Prepare for a mind-boggling flavor frenzy with this easy Crockpot Orange Chicken recipe! It’s so irresistible… the mere thought of having leftovers may seem laughable! Just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep are all you’ll need, then your crockpot will take over!

Cubed orange chicken on plate with rice, garnished with sesame seeds.
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Round and round the table.. the smiles never seem to stop!

Believe me, this crockpot orange chicken is your hot ticket to household fame.

Alaina writes: “My husband loved this, and said it tastes better than most Chinese take out food.”

It serves up a mouth watering flavor extravaganza with its perfectly sweet and tangy flavors… that finish off with a lively hint of heat.

With each delightful bite, you’ll be enchanted by the mesmerizing flavors dancing in your mouth!

So what’s the secret to making this taste bud thrilling chicken so darn delicious?

I know it sounds crazy, but bbq sauce is actually the secret to that savory indulgent sauce you’ll be craving on repeat!

Just try it and you’ll understand!

So this week give your chicken dinner a marvelous upgrade.

You’ll kick up the flavor using hardly any ingredients. Then leave all of the work to your slow cooker. Just like you’ll do with this Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe, groovy Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken, and taste bud pleasing Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken.

Orange Chicken and Rice on a plate next to flowers.

Then… simply serve with a side of rice or noodles, and dinner is done.

So skip the orange chicken Chinese takeout tonight and go grab your Crockpot instead.

There’s no need for restaurant takeout when you can create something even better at home!

With sweet orange marmalade, and just three more ingredients, 3 Hour Crockpot Recipes like this are about as easy as it gets!

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get dinner started, shall we?

Here’s what you’ll do to make your crockpot orange chicken using orange marmalade…

Can You Make Orange Chicken Without Orange Juice?

Yep, you sure can!

For this clever crockpot orange chicken recipe, we’ll actually use orange marmalade instead of orange juice to give the sauce that epic orange-y flavor we all love!

Marmalade also helps to keep the sauce thick, while providing a delightful flavor that will leave your taste buds singing with delight!

Orange marmalade, barbecue sauce, and soy sauce.

Ingredients

So are you wondering… what ingredients are in orange chicken? Well, as crazy as it sounds, this easy orange chicken sauce is made with just 3 simple ingredients.

In addition to your chicken, you’ll need to grab these ingredients at the store this week…

  • Orange Marmalade – To infuse that sweet pop of orange flavor.
  • Soy Sauce – To give that distinct Asian flavor profile. Coconut Aminos can be substituted.
  • Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce – You won’t want to substitute anything here, as the flavor will change drastically with other brands.

Like so many of my easy 5 Ingredient Crock Pot Recipes, you’ll also need a 5 – 6 quart Crock Pot to prepare this 4 ingredient orange chicken slow cooker recipe.

Oh I know, I know… you’re probably thinking why in the world would you have bbq sauce in orange chicken?

Well just trust me… when you mix these three flavors all together you’ll end up with the most delicious crockpot orange chicken sauce recipe ever!

It just works! So well, that I used the same sauce on these Orange Glazed Meatballs.

Then, if you’d like to give it a little extra kick, go ahead and add a pinch of red pepper flakes, too!

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How to Make Crockpot Orange Chicken

So how do you make orange chicken at home? It’s actually really easy thanks to this easy orange chicken recipe.

Just 3 steps and your crockpot orange chicken is done…

1. Cook Chicken in Crockpot: You’ll just toss your chicken in the crock pot, let it cook, and later drain the juices.

Chicken breasts in a slow cooker.

2. Cube Cooked Chicken: Then you’ll pull the chicken out and cube it and place it back in the slow cooker, or leave it as is as chicken breasts.

Orange chicken sauce in bowl.

3. Add Orange Chicken Sauce: Finally, you’ll mix up some perfectly sweet and tangy orange chicken sauce, pour it over the chicken in the crock pot, let it cook a little longer, and serve over rice or chow mein noodles. You can even top it off with some sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Orange chicken sauce in bowl with spoon.

That’s It! Easy recipes for orange chicken don’t get any simpler or tastier than this!

Scroll down for the printable recipe card with detailed, step-by-step instructions.

