Easy Slow Cooker Sweet Orange Chicken (Flavorful & Tender!)
Make delicious Slow Cooker Sweet Orange Chicken! This easy recipe features tender chicken pieces slow-cooked in a luscious sauce made with orange marmalade, BBQ sauce, soy, and fresh ginger.
Ingredients
(Based on 1x column)
Chicken & Coating:
- ▢ 1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut into 8-10 pieces, skin removed
- ▢ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Sweet Orange Sauce:
- ▢ ⅔ cup orange marmalade
- ▢ ⅔ cup barbecue sauce (your favorite kind)
- ▢ ¼ cup soy sauce (low-sodium optional)
- ▢ 2 tablespoons minced fresh gingerroot
- ▢ (Implied, but not listed: Salt and pepper to taste, though sauces are salty)
Optional for Serving:
- ▢ Hot cooked rice or rice noodles
- ▢ Fresh chopped parsley or green onions for garnish
Instructions
1. Prepare the Chicken:
- If you have a whole chicken, cut it into 8 to 10 serving pieces (breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings). Remove and discard the skin from all pieces. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels.
- Place the 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour in a shallow dish or a large bowl.
- Add the chicken pieces to the flour, a few at a time, tossing gently to ensure each piece is lightly and evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour.
2. Assemble in Slow Cooker:
- Arrange the flour-dusted chicken pieces in the insert of a 3-quart slow cooker (or a slightly larger 4-5 quart one if needed to avoid overcrowding).
- In a separate small bowl, combine the orange marmalade, barbecue sauce, soy sauce, and minced fresh gingerroot. Stir well until all the sauce ingredients are thoroughly blended.
- Pour this prepared sweet orange sauce mixture evenly over the chicken pieces in the slow cooker. Turn the chicken pieces gently if needed to ensure they are mostly covered by the sauce.
3. Slow Cook:
- Cover the slow cooker securely with its lid.
- Cook on the LOW setting until the chicken is very tender, cooked through, and the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. This typically takes 6-8 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh (avoiding bone) should read at least 165°F (74°C).
4. Serve:
- Once the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender, it’s ready to serve.
- Carefully remove the chicken pieces from the slow cooker using tongs and arrange them on a serving platter or individual plates.
- Spoon the delicious sweet orange sauce from the slow cooker generously over the chicken.
- Serve hot, optionally alongside hot cooked rice or rice noodles to soak up that wonderful sauce.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or green onions, if desired. Enjoy!