🍊 Slow Cooker Orange Chicken (Easy Takeout-Style)
A sweet, tangy, and slightly savory chicken dish inspired by Chinese takeout flavors. The slow cooker makes it super easy and keeps the chicken tender.
Ingredients
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1½–2 lbs boneless Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breast
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1 cup Orange Juice
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¼ cup Soy Sauce
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¼ cup Brown Sugar
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2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
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2 cloves Garlic, minced
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1 tsp grated Ginger
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1 tbsp Cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (for thickening)
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1 tbsp Sesame Oil (optional)
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1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional for heat)
For garnish:
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Green Onions
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Sesame Seeds
Instructions
1. Add chicken to slow cooker
Place the chicken in the slow cooker in a single layer.
2. Make the sauce
In a bowl, mix orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.
3. Cook
Pour the sauce over the chicken.
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Low: 4–5 hours
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High: 2–3 hours
4. Shred or slice
Remove chicken and shred or cut into bite-size pieces.
5. Thicken the sauce
Mix cornstarch with water and stir into the slow cooker sauce.
Cook 10–15 minutes more until thick.
6. Combine
Return chicken to the sauce and stir to coat well.
Serving Ideas 🍚
Serve over:
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Steamed Rice
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Fried Rice
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Noodles
Top with green onions and sesame seeds.
💡 Tip: If you want the classic crispy takeout texture, lightly coat the chicken pieces in cornstarch and pan-fry them before putting them in the slow cooker.
If you’d like, I can also share the 3-ingredient orange chicken version that’s famous for being even easier than takeout recipes. 🍊🍗