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Asian Crockpot Orange Chicken

Asian Crockpot Orange Chicken with tender, bite-sized chicken thighs cooked low-and-slow, then thickened into a glossy bright-orange sauce. Served over white rice and finished with sesame seeds and green onions for a classic sweet-salty finish.
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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
  • 0.75 cup orange juice
  • 1 orange zest only
  • 0.33 cup soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tsp ginger freshly grated
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 tbsp cold water
  • 0.5 sesame seeds for garnish
  • 0.5 green onions sliced, for garnish
  • 2 cup cooked white rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Add chicken to slow cooker
  1. Place the chicken pieces in the slow cooker in an even layer.
  2. Pour in the sauce mixture and ensure the chicken is mostly covered.
Make and pour the sauce
  1. Whisk orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes until the brown sugar dissolves.
  2. Pour the whisked sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker.
Cook low, then thicken
  1. Cook on low for 4–5 hours (or high for 2–3 hours) until the chicken is cooked through and tender, with the sauce simmering around the edges.
  2. Whisk cornstarch with cold water, stir it into the slow cooker, and cook on high for 15–20 minutes until the sauce thickens and looks glossy.
Finish and serve
  1. Stir the chicken to coat evenly in the orange sauce, glossy and clinging to the pieces.
  2. Serve over cooked white rice and top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

For the glossiest sauce, whisk the cornstarch slurry until fully smooth before adding, and avoid opening the lid during the thickening phase. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a covered container; reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop. Freezing is not recommended due to the sauce texture after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, swap the honey and brown sugar with a 1:1 liquid sweetener formulated for cooking (use the package amount).