Slow Cooker Skinny Orange Chicken is bursting with sweet orange flavor, a little mild spiciness, and is so EASY! It’s exactly the kind of recipe I need on my work days, especially since I don’t live near takeout food!
It seems like everywhere I go people say, “You must really like to cook. It’s pretty obvious you spend all day doing it”. They are right; I do love to cook. And they are wrong; I do not spend all day cooking. I’m a normal mom with normal amounts of mom running around errands. I’m also pretty busy helping on the farm. There are some days when I know I’m not going to have time to make an elaborate meal, like 99% of the time. That’s why my blog is chockful of super easy, little prep required recipes. Recipes like this cheesy tortellini, and these sliders, and this creamy southwest chicken soup. This orange chicken recipe even happens to be skinny! Double bonus!
Today I’m sharing another super quick and easy recipe. I like to make this chicken and sauce the night before or in the morning. Then I stick it in the fridge until it’s time to go on the slow cooker. Pretty easy!
I didn’t take pictures of the whole process but here’s what I’ve got!
Cut chicken into cubes. Put them in a container, a sealable bag, a bowl, or even a slow cooker liner. Add a little cornstarch and shake it up until they are all coated. Add to slow cooker.
Mix a few ingredients together and pour over chicken. Refrigerate or get it right on the slow cooker base. And let her rip tater chip! That’s it! Just wait until you smell the orange wafting through the house!
That’s all there is to it, Except cooking some rice, which is super easy to do in a pressure cooker. If you want a little healthier option you can use brown rice. Garnish with a few sesame seeds and sliced scallions if you are feeling all fancy. If not, throw it in a paper bowl and be proud of yourself that you made dinner! By the way, my farming boys don’t notice the sesame seeds, hate the scallions, and prefer paper bowls! All that extra fluff is just for me!
Slow Cooker Skinny Orange Chicken (So Easy)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts cubed
- 1/2 c. cornstarch
- 1/2 c. soy sauce
- 1/4 c. orange juice concentrate
- 2 T. tomato paste
- 1 c. chicken broth
- 1/2 c. honey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 T. orange zest
- dash cayenne pepper
- salt to taste I used a few dashes
- brown or white rice cooked
- sesame seeds optional
- scallions optional
Instructions
- Add cubed chicken to a bag, add cornstarch, toss to coat. Put chicken in slow cooker.
- In a separate bowl add soy sauce, orange juice concentrate, tomato paste, chicken broth, honey, garlic, ginger, orange zest, pepper, and salt. Stir together until combined. Pour over chicken in slow cooker. Either refrigerate until ready to cook, or begin cooking. Slow cook on high 4 hours or on low 6-8 hours.
- After cooking time, stir and check for consistency. If the sauce is too thin, make a slurry by mixing about a tablespoon of cornstarch with about 1/4 cup water. Add slurry to the sauce and continue cooking for about 20 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add chicken broth, orange juice (my favorite), or water until you get desired consistency.
- Serve over rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.
Julina says
This recipe is awesome, thank you so much.
That sauce is amazing.
Id whip some up and just keep it for pouring on anything, super tangy.
Amy Engberson says
I’m glad you loved it! I love the idea of making some extra sauce, it would be so yummy on all kinds of things!
Gemma says
I have used the receipt exactly. And the colour is completely black and tasted too salty and bad to eat. The picture is orange????
Amy Engberson says
I have no idea why the color would be completely black. Perhaps you added too much soy sauce?
Kristen says
This was easy and delicious!! Tastes just like Chinese only much healthier. I served over rice with broccoli. Thanks for sharing!
Amy Engberson says
Hi Kristen! I’m so happy you loved it! Anything that is healthy and actually tastes good is a win in my book! Enjoy!
Afcello says
I made this today and with my very hot crock pot I cooked it on low for about 4 hours. I found it to be overly sweet despite using only half the amount of honey (it was all I had in the house.) I guess what I liked about it the least was the lack of anything else in the dish meaning vegetables. The flavor is monochromatic for lack of a better word. It tastes like oranges and nothing else. I added more ginger and garlic than was called for and the flavor is overwhelmingly oranges. I don’t think I will make it again.
Emily says
Thanks for this recipe! It is one of our very favorites, I make it all the time!
Amy Engberson says
Easy and yummy are the best kind of recipes!
Kate says
Beyond nasty! Smelled like burnt soy sauce while cooking; tastes worse. The color is a soy sauce brown that left a burnt ring around the inside of the crock pot. Just awful!!!
Amy Engberson says
Sorry you had a bad experience with this. I’ve made it several times and it always turns out wonderfully. I have several slow cookers and they each cook at a little different temperature. I wonder if yours cooks a little hotter than mine?
Brian says
Why write a negative review when you can’t follow simple instructions?
Gemma says
I’ve followed it completely from beginning to end and was awful. So so salty
Amy Engberson says
I’m sorry you didn’t love this recipe. It’s one of my kid’s favorites.
Gemma says
Mine too way too salty. I mean half cup soy sauce really. I also doubled the recipe and had a completely ruined family dinner with no alternatives at 6pm with a hungry family. So a ruined dinner, screaming kids, and out of pocket for takeaway. Thank you littledairyontheprairie. Will never use this site again for recipes.
Amy Engberson says
Sometimes I have trouble when I’m doubling recipes. I wonder if something went wrong there? I’m learning that some people like very sweet orange chicken, some don’t like much orange flavor, some like veggies, some don’t. I guess it’s all a personal preference. Sorry, it didn’t work for your family.
Denise R. says
Amy! You are wonderful! Nathan would love this recipe! I think I need to make it for him! I will report back! 🙂
P.S. We continue to make and love the Cheesy Tortellini! It is so tasty and easy. A definite bonus. 🙂
Amy Engberson says
Orange chicken is a fav! I just can’t stand breading and frying the chicken because it’s so unhealthy, and mostly because it makes my house smell like grease! I loved this and didn’t miss the breading at all! Hopefully Nathan liked it!