Slow cooker of Orange Chicken.

Storage Tips

Leftovers of this orange chicken crockpot recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can reheat the next day for another easy weeknight meal!

What Do You Eat With Orange Chicken?

Easy Asian Recipes like this crockpot orange chicken go great with a variety of sides.

To start, I recommend serving this popular orange chicken crockpot recipe with a side of white, brown or fried rice… YUM!

Then, try also serving it along with these tasty Dinner Sides

Cubed orange chicken on a plate with rice.

Reviews

Here’s what your frugal friends are saying about this recipe for easy orange chicken…

Ryan writes: “Yummy! My family asks for this one all the time.”

Kaitlyn writes: “This was so easy and tasted great!”

John writes: “Made the orange chicken recipe and it was delicious! It was so good my wife and I had it two days in a row!”

Savannah writes: “This was SO good! My entire family enjoyed it!”

Kate writes: “Delicious and super easy to make!”

Karen writes: “This has become my 6 year old granddaughter’s favorite meal!”

Candy writes: “I made this for company and we all enjoyed it very much!”

Kaley writes: “I tried it and really liked it! I’m planning on making it again soon! I made fried rice to go with it.”

Dawn writes: “Great over rice!”

Alaina writes: “My husband loved this, and said it tastes better than most Chinese take out food.”

Laura writes: “Family loved it and it was very easy.”

Kristy writes: “Quick, easy, and delicious!”

Jay writes: “My grandsons and I love this chicken recipe and it was sooo easy.”

Elaina writes: “A good meal for my 3 picky eaters!”

Trevi writes: “Terrific recipe!!!”

Valerie writes: “It was great! Easy and will make again. My hubby loved it.”

Rebeka writes: “Tastes just like orange chicken without breading!”

Liza writes: “I used Coconut Aminos instead of the soy sauce because I have to watch my sodium intake. My husband is diabetic so I also used sugar free marmalade and barbecue sauce. It was very good!”

Darcy writes: “Very easy to make. I added broccoli and carrots during last 30 minutes.”

Ashleigh writes: “Made it on the stove instead. Cut chicken into large chunks and cooked. In a saucepan I heated the marmalade and bbq sauce and let it simmer for about 10min. Added about a cup to the chicken and let that simmer for another 10min. Nice tangy orange taste. Definitely keeping this one around.”

More Asian Food Recipes for Dinner


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5 from 3 votes

Crockpot Orange Chicken

Prepare for a mind-boggling flavor frenzy with this easy Crockpot Orange Chicken recipe! It's so irresistible… the mere thought of having leftovers may seem laughable! Just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep is all you'll need, then your crockpot will take over!
Servings: 4
Cubed orange chicken on plate with rice, garnished with sesame seeds.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • 3 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, thawed
  • 3/4 cup Smuckers Sweet Orange Marmalade
  • 3/4 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s Original BBQ Sauce, (it’s SO good!)
  • 2 tbsp. Soy Sauce

Instructions 

  • Gather your ingredients.
    Orange marmalade, barbecue sauce, and soy sauce.
  • Cook chicken in Crockpot on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 6 hours (covered)
    Chicken breasts in a slow cooker.
  • After 3 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW, drain juices from crockpot
  • At this point… you can either leave the chicken breasts whole, or remove, cut into cubes, and transfer back to crockpot.
  • Mix together bbq sauce, orange marmalade, and soy sauce.
    Orange chicken sauce in bowl.
  • Pour mixture over chicken, and cook on high for 30 more minutes, or until done. (covered)
    Slow cooker of Orange Chicken.
  • Serve with rice and Enjoy!!
    Orange Chicken and Rice on a plate next to flowers.

Notes

  • Storage Tips: Leftovers of this orange chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can reheat the next day for another easy weeknight meal!
  • FAQ’s: For answers to Frequently Asked Questions or tips for common substitutions and variations, please refer to the detailed information above this recipe card.
iconLike this recipe? Rate & comment below!

About Heidi Miller

Heidi Miller is the creator of The Frugal Girls, where she shares easy recipes with massive flavor! She has been creating and sharing recipes online for over 15 years, and brings warmth, expertise, and a personal touch to every recipe. Her work has been featured on Today.com, NBC, Fox, Parade, People, Country Living, Woman’s World, and more!

