Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
Easy slow cooker Thai peanut chicken recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Tender chicken breast cubes are covered in a sweet and spicy, smooth and creamy coconut milk and peanut butter sauce.
This is one of the best crockpot chicken meals! It is packed with flavor, tender chicken, and a sauce that is just perfect. The creamy peanut butter add a delicious decadence that is so mouth-watering. This Slow Cooker Orange Chicken and Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken are also excellent choices for a chicken based meal.
How To Make Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken recipe from scratch?
- Make sauce– Mix together the following the the crockpot: peanut butter, chicken broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger powder, salt, pepper, red chili flakes.
- Add chicken– Add mix until combined.
- Cover- And cook.
- Make it thick– Mix in cornstarch slurry and lime juice.
- Cook- Uncovered.
- Garnish– With green onions and peanuts.
Thai Peanut Sauce For Chicken
Combine the following ingredients into a smooth consistency:
- 1/2 cup Peanut butter, Creamy
- 1/2 cup Chicken broth, Low sodium
- 1/2 cup Coconut milk, Full fat
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce, Low sodium
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 1-2 tbsp Honey, Adjust according to your preference
- 2 tsp Sesame oil
- 3 cloves Garlic, Finely minced
- 1 tsp Ginger powder
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 1/2 tsp Red chili flakes
Can I Put Raw Chicken In My Slow Cooker?
Yes. It cooks long enough to be fully cooked in the end.
Do You Need To Add Liquid To Chicken in Slow Cooker?
No. You do not need any additional liquid other than what the recipe calls for which is 1/2 a cup of broth, and 1/2 a cup of coconut milk.
What Sides To Serve With Crockpot Peanut Butter Chicken?
It’s best served over rice:
- Steamed rice (jasmine, basmati, brown)
- Fried rice
- Garlic rice
- Butter rice
- Sesame rice
- Quinoa (healthier alternative to rice).
You can also serve it over pasta:
- Rice noodles
- Regular or whole wheat noodles
- Ramen noodles
- Egg noodles
- Zoodles (zucchini noodles) or even spaghetti squash (healthier alternatives to regular pasta)
Try vegetables on the side:
- Simple green salad
- Roasted vegetables
Variations for Peanut Butter Curry
Use other cuts of chicken– Such as chicken thighs or drumsticks. You can also use whole chicken breasts and shred them at the end.
Make is spicy– Add more sriracha sauce or more chili flakes.
Add vegetables– Frozen mixed vegetables are a great addition in the last 30 minutes. Sliced bell peppers are also a great option.
Coconut milk substitute– Use almond milk or heavy cream but please note that this will change the flavor.
Use another nut butter– Use cashew butter or sunflower butter if there is an allergy to peanuts. However, this will change the flavor.
Other garnish options– Try cilantro or fried garlic , sesame seeds or other types of nuts.
Honey substitute- Try maple syrup, agave or brown sugar.
Tips And Techniques
How to thicken peanut sauce? Adding the cornstarch slurry with thicken the sauce. If it is still too thin, cook uncovered until it thickens more.
How to make sauce thinner? Simply add more broth or coconut milk.
Cornstarch is optional– Don’t add too much because that makes the sauce “gelatinous.” Leaving it out will just make a thin sauce.
Don’t use frozen chicken- That’s because it releases more water and the sauce will be very thin and runny.
Use dissolved cornstarch– Because if you just sprinkle the cornstarch powder in the crockpot, it will create clumps in the sauce.
Adjust seasoning– Add more or less of whatever you prefer in the sauce.
Use low sodium broth– Because it prevents this meal from becoming too salty.
Lemon juice vs. Lime juice- Lime juice tastes the best with all the other flavors in this dish but if that’s unavailable, lemon juice is a good substitute.
Use full fat coconut milk- For maximum richness and creaminess.
Storage
Refrigerate– In a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Freeze– In a freezer safe container for up to 1 month.
Reheat– From thawed, reheat in the microwave or stovetop.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Slow Cooker Chicken Barley Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Pesto Pasta
Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Peanut butter, Creamy
- 1/2 cup Chicken broth, Low sodium
- 1/2 cup Coconut milk, Full fat
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce, Low sodium
- 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 1-2 tbsp Honey, Adjust according to your preference
- 2 tsp Sesame oil
- 3 cloves Garlic, Finely minced
- 1 tsp Ginger powder
- Salt, To taste
- Pepper, To taste
- 1/2 tsp Red chili flakes
- 2 pounds Chicken breast, Cut into small 1 inch cubes, Boneless
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch, Dissolved in 1 tbsp water, Optional
- 1-2 tbsp Lime juice, Adjust according to your preference
- 2 tbsp Green onions, Finely chopped, For garnish
- 1-2 tbsp Peanuts, Roasted, Roughly chopped, For garnish
Instructions
- Add chicken breast cubes and mix until fully coated in the peanut butter sauce.
- Cover and cook on Low heat for 4 hours or until chicken is cooked through.
- Mix in cornstarch slurry and lime juice.
- Cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
- Garnish with green onions and peanuts. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.