This easy slow cooker orange chicken and broccoli has all the flavors that you crave, but it’s healthier than traditional Chinese take-out! Instead of breading and deep frying the meat, just toss the simple ingredients in the Crock Pot and go!
Table of Contents
My family absolutely loves this recipe. When I make it now, I use 3 lbs chicken and double the sauce because they always want leftovers the next day. In fact, my family has loved every one of your recipes that I have cooked thus far. Thank you so much
– Nanette
A Few Notes Before You Get Started
- This slow cooker orange chicken recipe gives you the ease of a Crock Pot dinner with the taste, flavor, and texture of a restaurant meal! Bite-sized pieces of tender chicken are coated in a sweet and tangy orange sauce. By adding the broccoli to the slow cooker at the very end, you get crisp-tender veggies that aren’t mushy and overcooked.
- I like this sweet orange marmalade, which doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste.
- The orange zest gives the dish a more prominent orange flavor. Just be careful that when you’re scraping the peel off of the orange, you don’t get any of the bitter white pith (you just want that thin top layer). I use a microplane for this task.
- Sesame oil provides a unique toasted, nutty, rich flavor that’s key to so many homemade Asian dishes. Don’t substitute with a different type of oil or the dish just won’t taste the same.
- You can use fresh or frozen broccoli. If using frozen, allow it to thaw first. You’ll need about 5 ½ cups.
- All slow cookers run at slightly different temperatures. As a result, the total cooking time will vary. For instance, my diced chicken is often done in as little as 2 hours on LOW, so keep a close eye on it the first time you make this dish. You don’t want to end up with dry, overcooked chicken.
Directions
Craving Chinese food, but don’t want the expense or the added calories? Make this healthier version at home! The Crock Pot orange chicken comes together with very little effort. Detailed directions are included in the printable recipe at the bottom of the post, but here’s the overview:
- Dice the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces.
- Toss the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and cornstarch in a large freezer bag until evenly coated.
- Whisk together the orange sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Toss the seasoned chicken into the slow cooker and cover with the orange sauce, making sure all pieces are completely coated. For easy cleanup, use a slow cooker liner. I make sure to spray my slow cooker liner with nonstick spray before cooking to ensure the sweet, sticky sauce doesn’t stick to the plastic liner.
- Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours or on HIGH for 1 – 2 hours. As I mentioned above, these time ranges are just estimates. The total cooking time will vary depending on your individual slow cooker. My chicken is often done in as little as 2 hours on LOW.
- Add the broccoli during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Serve over a bed of rice, and garnish with extra sauce, green onions, or toasted sesame seeds.
Serving Suggestions
Crock Pot orange chicken is delicious served on a bed of white rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice. If you want to pair this recipe with another Asian-inspired side dish, try sesame peanut noodles, ramen noodle salad, sesame ginger snap pea salad, or baked store-bought egg rolls.
Storage Tips
- How to Store: Leftover Crock Pot orange chicken will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- How to Freeze: Let the orange chicken and sauce cool completely before packing in a large freezer bag or other airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: The best way to reheat orange chicken is in a pan or wok on the stovetop. Cook over medium heat just until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce mixture is thick and sticky. Add extra water to thin, as necessary. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
Egg Roll in a Bowl
20 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Healthy General Tso Chicken
40 minutes mins
Chicken & Broccoli Lo Mein (“Chinese Noodles”)
30 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken and Broccoli
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
This easy slow cooker orange chicken has all of the flavors that you crave — and it's healthier than takeout!