5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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257 Comments

  1. Heather says:

    I make this at least once very two weeks. This is our FAVORITE meal on this site! I make it over white rice and it stays in the fridge well for days! Sooooo yummy. My child’s favorite also! Thanks for the awesome recipes!

    1. Heidi says:

      Aww ~ you’re very welcome, Heather! I’m so glad to hear how much you all love the orange chicken! I agree… it makes amazing leftovers! 😉

  2. Kathleen says:

    This is delicious, it satisfied my craving and is healthier and cheaper than a restaurant! I used sugar-free marmalade and a different brand of bbq sauce and added onions and peppers. I served it with brown rice mixed with cauliflower rice..

    1. Heidi Miller says:

      Those sound like the perfect sides!

  3. Holly Hong says:

    Has anyone tried this in an instant pot? If so, did you change anything?

  4. Labelle says:

    Can I cook this in a smaller crock pot?

    1. Heidi says:

      Hi Labelle ~ I’ve found that a 5 quart – 7 quart works best for this recipe. Hope that helps!

  5. Sandy says:

    I love looking at these meals. I needed fresh ideas and you got them. Thanks

    1. Heidi says:

      Aww ~ you’re very welcome, Sandy! Thanks so much for the sweet comment… and enjoy your Crockpot meals! 😉

  6. Jennifer says:

    When cooking the chicken i do you add anything else to the crockpot with it before adding the sauce at the end

    1. Heidi says:

      Hi Jennifer ~ no… as the chicken will end up cooking in its own juices for the first part. Hope that helps!

      1. Janine says:

        Being my first time and not being home for 4 hours, didn’t want to take any chances so I put about a quarter cup of Sprite in for liquid then drained after cooking. Chicken fell apart and was a hit. this recipe is in my family favorites box….

        1. Elaine says:

          Sprite? Interesting I’ve never heard of that? What exactly does the Sprite do as opposed to water or other liquid?

        2. Heidi Miller says:

          That’s so interesting – thanks for sharing your tip!

  7. Anne@MollysHanger.com says:

    Can’t wait to try this recipe – need to check out your crockpot recipes so I’m better prepared for dinners once the kids are back in school and we have afternoon practices/evening games.

    1. Heidi says:

      I agree, Anne… Crockpot meals are the perfect solution for busy school nights!

  8. Amber says:

    Delicious! I substituted sugar free marmalade just because it’s what I had in the pantry. The only “problem was when I removed the chicken to dice it, it all fell apart. Shredded chicken still tastes delicious, just doesn’t look as pretty.

    1. Valerie says:

      I cut my chicken into chunks before putting in the crockpot. Cook on high for an hour. Blend my sauce in a bowl and add to the chicken, Cook an additional 2 hours (on high). Because I don’t drain the chicken, I stir up a little cornstarch and water to thicken the sauce. So delicious and nice Chunky Chicken. Made it last week for the 1st time…and now have another batch in the crockpot for dinner tonight! Fast becoming a Family Favorite!

      1. Tammy Russell says:

        Thanks for this post, I dont drain my chicken either and was wondering if I could use corn starch.

        1. Heidi Miller says:

          The benefit of draining the chicken isn’t just for the thickness of the sauce, but you’ll end up with SO much more flavor without it being watered down. 🙂

  9. Arin says:

    This sauce was so very delicious! I already had some cooked turkey on hand, so instead of using the crock pot, I just make the sauce in a saucepan, added the turkey, and served with rice. My son said it was a keeper (which means I have to add it to the family favorites recipes). Thanks for sharing!

    1. Heidi says:

      You’re very welcome, Arin… and that sounds delicious! Isn’t the sauce SO yummy? It’s definitely a family favorite here, too. 🙂

  10. JaQuette says:

    Omgeee! Tried this today, and it is SO delish! I couldn’t wait for dinner, so I splurged and had a small piece already. :o) Thanks for such a great dish!

    1. Heidi says:

      Aww ~ you’re very welcome, JaQuette! Isn’t it crazy delicious? By far one of my favorite dishes. So glad you loved it! 🙂