5.0 from 9 votes
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken and Broccoli
This easy slow cooker orange chicken has all of the flavors that you crave -- and it's healthier than takeout!
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 333 kcal
Course:
Dinner
Cuisine:
Chinese
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.
- 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.
- 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.
Cup of Yum
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 Information
Serving
1/6 of recipe
Calories
333kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
29g
(10%)
Protein
35g
(70%)
Fat
9g
(14%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
3g
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
Trans Fat
0.02g
Cholesterol
97mg
(32%)
Sodium
598mg
(25%)
Potassium
851mg
(24%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
17g
(34%)
Vitamin A
533IU
(11%)
Vitamin C
71mg
(79%)
Calcium
58mg
(6%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 333
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/6 of recipe | |
| Calories | 333kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 35g | 70% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 97mg | 32% |
| Sodium | 598mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 851mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 17g | 34% |
| Vitamin A | 533IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 71mg | 79% |
| Calcium | 58mg | 6% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.