This Crockpot Orange Chicken is a healthier, homemade version of one of our favorite takeout meals! It has the most flavorful sauce!

We are in that loooooong stretch of winter before spring comes, and I’m readying myself with all the easy, cozy crockpot meals.

Easy crockpot meals are what are going to get me through the next 3 months, so I wanted to boost up my inventory here on The Recipe Rebel so that we all have plenty of options

Since we live essentially in the middle of nowhere (we’re a few miles out of a town of about 500 people), we don’t have a lot of access to restaurants.

Granted, there is a Subway across the highway from us, and a Chinese restaurant in the next town over about 10 minutes away, but when you grow up in the country (as a child, we lived even further from any small town than we do now), you just get used to not eating out.

That being said, we do love our Asian food.

And even though I am (obviously) not Asian, and I don’t really know what authentic Asian cuisine really is, this here is my interpretation. Because around here? This is what our Asian restaurants serve, and we love it!

(Now that I’ve added that in we can just skip all of the hate mail, right??)

This Crockpot Orange Chicken is sticky, sweet, and tangy and perfect over rice with a side salad or veggies! I’ve included freezer directions and tips below — it’s a great recipe for stashing away for a crazy day!

What I love about this Crockpot Orange Chicken:

• It’s pretty simple to make — the most labor intensive part is browning the chicken and you can skip that part if you need to!
• It’s packed with flavor.
• It’s great for making ahead.
• It’s pretty healthy, and definitely much healthier than what you would get at your favorite takeout joint!
• Crockpot meals make me feel like a champ when I’m not rushing around at 5:00pm to get dinner on the table.

Tips for making this Slow Cooker Orange Chicken:

• This recipe is naturally gluten-free, but be sure to double check all of your ingredients (especially the soy sauce!).
• This recipe is naturally dairy-free, but again, you’ll want to read your labels carefully.
• If you run out of time or are just plain lazy, you can skip the browning. The corn starch and browning just adds a bit of a crust like you would get at your usual “Asian” restaurants, without allllllll of that heavy breading. It’s the perfect compromise if you ask me!
• If you are browning your chicken, be sure to cut your chicken in equal sized pieces and not to overcook them in the pan so they don’t dry out.

How to freeze this Crockpot Orange Chicken — two ways!

How to freeze Orange Chicken before cooking:

This recipe makes a great freezer meal! To prepare ahead of time to cook in the slow cooker later, simply brown the chicken and let cool for 10-15 minutes.

Whisk together your sauce ingredients and pour into a large freezer bag or container with your chicken.

Freeze up to 3 months.

To cook, thaw and continue with the cooking process as listed.

How to freeze Orange Chicken after cooking:

You can make a big batch for dinner and freeze half for another time if you prefer!

Simple place the chicken with the sauce into a large freezer bag or container, and freeze for up to 3 months.

To serve, simply thaw and reheat — stove top, crockpot and microwave all work fine

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Crockpot Orange Chicken

This Crockpot Orange Chicken is a healthier, homemade version of one of our favorite takeout meals! It has the most flavorful sauce!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 363cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup corn starch divided
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 1 cup unsweetened orange juice
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup liquid honey
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, combine ¼ cup corn starch, salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat.
• Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer (do two batches if necessary) and brown lightly on each side (don’t overcook or it will be dry)
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together marmalade, juice, soy sauce, broth, honey, remaining ¼ cup corn starch, vinegar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. 
• When chicken is browned, add it to a 2.5-4 quart slow cooker and pour the sauce over top.
• Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, just until chicken is done and sauce has thickened. If sauce is too thin for your liking, combine an addition tablespoon of corn starch and water and add to the sauce before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 363cal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 1361mg | Potassium: 469mg | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 24.7mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1.2mg

The post Crockpot Orange Chicken recipe — better than takeout! appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

This recipe first shared on Spend With Pennies.

This Orange Chicken recipe you guys…. it’s so easy, you can delete the contact info for your favorite takeout place from your phone

Life is a little crazy around here at the moment. Our girls are 6, 3.5, and 6 months, and they are just not slowing down. They’re all in such different stages that it makes things very interesting!

Our 6 year old is wrapping up Kindergarten and getting ready for grade 1 (after a long summer off and lots of naps!), our 3 year old is getting ready to start Nursery school in the fall (and has this energy you guys… I don’t know where she gets it. If she ever starts drinking any sort of caffeine — look out). And our 6 month old wants so badly to be on the move, and I’m sure she’ll get there before we know it.

So easy 30 minute meals like this Orange Chicken? ESSENTIAL.

Cook up some instant rice (I’ll be honest, I mostly gave up on long grain rice quite a while ago), throw some veggies on the table (my girls prefer them raw!), and you’re set.

How to Make this Easy Orange Chicken Recipe:

• This Orange Chicken recipe is naturally gluten-free, but be sure to check all labels carefully, especially the soy sauce.
• This Orange Chicken is naturally dairy-free, but again, be sure to read all labels.
• This recipe can easily be adapted for the oven or the slow cooker as well! To bake in the oven, follow the method outlined in this Baked Honey Lemon Chicken recipe. To make in the slow cooker, see instructions below.

How to make Crockpot Orange Chicken:

• Coat and brown the chicken in a frying pan according to the original instructions.
• Add the chicken and the sauce mixture to the crockpot, and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 3-4 hours until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through. It couldn’t be easier!
• This is a great way to prepare orange chicken for a potluck because it is so easy to keep warm without overcooking. And I guarantee it will be one of the first things to disappear!

