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Easy Mandarin Orange Chicken Recipe

Name: Mandarin Orange Chicken Recipe for the Slow Cooker
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup mandarin orange juice (or regular orange juice); 3 tablespoons honey; 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce; 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, unseasoned; ¼ cup liquid aminos; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; ¼ teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper; 2 tablespoons cornstarch or about 2 teaspoons xantham gum

Ellen Christian

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Last Updated on October 10, 2022 by Ellen Christian

So, you’re going to love this Mandarin Orange Chicken recipe for the slow cooker! It’s not easy to find healthy meals that are easy and quick to prepare. This is an exception!

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In my pre-Paleo days, quick meant pizza or take out and neither of them was particularly healthy. But, this recipe is!

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Mandarin Orange Chicken Recipe

When we first found out Sarah was gluten intolerant, we made changes to how we ate. I switched to the Paleo diet and eliminated grains and dairy (along with other things) after I started having health issues. While these changes have certainly made us healthier, they’ve brought along some challenges in the kitchen. I lost most of my quick meal options because I couldn’t make them healthy easily.

You can toss this Mandarin orange chicken recipe in the slow cooker for busy days. It’s quite easy to make and is a family favorite. We love Chinese take out but it can get quite expensive. And, there’s the added concern about whether or not it contains MSG. This recipe has no MSG and tastes just as good as take-out.

Is Mandarin chicken the same as orange chicken?

It depends on the recipe you’re looking for. When you make orange chicken, you will batter dip and deep fry it. I don’t do a lot of deep fried recipes. So, this Mandarin chicken recipe is a nice alternative.

What is Mandarin sauce made of?

You can make Mandarin sauce with brown sugar or honey, orange juice, and soy sauce. You can use Mandarin orange juice or a part pineapple/part orange juice mixture.

Do they have orange chicken in China?

Orange chicken, Mandarin chicken, and General Tsao’s chicken are all Americanized versions of the Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken. They aren’t really like traditional Chinese cooking.

How was orange chicken invented?

The best I have been able to figure out, Panda Express invented orange chicken back in 1987. Now, it’s so popular that you can find it almost everywhere.

To keep the recipe close to Paleo, serve it without rice. If you are not Paleo, and simply want the recipe to be gluten-free (or not worried about either), you can serve it over a bed of Jasmin rice. Or, you can use traditional rice if that’s what you have.

This recipe is very similar to a Mandarin chicken stir fry since it isn’t batter-dipped and fried. But, it’s just as delicious. Finally, if you’re looking for fresh Mandarin orange recipes, you can always stir in a few slices of orange into the final dish before you serve it. You might want to learn how to make Mandarin orange marmalade.

If you enjoy Chinese food, try my shrimp in coconut milk sauce or why not try a Chinese New Year banquet. Or, try my Korean BBQ Stir Fry because it’s one of my favorites.

Finally, you might want to pick up chopsticks and fortune cookies to complete the experience.

So, do you need more quick suppers? Check out these. I always keep a few easy recipes on hand for busy nights. You can use the slow cooker to make almost anything. It’s one of my favorite small kitchen appliances.

Yield: 4

Mandarin Orange Chicken Recipe for the Slow Cooker

You're going to love this easy Mandarin Orange Chicken recipe with Clementines!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 4 hours

Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup mandarin orange juice (or regular orange juice)
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, unseasoned
¼ cup liquid aminos
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch or about 2 teaspoons xantham gum

Instructions

1. Coat the bottom of the slow cooker crock with olive oil. Add cubed chicken breasts.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice and all other seasonings EXCEPT the cornstarch (or xantham gum, if using). Pour over chicken and toss to coat.
3. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Remove about 2 tablespoons of the liquid and mix with cornstarch (or xantham gum, if using) to create a slurry. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. To speed up the process, you can remove the sauce from the slow cooker, place in a medium saucepan, and simmer over medium-high heat until thickened. Then, return to coat the chicken.
5. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onion, or dried orange zest, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

4 bowls
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 409Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1132mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 2gSugar: 29gProtein: 39g