January is cold, dreary and kinda blah, especially after the holiday season. But, this slow cooker orange ginger chicken is sure to add a bit of brightness and zest to these chilly winter days.
Anyway, I love this recipe! It’s fresh, zesty and a little spicy too. And, obviously, the slow cooker does the bulk of the work, so it’s super easy as well.
First, I sear the chicken and then toss it in the slow cooker with a mixture of fresh orange juice, chicken broth, coconut aminos, orange zest, fresh ginger, ground ginger, raw honey, ground turmeric, sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Once done, it’s incredibly tender and shreds effortlessly. No dry chicken either!
I’ve made this recipe with just chicken breasts, and also a mix of chicken breasts and thighs. Honestly, it’s good both ways. However, I did not need to thicken the mixture after cooking when using only chicken breasts, but did thicken it when using a combo of white and dark meat. So, know that the outcome can vary slightly, but is easy to work with either way.
Interested in other slow cooker chicken recipes? Check out my honey lemon chicken and apricot chicken.
Lastly, catch me making this recipe on Portland’s KATU Afternoon Live next Wednesday, January 22 between 2-3pm PST. Stream it live HERE.
Cheers and enjoy!
This slow cooker orange ginger chicken is packed with bright and fresh flavors, and a bit of spice too. Serve alongside your favorite veggies for a healthy and complete meal.
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 2 – 2.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, or a mix of boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs
- 3/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice, plus extra, if needed
- 1/2 cup good-quality chicken broth, plus extra, if needed
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 2 Tbsp raw honey
- 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 heaping Tbsp fresh-grated orange zest
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch, if needed
- 1 Tbsp cold filtered water, if needed
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish, optional
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Add coconut oil to a large pan over medium heat. Season the chicken with sea salt and black pepper to taste and then *sear in pan for 3 minutes each side (may need to do in batches depending on the size of your pan). Remove from pan and place in bottom of the slow cooker.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange juice, chicken broth, coconut aminos, raw honey, orange zest, garlic, ginger, turmeric, red pepper flakes (if using), and sea salt and black pepper to taste. Pour mixture over chicken and cover with lid. Cook on low for about 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
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Once done, shred chicken with two forks. Taste and adjust flavor, as desired. If too much liquid has been absorbed, add a bit more broth and/or orange juice. If mixture is really juicy/liquidy and you want to thicken it up, whisk together 1 Tbsp of arrowroot starch with 1 Tbsp of cold filtered water. Stir into chicken and let cook 5-10 minutes more.
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Serve and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.
*If you’re pressed for time or don’t want to fuss with searing the chicken, you can skip this step and place the raw seasoned chicken directly into the slow cooker. If you do so, omit coconut oil from the recipe as well.
I recommend serving this chicken with sautéed broccoli and roasted sweet potato or cauliflower rice.
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