginger, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds until smooth and well combined.
  6. Add sauce and combine: Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker. Stir gently to ensure all chicken pieces are coated and mixed with the sauce.
  7. Cook: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours. Stir halfway through the cooking time to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking. The chicken will become tender and infused with the sweet and tangy orange sauce.
  8. Garnish and serve: Once cooked, garnish the orange chicken with chopped scallions and a sprinkle of additional sesame seeds for a fresh, nutty finish. Serve hot over steamed rice.

Notes

  • For a thicker sauce, you can mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with water and stir into the slow cooker 15 minutes before serving, then switch to high heat to thicken.
  • Use low sodium soy sauce to control the saltiness of the dish.
  • Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to suit your spice preference.
  • Brown the chicken just until golden; this helps improve texture and flavor but does not fully cook it.
  • Stirring halfway through cooking prevents the sauce from burning on the sides of the slow cooker.
  • This dish pairs excellently with jasmine or basmati rice for an aromatic meal.

Keywords: slow cooker orange chicken, orange chicken recipe, easy slow cooker chicken, crockpot orange chicken, orange marmalade chicken

Find it online: https://annakocht.com/slow-cooker-orange-chicken-recipe/