This 5-Ingredient Crockpot Orange Chicken is simple and makes an easy weeknight dinner! Great for overwhelmed people!

There are weeks when I just need some easy recipes. Ones that don’t need a lot of ingredients, that my brain can actually handle on the days I’m fried.

My slow cooker is my best friend, too! I like being able to throw in some ingredients and have dinner ready a few hours later.

This Slow Cooker Orange Chicken is an easy dinner idea! It has simple sauce ingredients and uses pre-cooked chicken to make the cooking time even faster. Scroll to the bottom of the post to get to the recipe card, or keep reading for more tips and tricks!

Can this be made with raw chicken?

Absolutely! When I buy marked-down boneless skinless chicken breasts, I usually cook, shred, and freeze right away. But you can definitely use raw chicken instead for slow cooker recipes, including soup.

Just slice the chicken into small even chunks and cook a little longer- 6-7 hours as opposed to the 3-4 for the cooked chicken.

Can you meal prep this ahead of time?

Absolutely! Slow cooker meals are a great way to meal prep food for the week.

This will stay good in the fridge for 3-5 days. Make it on a Sunday afternoon and eat it for lunch a few days that next week. Or have it for dinner if you have a busy night scheduled.

A little bit of prep goes a long way!

Ingredient list

Chicken (Chicken breasts or chicken thighs work just fine)

Orange marmalade

Barbecue sauce

Soy sauce (I use a low sodium soy sauce, but you can use regular)

Stir fry veggies

Extra additions

I use 5 simple ingredients to help with overwhelm. But you can add so many other ingredients to mix things up!

• Green onions
• Sesame seeds
• Fresh vegetables (Red peppers, onion, broccoli, etc.)
• A teaspoon of red pepper flakes- adds a little zip!
• Orange chicken sauce: I know you can find store-bought sauces! I used a sweet orange marmalade, but I’ve heard orange juice can be used too.

Other helpful tips

• This does not make a ton of sauce! If you like your meals a bit more saucy, use one cup each of the orange marmalade and BBQ sauce. I’m definitely doing this next time.
• A cooked rotisserie chicken is an easy and fast way to get already-cooked chicken! You can find them in the deli section of most grocery stores.
• Slow cooking vegetables tends to make them super soft. If you want them slightly firmer, you can steam them separately right before serving.

How to make

In a medium bowl, combine the orange marmalade, BBQ sauce, and soy sauce.

Place the chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the sauce over top, then add the bag of stir fry vegetables.

Cook on LOW for 4-5 hours until heated through. Divide into 4 bowls and serve with your favorite additions.

What to serve with this

I typically cook rice in my rice cooker as a side item. I’ve used Jasmine rice, white rice, and brown rice before; and they all taste great with this.

If you can find lo mein noodles or make your own, that would be another fun option!

How to store

Once the leftover chicken has cooled to room temperature, store in an individual airtight container with the rice (If using) and keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

More 5-ingredient meal ideas

Want more meals with basic ingredients for those busy weeknights? Check out my Master Post for a huge list of ideas!

This crock pot recipe is an easy way to make Chinese food on busy weeknights! Print the recipe now: