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Asian Crockpot Orange Chicken

Asian crockpot orange chicken with glossy bright-orange sauce cooked low-and-slow for tender, bite-sized chicken. Whisk in a sweet-salty orange base, then thicken with a cornstarch slurry so it coats the meat like restaurant-style takeout.
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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: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and sauce
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • 0.75 cup orange juice Freshly squeezed or store-bought.
  • 1 orange Zest of 1 orange.
  • 0.333 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
  • 1 sesame seeds For garnish.
  • 1 green onions For garnish.
  • 1 cooked white rice For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the 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 smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken so the pieces are evenly covered.
  4. Cook on low for 4–5 hours or high for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Thicken and finish
  1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir the slurry into the slow cooker.
  2. Cook on high for 15–20 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
  3. Stir the chicken to coat evenly in the orange sauce.
Serve
  1. Serve over white rice, garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

For best gloss, whisk the cornstarch slurry until fully smooth before adding, and let it bubble on high for the full 15–20 minutes. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can thin after thawing. For a lighter option, use low-sodium soy sauce and replace honey with an equal amount of a low-sugar orange marmalade-style sweetener if desired.