Description
This Crockpot Thai Peanut Chicken is a flavorful and easy slow cooker recipe featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich, creamy peanut and coconut sauce with Thai-inspired spices. Perfect for an effortless weeknight dinner, it delivers a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors that pair wonderfully with rice or noodles.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Sauce
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or chili garlic sauce (optional)
Vegetables and Garnish
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Chopped peanuts and lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Place the boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts at the bottom of the slow cooker, evenly spreading them out for consistent cooking.
- Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the canned coconut milk, natural peanut butter, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey or brown sugar, freshly grated ginger, minced garlic, lime juice, and optional sriracha until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Sauce and Vegetables: Pour the prepared peanut sauce evenly over the chicken. Then add the sliced red bell pepper on top of the chicken and sauce.
- Cook the Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 2.5 to 3 hours. Cook until the chicken is tender, fully cooked through, and easily shredded with a fork.
- Shred and Mix: Remove the chicken pieces and shred them directly in the slow cooker using two forks. Stir the shredded chicken back into the sauce thoroughly to combine.
- Serve: Serve the Thai peanut chicken over cooked jasmine rice or rice noodles. Garnish generously with chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges for extra flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a thicker sauce, remove the slow cooker lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking or stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water).
- This dish pairs perfectly with jasmine rice or rice noodles to soak up the delicious peanut sauce.
- Chicken thighs create juicier, more flavorful results, but boneless chicken breasts can be used for a leaner option.