I don’t know what it is, but orange chicken is one of those dishes that I dream about eating. It’s my go-to order at our favorite Chinese food restaurant, and even though there are so many other tempting choices on the menu, I choose the same almost every time. Many of our favorite take out items are easily done at home too, and don’t require fancy equipment or a culinary degree to execute. One piece of kitchen equipment that always serves us well is the slow cooker. Now I’m using it to take one of my favorite take-out-fast-food items and turn it into a slow cooked meal that everyone will love. Tender chicken bathed in a sweet orange glaze, served with steamed broccoli or over top a bowl of rice is just as easy to order in as it is to make in my own kitchen. Here’s how.

Dice boneless, skinless chicken breast into 1-inch chunks and toss them into the slow cooker (don’t forget to use a little cooking spray to prevent sticking). A little salt and pepper on the chicken sets the wheels in motion. A couple of hours in the slow cooker and that chicken is super tender, and ready for a few extra ingredients, like soy sauce, barbecue sauce, and orange marmalade. These last two help to coat the chicken in sweet deliciousness. I love how easy and fresh this tastes, and the tempting aroma of this brewing away in the slow cooker makes my tummy rumble with anticipation.

I like to serve this with rice or steamed broccoli, with thinly sliced green onion for garnish. Then I’ll grab a fork (or chopsticks, if handy) and dig into a sweet and savory meal. I like going out to eat because it means less work for me, but when using the slow cooker, there really isn’t much to clean up. Very little hands on time is required here, and the end result is a sweet and savory meal that everyone loves. Why call for delivery? When good food made with simple ingredients comes out of the kitchen and onto the dinner table, everyone wins!