Our Slow Cooker Orange Chicken is a Healthier Takeout Option

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We’ll be the first to admit it: We LOVE Chinese takeout! It’s an easy option for busy weeknights, and it’s perfect for weekends, too. This mouthwatering cuisine is loaded with savory and zesty flavors that are sure to satisfy your cravings. While the ease of access and yummy taste is wonderful, there’s one problem: Most of the items on the takeout menu are loaded with sodium, saturated fats, and sometimes even trans fats! Obviously, this is no good if you’re trying to eat healthier. For this reason, we spent some time creating healthy and simple alternative options to takeout. This slow cooker orange chicken turned out to be one of our favorites!

Lower-Calorie Ingredients Full of the Flavors You Love

When you’re craving Chinese food, what are your taste buds asking for? Maybe something savory and salty? Tangy and sweet with a little bit of a kick? All of the above? If so, this is the recipe for you!

Many takeout recipes use dark meat chicken as a base. Dark meat chicken is not necessarily bad for you, but white meat chicken is the way to go if you’re watching your weight. Why? Because it contains less fat and fewer calories.

Our slow cooker orange chicken combines savory, white meat chicken with salty, light soy sauce. You can even swap in coconut aminos instead for a gluten-free, lower-sodium option! Orange juice, orange zest, and coconut sugar give the orange sauce its natural tangy sweetness, while the ginger and sriracha add a small punch of spiciness to the dish.

How to Make this Yummy Chinese Takeout Alternative

Start by scrambling one egg in a bowl. Place some flour in a separate bowl or plate and begin cutting your boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Dip each piece into the egg and then coat it evenly in the flour.

Add some canola or coconut oil to a heavy skillet, and turn the heat to medium-high. To test the oil to see if it’s hot enough, add a small pinch of flour to the oil. If it sizzles, it’s ready for your chicken! Now, you only want to cook the chicken until it’s golden brown on all sides. You don’t want to cook it all the way through in the pan because the slow cooker will finish cooking it for you! Once it’s golden, remove the chicken from the pan and place it onto a paper towel to drain off any of the excess oil.

Before you add the chicken to the slow cooker, you’ll want to make the orange sauce. Add all of the orange sauce ingredients to a mixing bowl, except for the green onions. Whisk the mixture until it’s evenly combined. Place the golden chicken pieces into the slow cooker and put the orange sauce on top, stirring lightly to coat the chicken. Turn the slow cooker on high for about two hours, or low for three to four hours. Once finished, add the chicken to a serving dish and garnish with the green onions!

Sides to Accompany Our Slow Cooker Orange Chicken

This slow cooker orange chicken is perfectly filling on its own. That said, we have quite a few healthy side dish options that pair wonderfully with these juicy and flavorful bites of chicken. You can serve it with a side of brown rice, or make any of these healthier takeout alternatives:

Chicken

1.5 pounds chicken breast filets, about 3 large filets boneless and skinless
2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup canola oil optional coconut oil
1 large egg beat with a fork

Orange Sauce

1 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/3 cup coconut sugar optional, molasses or maple syrup
3 tablespoons lite soy sauce optional, Tamari or coconut aminos
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon sriracha sauce optional, tabasco or red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
2 green onions thinly slice the green part and discard the white.
2 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Chicken

Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Dip in egg then roll in flour to coat pieces.
Add oil to a heavy skillet, turn to medium-high heat. Add a small pinch of flour to the oil. If it sizzles, it’s hot enough.
Cook just until to golden on all sides. Do not cook all the way through.
Remove skillet from heat and place chicken on a paper towel to drain off any excess oil.

Orange Sauce

Add all sauce ingredients to a mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.
Add chicken and sauce to a slow cooker. Cook on high 1.5-2 hours or low 3-4 hours.
Add to serving dish and garnish with green onions.

This dish is delicious served over brown rice or along side Cauliflower Stir-Fry.
Freshly squeezed orange juice was used in the recipe but it’s not required.
The orange sauce will continue to thicken while in the slow cooker.

SmartPoints (Freestyle): 14

Keywords Budget-Friendly, Slow Cooker

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What do you think? Are you going to try this yummy slow cooker orange chicken the next time you’re craving takeout? Be sure to share your thoughts with us in the comment section!

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Editor’s note: This post was originally published on December 8, 2013.

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Source by skinnyms.com