Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Breasts
Transform your weeknight meals with the irresistible sweetness and tang of Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Breasts! This easy recipe pairs tender, juicy chicken with a vibrant homemade orange sauce infused with honey, ginger, and a splash of soy sauce for an Asian-inspired twist. The fresh orange zest amplifies the citrusy aroma, while a cornstarch slurry ensures the sauce achieves a luxuriously thick consistency. Perfect for busy days, this dish requires minimal prep yet delivers maximum flavor, simmering to perfection in your slow cooker. Serve over fluffy steamed rice or quinoa and finish with a sprinkle of green onions and sesame seeds for a restaurant-worthy presentation. It’s a crowd-pleasing, healthy dinner option that offers bold flavors with effortless cooking!
Log this recipe in SnapCalorie
Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed or store-bought)
- 0.25 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
- 0.33 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 pieces garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water (for cornstarch slurry)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 stalks green onions (for garnish)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides and place them into the slow cooker.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the orange juice, soy sauce, honey, ketchup, rice vinegar, minced garlic, ginger, and orange zest until well combined.
Pour the orange sauce mixture over the chicken breasts in the slow cooker, ensuring they are fully coated.
Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on the LOW setting for 4-5 hours or on the HIGH setting for 2-3 hours, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C).
Once the chicken is cooked, remove the breasts carefully from the slow cooker and set them aside on a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Gradually stir the slurry into the sauce in the slow cooker.
Turn the slow cooker to the HIGH setting and allow the sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally, for about 10-15 minutes.
Once the sauce has thickened, return the chicken breasts to the slow cooker and coat them in the orange sauce.
Serve the orange chicken breasts over steamed rice, quinoa, or alongside roasted vegetables. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
1709 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 30.4 g | 39% | |
| Saturated Fat | 7.6 g | 38% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 592 mg | 197% | |
| Sodium | 3798 mg | 165% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 125.4 g | 46% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.6 g | 13% | |
| Total Sugars | 91.9 g | ||
| Protein | 225.1 g | 450% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.2 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 237 mg | 18% | |
| Iron | 10.1 mg | 56% | |
| Potassium | 2897 mg | 62% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
