Crockpot Orange Chicken and Broccoli

Orange chicken and broccoli served over white rice on plate.

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Crockpot Orange Chicken and Broccoli

This super easy, dump and go Crockpot Orange Chicken dinner recipe is going to quickly become a family favorite! Only about 10 minutes to prep, this recipe is loaded with flavor, veggies and is the absolute perfect weeknight dinner.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 40

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lorie Yarro

Equipment

Crockpot (6 qt.)

Ingredients

Orange Sauce

3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
¾ c freshly squeezed orange juice
2-3 Tbsp orange zest use 3 Tbsp if you want extra strong orange flavor
⅔ c orange marmalade
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp sesame oil
3-4 garlic cloves minced
1 inch ginger peeled and minced
½ tsp crushed red pepper more or less to taste

Other Ingredients

2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
⅓ c cornstarch
½ tsp salt and pepper (each)
1 package frozen broccoli florets approx. 12 oz. bag

Instructions

Add all of the orange sauce ingredients to a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Set aside.
Add the cubed chicken to a gallon sized plastic ziplock bag. Add the salt pepper and cornstarch and toss well to evenly coat the chicken on all sides. (You can whisk the cornstarch, salt and pepper together first for more even distribution of salt and pepper if desired.)
Spray the bottom and sides of slow cooker pot lightly with oil and add about 1/4 cup of the orange sauce to the bottom of the crockpot and spread it out evenly. Add the chicken over top of the sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top of the chicken to cover. It's ok if the chicken is not 100% submerged into the sauce.
Set to LOW HEAT and cook for about 2-4 hours* or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Add in the frozen broccoli and cook on low another 30 minutes or until the broccoli is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Set to warm until ready to serve.
Serve over rice and top with chopped green onions, extra orange zest and sesame seeds.

Notes

* I only recommend cooking on low heat for this recipe as cooking the chicken on high can dry out the chicken very easily. I use a 6 qt. slow cooker and it sometimes takes a bit less than 2 hours for some of the smaller pieces to reach 165°F so making sure the pieces are large enough and uniform in size is ideal.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for about 3-4 days in the refrigerator. This recipe freezes well. Allow it to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

All crockpots cook a bit differently. Mine will usually cook this chicken right at the 2 hour mark or just over it. Others will take a bit longer. You have a little wiggle room with the chicken, but if it cooks too long it can dry out. Check in at the 1 1/2 hour mark and adjust accordingly.

The cornstarch coating locks in moisture and keeps the chicken nice and tender. You could sear the chicken a touch before adding to the crockpot as well for a crispier texture, but cooking time will have to be adjusted if doing so.

I do not recommend cooking this crockpot orange chicken and broccoli on high setting. Chicken breast is more likely to dry out or become overcooked on high heat so it's ideal to cook on low.

Nutrition