Chili-Orange Chicken Recipe -slow cooker (Woman's Day Month of Menus)

I have to be honest here, I almost gave up today.  I bought enchilada sauce way back when I went grocery shopping.  I set it aside for the day I would make this recipe.
Well, I was going to a work event to have some nice socializing with co-workers, and decided today would be the perfect day for a slow cooker recipe.  I looked everywhere and just could not find the enchilada sauce.  I was seriously frustrated and decided I just wasn't going to do it.  I was tired of cooking, I was tired of just everything and I just wanted to go out and have fun.  Very mature, right?
Well, I got all my stuff ready to go, packed the baby in the car and got halfway down the block.  I don't know why, but I just felt bad and so I turned around, unpacked the baby, went back in the house, and got everything ready, replacing the enchilada sauce with salsa.

I think it was a turning point for me.  But I feel good about it now.  I decided to do something, and I stuck to it, even though it was very difficult to do!

So anyway, here it is:

Chili-Orange Chicken

• Active Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 6 minutes

Recipe Ingredients

3/4 cup mild enchilada sauce 1/4 cup barbecue sauce (we used Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Chipotle) 1 Tbsp salt-free chili powder 1 tsp ground cumin 4 bone-in chicken breasts (about 2 3/4 lb), skin removed, or 8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 1/2 lb), skin removed 3 Tbsp orange marmalade 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 2 tsp grated orange zest

Recipe Preparation

1. Mix enchilada sauce and barbecue sauce in a 6-qt or larger slow cooker.

2. Mix chili powder and cumin in a small cup. Rub all over chicken. Put chicken in slow cooker and turn to coat with sauce.

3. Cover and cook on high 3 to 4 hours or on low 5 to 7 hours until chicken is cooked through.

4. Turn off cooker. Remove chicken to a serving platter. Stir marmalade into sauce until blended. Stir in cilantro and orange zest, then pour over chicken.


My Experience:
The Process-
Well, getting started on the process, as I mentioned, was definitely a challenge.  But this slow cooker recipe was true to how I feel crock pot recipes should be.  Simple, easy, minimal preparation.  One thing I was sad about was that the chicken shrunk significantly, but I should have known that since it always happens to me.

The Result- 
This food was really, very good!  I never would have thought barbecue sauce with enchilada sauce (salsa), and oranges would taste good.  But it was, really good!  I used the remaining sauce on the rice and thoroughly enjoyed dinner.
My husband also thought it was very good, and today was the first day we had no leftovers ;)

Five stars!  Easy, delicious, and surprising.