Make it Now: Slow-Cooker Beer-Orange Chicken

I’ve been on a bit of a chicken strike for a while, and I have my dad to blame. You see, my dad knows how to make really delicious home-cooked meals, from chili and burgers to pulled pork and soup. But he also knows how to run a dish right into the ground by making it over and over and over again. I’m pretty sure my childhood consisted solely of meat and cheese sandwiches on white bread with yellow mustard, and I have a very clear memory of one summer that was entirely (involuntarily) dedicated to grilled chicken.

So while I’ve completely sworn off white bread sandwiches, I am slowly warming up to the idea of chicken again, and that’s thanks in part to this delicious Slow-Cooker Beer-Orange Chicken. Not only do I love it because it’s made in the slow cooker (easy chicken dinner for the win!), but the flavors of beer and orange marinating together just work so well. Add some simple seasonings and in a few hours, you’ll have a chicken dish perfect for a family meal any night of the week.

To start, round up the ingredients. For this chicken dish, you’ll need about 2 1/2 to 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, plus one bottle of beer, a can of frozen orange juice concentrate, minced garlic, poultry seasoning and salt. That’s it!

Combine the beer, orange juice and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker, and then place the chicken thighs on top in a single layer. Sprinkle the chicken with poultry seasoning and salt, then cover and cook on low heat for about 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.

That’s all there is to it! I like to serve this with chopped fresh parsley on top and orange slices on the side for squeezing extra orange flavor on top of the chicken.

It’s delicious with rice, or with steamed veggies on the side for a healthy and flavorful meal. It’s my new summer weeknight go-to!