Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with General Tso's Sauce (one step)

This is a one step version of the previous Slow Cooker General Tso's Chicken recipe I posted a while back. The original recipe consisted of two steps.  After the slow cooking process, the chicken pieces were further pan fried to crisp the chicken breast to give that characteristic crunchiness of General Tso's chicken.  I decided to try to skip that second step in this version and find out if I will be happy with the results.  I would say I was.  Proof of how good it was, my granddaughter, Maddie, was very upset when her mom ate all what I shared with them last night.  I already knew she liked it when she ate this first at my house before I brought her home.  Picky Maddie ate it!  I am posting this recipe for her mom and all of you.

Maddie ready for her first day of gymnastic this fall.  

The sauce which is exactly like that of the original recipe except for the absence of cornstarch had the unmistakable General Tso's taste.  The only difference between the two recipes is I dredged the chicken thighs in the flour mixture hoping that the flour coating would envelop the chicken and also thicken the sauce. It actually barely did.  The liquid given off by the chicken during the cooking diluted the sauce.  If you have time you can transfer the slow cooked chicken in a saute pan and evaporate some of the liquid in the sauce to thicken it.  I did not.  The sauce is spot on and just as addicted, the texture was secondary to me.  My craving for this dish was satisfied,

This is a good alternative for the original recipe when you are in a hurry like I was but had to have the craving for that General Tso's sauce with your chicken satisfied conveniently.

Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with General Tso's Sauce (one step)

Based on Slow Cooker Healthier General Tso's Chicken

• 8 chicken thighs or legs or a mixture.
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder

General Tso's Sauce 

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp sugar or splenda
• 3 tbsp orange marmalade (I used sugar free)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp grated ginger

Combine the flour, salt, black pepper and garlic powder in a bowl.  Generously dredge the chicken thighs in the flour mixture. You can save the rest of the leftover flour mixture.  

In another bowl, mix the ingredients to make the sauce.

Place the floured chicken thighs in the slow cooker and add the sauce over it. Coat the thighs in the sauce.

Cook at high for 4 hours or at low setting for 8 hours.  I cooked mine in an Aroma brand rice cooker/slow cooker for 2 hours at slow cooker setting.  You can thicken further the sauce by in a saute pan if you like.

Serve over rice.