Slow cooker chicken and orange is a delicious, easy recipe that requires only a few ingredients. The slow cooker does all the work for you, so there’s no need to be in the kitchen while your meal cooks.
This recipe can also be made with bone-in chicken breast meat instead of thighs, if desired
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup white wine (optional)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
- 1 tablespoon to coat the bottom of your slow cooker and another 2 tablespoons to brush over chicken before cooking
1 large onion, sliced into rings
- Slice the onion in half, then peel each half to remove the outer skin.
- Cut the onion into rings by slicing each half lengthwise and layering them on top of each other so that they form a circle shape with no gaps in between slices (as seen above).
- Chop off any excess pieces at either end if necessary so that your rings are all around equal sizes and thicknesses; this will help them cook evenly later on when you add them to your slow cooker chicken recipe!
3 cloves garlic, minced
- To mince garlic, finely chop it with a knife or pulse in a food processor.
- To zest an orange, use a microplane grater to remove only the outermost layer of skin. The white pith below will be bitter and unpleasant to eat.
- To juice an orange, cut off both ends of the fruit and cut it in half lengthwise. Squeeze each half over a bowl until you’ve collected all of its juices–you might need to repeat this process with several oranges!
2 tablespoons olive oil
Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats you can eat. It’s a good source of vitamin E and antioxidants, which can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Olive oil also contains monounsaturated fats, which are thought to help reduce the risk of heart disease.
1 teaspoon salt
Salt is a preservative, which means it helps to draw out moisture from food and keep it fresh longer. Salt also enhances flavor by bringing out the natural flavors in ingredients. It’s an important part of our diet because it helps regulate blood pressure, supports bone health and muscle function, boosts immunity against infections, and even keeps skin looking young (and not wrinkled!).
Salt isn’t just for savory dishes–it can be used in sweet recipes as well!
1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Salt and pepper are the only seasonings in this recipe. You can use any other spices you like, but I find that salt and pepper do a great job of adding flavor without overpowering the dish.
- The amount of salt you’ll want to add depends on your personal preference–I tend to go light on it since my husband is sensitive to sodium, but if you like things really salty (or if your family has no issues with sodium) feel free to add more!
Remember: always taste as you go along so that your dish turns out exactly how you want it!
4 chicken thighs (about 1 pound), skin removed and bone kept in for added flavor and juiciness. The bone won’t be in the finished product.
- 4 chicken thighs (about 1 pound), skin removed and bone kept in for added flavor and juiciness. The bone won’t be in the finished product.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter, melted
- 1/2 cup orange juice (or white wine)
Juice and zest of 2 oranges (about 3/4 cup orange juice)
- Juice and zest of 2 oranges (about 3/4 cup orange juice)
- Zest is the outermost part of the peel, which contains the essential oils that give oranges their flavor and aroma.
This meal is healthy and delicious.
This meal is healthy, easy to make and delicious. It’s also a great way to use up leftover chicken from other meals or even just plain fresh meat that you might have bought in bulk at a discount store.
This recipe calls for honey as one of its ingredients but you can substitute molasses if you want something less sweet or if you don’t have any on hand.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did! It’s a great way to make a healthy meal that tastes delicious.