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (or sub with boneless skinless chicken thighs)
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup orange marmalade (I like this sweet orange marmalade, which doesn't have a bitter aftertaste)
- ¼ cup less-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- Zest from 1 small orange (about 1 tablespoon total)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 large cloves) (or sub with ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon minced or grated fresh ginger (or sub with ¼ teaspoon ground ginger)
- 1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed (or 5-6 cups of fresh broccoli florets)
- Cooked white rice, for serving
- Optional garnish: sliced green onions or toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Spray the inside of a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Place the meat in a large zip-top bag or a large bowl. Add the cornstarch to the bag, seal, and toss to coat the chicken pieces. Place the chicken in the bottom of the prepared slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange marmalade, soy sauce, sesame oil, orange zest, garlic, and ginger.½ cup orange marmalade, ¼ cup less-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon minced or grated fresh ginger
- Pour the sauce over the chicken. Stir gently to make sure that all of the chicken pieces are coated in sauce.
- Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3-4 hours (or on HIGH for 1 – 2 hours). Keep an eye on it, though. Some slow cookers may be done in as little as 2 hours on LOW. During the final 15 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli to the slow cooker.1 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli florets,
- When the broccoli is crisp-tender, give everything a good stir. If the sauce looks too thick at this point, add water or orange juice to thin until it reaches the desired consistency. Spoon the chicken, broccoli, and sauce over rice. Garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds, if desired.Cooked white rice,, Optional garnish: sliced green onions or toasted sesame seeds
Notes
The orange zest gives the dish a more prominent orange flavor. Just be careful that when you’re scraping the peel off of the orange, you don’t get any of the bitter white pith (you just want that thin top layer). I use a microplane for this task.
If you prefer, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. While chicken thighs are generally thinner and smaller than breasts, they’re much more forgiving when slightly overcooked—they remain tender and moist, making them perfect for slow cooker recipes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of recipeCalories: 333kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 35gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 598mgPotassium: 851mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 533IUVitamin C: 71mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 1mg
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Recipe Variations
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. While chicken thighs are generally thinner and smaller than breasts, they’re much more forgiving when slightly overcooked—they remain tender and moist, making them perfect for slow cooker recipes.
- If the sauce gets too thick while cooking, add some orange juice or water to thin it out. If it’s too thin, make a quick cornstarch slurry and stir it into the sauce at the end of cooking. It will thicken up in no time.
- With this recipe, you do not have to deep fry or brown the chicken before adding it to the slow cooker. However, if you want a crispier crust on your orange chicken, you can lightly pan-fry the cornstarch-coated chicken before slow cooking. Lightly fry it for just a few minutes until the outside is slightly golden brown. Then drain the chicken and paper towels and transfer right into your slow cooker.
- There are plenty of vegetables you can add alongside the broccoli. Vegetables that go well with orange chicken include green or red pepper, sugar snap peas, mini corn, and onions.
- To make it spicy, add a few pinches of red pepper flakes to the orange sauce ingredients. Start with about half a teaspoon for a kick of spice, and adjust if you like spicier! You could also add dried red chiles or a few dashes of sriracha sauce.
This recipe was originally posted in February, 2013. It was updated in September, 2024.
I love takeout orange chicken, but I have yet to try making it on my own. I’m loving this slow cooker version, Blair! Definitely healthier and I’m sure a million times better than the restaurant version. Love the addition of broccoli, too!
Thank you, Gayle! This is such a great way to enjoy it at home without much effort. 🙂
Got to try this. Sounds awesome!!! Your 5 ingredient honey garlic chicken is definitely “a keeper”. Thanks for sharing.
Yay! I hope that you love it, Diana! 🙂
Really looking forward to trying this recipe! Should this be refrigerated or frozen if I am looking to make a large portion and eat through the week? I’m wondering what would be safe (I think cooked chicken lasts a few days in the fridge if I’m not mistaken) while also maintaining as much flavor as possible.
Thanks!
Hey, David! I’m so glad that you’ll give it a try! The cooked chicken should stay fresh in the refrigerator for at least a few days (and probably up to 1 week), so I’d go that route. I think freezing it might change the texture of the meat, sauce, and broccoli, so I wouldn’t suggest that. Enjoy!
If the sauce is a little too thick can orange juice be added instead of water?
Hi Noelle,
We haven’t tested it, but readers have enjoyed adding orange juice to the sauce. It should work!
