Slow Cooker Orange Chicken With Broccoli

There are times when I’m ready to order takeout because of a certain craving and I then realize I could probably make whatever it is at home. If only I had planned. One thing I have recognized over the years is that meal planning is my best option for not staring into my refrigerator after work or picking up the phone to place an order.

I do enjoy creating takeout meals at home, mainly because I can control the ingredients and flavors I’m putting into the meal. Slow Cooker Orange Chicken With Broccoli is one of those meals that is now on regular rotation in our household, because it is so easy and tasty. Chicken is usually my go-to protein and adding orange juice really brightens up the flavor of this dish. The secret ingredient here is the orange marmalade, as it intensifies that orange flavor, and mixing that with soy sauce, some brown sugar, sesame oil and fresh ginger – yum!

Another secret to this recipe is blanching the broccoli and adding it to the cooked mixture rather than cooking it in the crockpot. Blanching maintains the bright green color of the broccoli while also retaining some crispness of the broccoli, rather than becoming mush (which can happen with fibrous vegetables when cooked in the crockpot).

Prepping the Ingredients

Using a Santoku-Style Trimmer, cut the chicken breasts into one-inch pieces.

Cut the top of the red pepper off using a 7-5/8″ Petite Chef, and then cut around the core. Slice the pepper into one-inch strips and then turn and cut crosswise to dice.

Using the 5″ Petite Santoku, mince a tablespoon of fresh ginger.

Taking the tip of the 7-5/8″ Petite Chef, cut the florets from the broccoli stalk and then into smaller bite-size pieces.

Making the Recipe

In a large re-sealable bag, place the chicken, cornstarch, salt and pepper and seal, shaking the bag until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Dump the contents of the entire bag into the slow cooker. Sprinkle the diced red pepper over the chicken.

In a large bowl, use the Mix-Stir to whisk the chicken stock, orange zest, orange juice, orange marmalade, ketchup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger and garlic powder until thoroughly combined. Pour this mixture over the chicken and red pepper.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for approximately four hours, or until the chicken is tender and cooked. Toward the end of the cooking process, blanch the broccoli florets and add to the crockpot. Stir them into the mixture and turn off the heat. For tips on blanching, check out our blanching how-to.

Spoon a healthy portion of the orange chicken and broccoli into a bowl with rice or quinoa, and top with some green onion slices and toasted sesame seeds to serve.

The brightness of this dish really does hit the spot on a winter night. Slow Cooker Orange Chicken With Broccoli reminds me of some takeout meals I’ve had, but with a kicked-up orange flavor and crisp broccoli. Give it a try and you may never order out again.