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Asian Crockpot Orange Chicken

Asian crockpot orange chicken with a glossy, bright-orange sauce made by simmering in the slow cooker until tender. Finish with a cornstarch slurry for a thick, cling-to-the-chicken coating that’s great over white rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and sauce
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 1 orange zest used
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 garlic minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp cold water
  • sesame seeds for garnish
  • green onions sliced, for garnish
  • cooked white rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the crockpot chicken
  1. Place the chicken pieces in the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken and spread it into an even layer.
Slow-cook until tender
  1. Cook on low for 4–5 hours, or on high for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Thicken the sauce
  1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir it into the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on high for 15–20 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.
Serve
  1. Stir the chicken to coat evenly in the orange sauce.
  2. Serve over cooked white rice, topped with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

For best gloss and cling, whisk the cornstarch slurry until smooth before stirring it in, and avoid stirring early in the cook. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce texture can thin after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, replace the honey and brown sugar with an equal amount of a brown-sugar alternative sweetener designed for cooking (check label for 1:1 use).