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Easy Orange Chicken Recipe

This Easy Orange Chicken recipe is so easy to make at home in less than 30 minutes! Seasoned chicken breast is sautéed until golden and smothered in the very BEST homemade orange sauce!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 203cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1″ cubes
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ cup orange juice (fresh squeezed is best)
• ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup orange marmalade
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and add 3 tablespoons corn starch, salt and pepper. Stir to coat.
• Heat a large pan over high heat and add oil.
• Add chicken to the pan and cook over high heat, turning once, just until browned, about 2 minutes per side. You may have to do this in batches.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Whisk together the juice, chicken broth, marmalade, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons corn starch, vinegar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes.
• Once chicken is browned, reduce heat to medium and add the sauce. Cook and stir until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F minimum), about 10 minutes.
• Serve over rice as desired.

Video

Notes

*The flavor of your sauce will depend a great deal on how sweet your juice and marmalade is — if you taste it at the end and it is too bitter, add a spoonful or two of honey.

Ingredients and Substitutions:

• Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken is my preference for this recipe, but boneless chicken thighs will also work if you prefer dark meat. 
• Marmalade: a little orange marmalade adds thickness and orange flavor. A sweet marmalade is best for this recipe — if your marmalade is bitter, you may want to swap for additional orange juice, or add honey to compensate. 
• Orange juice: fresh squeeze orange juice gives the best flavor, but a carton can be subbed in if necessary.
• Broth: chicken broth adds a bit more savory flavor, but you can sub for water if needed. 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 213grams | Calories: 203cal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1129mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Easy Orange Chicken Recipe appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

You guys: Meatballs in Orange Sauce are changing the dinner game.

There are so many foods that I just love.  That are borderline an obsession. Meatballs are just one.

Surprisingly though, I don’t have that many meatball recipes on The Recipe Rebel. I have these Pineapple Brown Sugar Meatballs (<– amazing), aaaaaand….. yep. That’s about it.

How sad is that?

I think one of the reasons why is I have been focusing a lot on super easy, little prep, often one pot/pan/dish dinner recipes for those “what on Earth am I going to make for dinner?!?” moments we all have. Some of us more regularly than others.

And meatballs, well — they are easy, yes, but they take a little time if you’re making them from scratch. Usually, if I am making meatballs I am really making meatballs and I will make 6 or 8 pounds at a time to freeze, fully cooked and ready to dump into whatever sauce I have bubbling on the stove that night (no judging if that happens to be a store-bought jar of marinara).

Obviously, you can skip the whole homemade meatball step if you’re in a time crunch and need something quick. Just read the packages of whatever you’re buying, make sure that you know what the ingredients are and stick to an ingredient list as basic as possible. The sauce is still going to totally take these over the top!

Before you get to the recipe, I feel like I need to confess: I’ve tried many, many orange sauce, orange chicken recipes that I absolutely hated. But I struck gold when I realized that it was the orange juice that wasn’t doing it for me — when I tried with orange marmalade, I really, really enjoyed it! So if you’re wondering why the marmalade and not just fresh juice and zest, that is why.

Tips and tricks for making these Meatballs in Orange Sauce:

• As I mentioned, yep, just above — you can use store bought meatballs for this recipe. Just make sure you pick something that is good quality that you want to serve to your family.
• Meatball recipes are great in the slow cooker, too, you just have to be careful because if you cook them all day they’ll be falling apart. If you want to make them in the slow cooker, I would prefer the meatballs and the sauce first, then combine them in the slow cooker and set to low for 3-5 hours max. Perfect for a family gathering or party!
• Try serving with rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes and a green veggie for the full meal deal.
• These freeze perfectly with or without sauce, making them the perfect meal to save for busy nights or to give to a family with a new baby! You can even cook the rice, freeze in a separate bag and give them together!

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

Print

Easy Meatballs in Orange Sauce Recipe + VIDEO

These Easy Meatballs in Orange Sauce have just a few ingredients and are perfect for a quick dinner, freezer meal, or even a holiday dinner or appetizer! Perfect over rice or with mashed potatoes. Includes step by step recipe video.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings, 4 meatballs each

Calories 348cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Orange Sauce

• 1 cup orange marmalade
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes you can adjust to your tastes
• 1/2 cup chicken vegetable or beef broth (I use chicken)
• 1 tablespoon corn starch

Instructions

• Make the meatballsPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine beef, egg, bread crumbs, Worcestershire, salt, pepper and garlic powder just until combined. Shape into 1″ balls (or 24 equal portions) and place on a baking sheet (you can line with parchment for easy clean up).
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned and internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Set aside.
• Make the Orange SauceIn a large skillet, coming the marmalade, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes with a whisk.
• Stir together broth and corn starch and add to the skillet. Stir well.
• Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until thickened, about 5-8 minutes. Add meatballs, heat through (not necessary if they just came out of the oven), and serve immediately. You can throw the meatballs plain or with sauce into a freezer bag once cooled and freeze for another use.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information for 4 meatballs, no sauce: 199 cal, 4g carbs, 12g fat, 17g protein, 500mg sodium, 1g sugar

Nutrition

Calories: 348cal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1042mg | Sugar: 33g

The post Easy Meatballs in Orange Sauce Recipe + VIDEO appeared first on The Recipe Rebel.