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.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Slow Cooker Foodie
This is one of the best crockpot meals! It is packed with flavor, tender chicken pieces, and a sauce that is just perfect. The creamy peanut butter adds a delicious decadence that is so mouth-watering. This Slow Cooker Orange Chicken and Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken are also excellent choices for a weekday meal.
Jump to:
Key ingredients
- Peanut butter- This should be creamy and not the chunky kind.
- Broth- Make sure it's low sodium.
- Coconut milk- This should be full fat.
- Soy sauce- Again, make sure it's low sodium.
- Sriracha sauce and red chili flakes- These add a lovely Asian spicy flavor.
- Vinegar- Adds some acidity to the final dish.
- Honey- Balances the spice factor.
- Sesame oil- Adds a wonderful nutty aromatic flavor.
- Garlic- I recommend fresh instead of powder.
- Ginger- Not everyone has fresh in their pantry so powder can be used.
- Chicken- This should be boneless breast meat, cut into small 1 inch cubes.
- Cornstarch- Makes the sauce thick.
- Green onions- These should be thinly sliced and make the best garnish for this meal.
- Peanuts- Use them as a topping for some crunch.
Variations
- 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.
How to make easy slow cooker Thai peanut chicken recipe from scratch?
1. Add sauce ingredients in slow cooker- This includes peanut butter, chicken broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger powder, salt, pepper, red chili flakes.
2. Mix- Until smooth.
3. Add chicken- And mix until combined.
4. Cover- And cook
5. Make it thick- Mix in cornstarch slurry and lime juice and cook uncovered for a few minutes.
6. Garnish- With green onions and peanuts.
How to make Thai peanut sauce?
Combine the following ingredients into a smooth consistency: ½ cup peanut butter, ½ cup chicken broth, ½ cup coconut milk, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sriracha sauce, 2 tbsp vinegar 1-2 tbsp honey, 2 tsp sesame oil, 3 cloves finely minced garlic, 1 tsp ginger powder, salt to taste, pepper to taste, ½ tsp red chili flakes.
What sides to serve with crockpot peanut butter chicken?
- It’s best served over rice such as steamed rice (jasmine, basmati, brown), fried rice, garlic rice, butter rice, sesame rice and even quinoa (healthier alternative to rice).
- You can also serve it over pasta. Try it with rice noodles, regular or whole wheat noodles, ramen noodles, egg noodles zoodles (zucchini noodles) or even spaghetti squash (healthier alternatives to regular pasta).
- Add vegetables on the side such as a simple green salad or roasted vegetables.
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 sealed freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
- Reheat- In the microwave or stovetop. If using a stovetop, be sure to use a nonstick pot or pan to prevent sticking and burning.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. To enhance the flavor, liquids such as broth or coconut milk should be added. This also adds moisture to the chicken.
Yes. Crockpots are designed to cook raw meat safely. The heat from the pot and the long cooking time as well as the steam works very well to make the meat tender and fully cooked. If you are still concerned, use a thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reads 165°F at the end.
More slow cooker chicken meals
- Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
- Slow Cooker Chicken Barley Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Pesto Pasta
Recipe
Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
Video
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Slow Cooker Foodie
Ingredients
- ½ cup Peanut butter Creamy
- ½ cup Chicken broth Low sodium
- ½ cup Coconut milk Full fat
- 3 tablespoon Soy sauce Low sodium
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
- 2 tablespoon Vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoon Honey Adjust according to your preference
- 2 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 3 cloves Garlic Finely minced
- 1 teaspoon Ginger powder
- Salt To taste
- Pepper To taste
- ½ teaspoon Red chili flakes
- 2 pounds Chicken breast Cut into small 1 inch cubes, Boneless
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch Dissolved in 1 tablespoon water, Optional
- 1-2 tablespoon Lime juice Adjust according to your preference
- 2 tablespoon Green onions Finely chopped, For garnish
- 1-2 tablespoon 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
- Adjust the amount of sriracha sauce and red chili flakes, based on your spice preference.
- Use low sodium ingredients to keep the meal from becoming too salty.
- Use creamy peanut butter instead of the chinky one for a smoother sauce.
- Use full fat coconut milk for maximum creaminess.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Leave a Reply