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This Crockpot Orange Chicken is simple, and tastes even better than takeout. With breaded chicken pieces covered in a phenomenal orange sauce and cooked to perfection in a slow cooker, it’s a recipe the whole family loves!
We love our original orange chicken recipe, but sometimes it’s nice to let things cook in the crockpot because it’s a little less hands on!
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
I’ve blogged about my love for China and my special connection to the country, and you may have noticed that I share a lot of Asian recipes on the site. I especially like to share these recipes around the Chinese New Year, because our family LOVES to celebrate it!
We have a new recipe we’ll be making for our family festivities – this Crockpot Orange Chicken! I have always LOVED Orange Chicken and making it in the crock pot makes it even better!
You need to make sure the chicken has that yummy breaded taste first which requires some work before it hits the crock pot, but it’s fairly simple (and totally worth the effort!). The orange sauce in this recipe is amazing, and the ingredients are pretty basic!
How to Make
BREAD & BROWN CHICKEN. Mix egg and milk in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix your flour and panko. In 5-10 piece batches, soak chicken chunks in milk mixture then in flour mixture, Repeat this twice.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil on the stove and brown your chicken on all sides. You will not be fully cooking the chicken, just giving it a nice coat. Place the chicken pieces into your slow cooker
SAUCE. In a small mixing bowl, combine orange juice concentrate, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste. Pour sauce evenly over the chicken, and carefully toss to coat.
SLOW COOK. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4. Serve warm over the rice or noodles of your choice.
Can I use other cuts of chicken? Absolutely! Chicken wings or drumsticks are both great options. Since these both have bones and you will not be cutting them into smaller pieces you’ll want to use about 2 ½ lbs.
You’ll also have to adjust the cook time. Cook wings on high for 2 hours or low for 3-4 hours. Cook the drumsticks on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5- 6 hours.
Tips, Tricks, and Storage
Here are some tips and tricks, and even some variations for your slow cooker orange chicken:
- Go ahead and double the sauce recipe if you like your chicken to be extra saucy. You can also use the extra sauce to mix with rice or steamed vegetables
- Add a little honey to sweeten it.
- Top with sliced green onions and or sesame seeds
- To make this meal even easier use a slow cooker plastic liner. Clean up is as simple as tossing the liner in the trash.
How to store crockpot orange chicken: Like most dishes this is best served right away. However, leftovers can be stored in the fridge or freezer to eat later.
Fridge: Place leftovers, with any extra sauce, in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave, stove top, or oven.
Freezer: Place leftovers, with any extra sauce, in a freezer safe airtight container, label and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat: thaw overnight in the fridge and warm up in the oven, stove top or microwave. You can also place the frozen leftovers in a slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours or until heated all the way through
what to serve with orange chicken:
Crockpot Orange Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken cut into 2 inch chunks
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate no pulp, thawed
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp ketchup
Instructions
- Mix egg and milk in a small bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix your flour and panko. In 5-10 piece batches, soak chicken chunks in milk mixture then in flour mixture, Repeat this twice.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil on the stove and brown your chicken on all sides. You will not be fully cooking the chicken, just giving it a nice coat. Place the chicken pieces into your slow cooker
- In a small mixing bowl, combine orange juice concentrate, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt, and ketchup. Add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste. Pour sauce evenly over the chicken, and carefully toss to coat.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4. Serve warm over the rice or noodles of your choice.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from A Year of Slow Cooking.
Is there anything I can substitute for the frozen OJ concentrate? There is something the concentrate that triggers my migraines. Could I use fresh squeezed and just increase the amount?
I personally haven’t tried, but it should be ok 🙂 I’d love to know how it comes out! Thank you!!
Applebee’s restaurant used to have an Orange Chicken Bowl. Served on a bed of rice with almonds, it had just a mild to medium hot spicy coating. They no longer make this, at least not in Michigan. If you have had this and could provide a clone recipe, I would love to have it!
Sounds yummy!! I don’t think I’ve tried it, but I will have to see if our Applebee’s has it!
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what can be substituted for the milk in this recipes?
What is Panko?
Japanese breadcrumbs. They’re extra crispy. You can usually find them close to the fry mixes on the flour isle in most grocery stores.
Thank you Rachel! Hope you find them, Pat 🙂
Could this be made ahead and frozen? Or made to a certain point, frozen, then finished in the crock pot? I’m having surgery in 2 months and will be out for about 3 months. Looking for lots of freezer meals! Thanks
Please include nutrition facts. I need to know the carbs
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