Description
This Crockpot Thai Peanut Chicken is a creamy, flavorful slow-cooked dish featuring tender chicken breasts or thighs simmered in a rich Thai-inspired peanut sauce made with coconut milk, natural peanut butter, and fresh aromatics. Perfectly balanced with a hint of sweetness and spice, it’s an easy, fuss-free meal that can be served over rice, noodles, or vegetables and garnished with crunchy peanuts and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup canned coconut milk (full fat)
- 1/3 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
For Garnish and Serving
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
- Chopped cilantro
- Green onions
- Lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, natural peanut butter, low-sodium soy sauce, honey or brown sugar, rice vinegar, lime juice, minced fresh ginger, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add Chicken and Sauce to Crockpot: Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of the crockpot. Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the chicken, ensuring that each piece is coated evenly with the sauce.
- Cook the Chicken: Cover the crockpot and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours or on high heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The chicken should be tender and fully cooked through at the end of this time.
- Shred or Slice Chicken: Once cooked, remove the chicken from the crockpot. Shred it using two forks or slice it into pieces, according to your preference.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the shredded or sliced chicken to the crockpot and stir to coat it thoroughly in the peanut sauce.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the Thai Peanut Chicken over jasmine rice, rice noodles, or steamed vegetables. Garnish with chopped peanuts, fresh chopped cilantro, green onions, and lime wedges if desired for added flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a thicker sauce, remove the crockpot lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking or stir in a cornstarch slurry made by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water.
- To make this dish spicier, increase the crushed red pepper flakes or add a dash of sriracha sauce to the peanut sauce.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with jasmine rice or rice noodles to soak up the delicious peanut sauce.
- Use tamari instead of soy sauce to make this dish gluten-free.
- This recipe is dairy-free by default, using coconut milk instead of dairy cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours (low) or 3 hours (high)
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Thai-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