This sounds really yummy; out of curiosity though, does the Broccoli get mushy being in the slow cooker for 15 minutes? Or does it come out al dente? Thanks Blair!
Hi, Heather! It’s not too mushy! I prefer my broccoli still a little bit firm, so the 15 minutes works well. You can add it sooner if you like your broccoli softer, OR another great option that I often will use is to purchase a steam-in-bag microwaveable broccoli. Then you can microwave your broccoli to the exact texture that you like and just stir it into the chicken mixture right before serving. 🙂 Enjoy!
Made it tonight, but used whole chicken thighs as I didn’t have any chicken breasts in the freezer. Also microwaved the broccoli. The sauce was delicious – will definitely be making this again. Many thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know, Judie! I’m glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
I have a question … I cook for several different people, some like rice others don’t, some have to try to remain on very low carbohydrate diets. So here is my question…. Can one omit the rice and use veggie noodles (Example: zucchini noodles) instead?
Hi, Teresa! Of course! You can serve the chicken and broccoli over regular rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice. It’s great on its own, and it will definitely work with your veggie noodles as well. Whatever your family prefers! 🙂
Judie
That recipe sounds Yummy
Do you have one for chicken n broccoli with the the brown sauce? I would love to make that one also
Thank You
Rose
I love the combination of flavours here, my family love oranges too so a win win!
I can’t wait to try this! It’s in my crockpot as I type this. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Awesome! Enjoy, Kelsie!
Hi!! If I want to make this in my instant pot would I set it to pressure cook? And how long would it need to cook for? Thank you!!
Hey, Nichole! I honestly don’t know, since I haven’t tested this particular recipe in the Instant Pot. I think it would work if you want to play around with it, but I can’t offer any specific times. If you want a similar Asian-inspired dish that’s perfect in the Instant Pot, you can try this Chicken Teriyaki Recipe: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/healthy-slow-cooker-teriyaki-chicken-ginger-bok-choy-salad/
or this Garlic Sesame Chicken: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/instant-pot-sesame-chicken/
Tried this tonight and honestly if you love marmalades you will like the taste of this. Hubby and I were not really fans because I felt that all I tasted was the orange marmalade.
And I didn’t think I could taste it enough!!
My family absolutely loves this recipe. When I make it now, I use 3 lbs chicken and double the sauce because they always want leftovers the next day. I’m fact, my family has lived every one of your recipes that I have cooked this far. Thank you so much
That’s so good to hear, Nanette. Thank you for taking the time to leave me a note and let me know! 🙂
Does the calories listed include the rice, or just the chicken?
Hi, Brie! The nutrition information is automatically calculated based on the measurements for the chicken, sauce, and broccoli included in the recipe. The rice, sesame seeds, green onions, or any other optional toppings/sides are not included in that calculation.
Hi! Question. I know you say serving size is 1/6 of recipe. Do you know what measurement this equates to? We are on a pretty strict calorie-deficit diet at the moment and will need to know how much it actually equates to to tell if it’s worth making for us. Thanks!!
Hi, Nicole! No, I’m sorry — I don’t. The recipe software automatically calculates the nutrition information, so the details provided are just an rough estimate. I would suggest using your preferred nutrition calculator of choice, and entering the specific ingredients that you use. That’s the best way to get a more accurate calculation, and you can measure out your individual portions.
I HAVE NOT TRIED THE SLOW-COOKER ORANGE CHICKEN YET I AM GOING TO.
We hope you enjoy it, Almeda!
Can you freeze the crock pot orange chicken recipe?
I like to cook and freeze.
Hi, Betty! Yes, I think that would work well! The broccoli will likely have a slightly softer texture when thawed, but it should still be delicious!
I used about 1.5 lb chicken breasts but followed the rest of the recipe as written. Next time I’ll double the sauce plus add water chestnuts, snow peas, chunks of onion and pineapple tidbits. It was missing flavor as written.
We’re sorry you didn’t love the recipe but appreciate your feedback, Barbara! We hope you continue to enjoy the other recipes on the site.