Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe

I’m sharing my Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken, a no-fuss weeknight recipe built on coconut milk, lime juice, peanut butter, ginger and garlic that lets you skip delivery.

I never meant to one-up takeout, but my Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken somehow does. There’s this rich, slightly nutty sauce that tastes way fancier than what you’d expect from a lazy weeknight.

The real trick is creamy peanut butter with a bright kick from grated fresh ginger, they make the flavors sing together. Sometimes it comes out so deep and weirdly complex I wonder if I missed a step, other times I mess up the timing and still everyone digs in.

If you like bold, simple food that makes you curious, this one will do it.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts provide lean protein, keep you full and soak up all the tasty sauce.
• Coconut milk gives creamy richness and healthy fats, makes the sauce silky and lush.
• Peanut butter adds protein, nutty flavor, healthy fat and makes the sauce rich.
• Lime juice brings bright acid and freshness, cuts through the coconut cream nicely.
• Soy sauce gives salt and umami, deepens flavor, watch the sodium if youre worried.
• Fresh ginger adds warm spicy notes and a little zip, not overpowering if used.
• Garlic brings a savory punch, a small amount goes a long way, really brightens.
• Sriracha or red pepper flakes add heat, use sparingly if you cant handle spice.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 3 large
• 1 (13.5 oz / 400 ml) can full fat coconut milk
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (smooth)
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce (optional but good)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar or 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or water to thin sauce
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons water for a slurry if you want thicker sauce
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil or neutral oil (optional)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts for garnish
• 2 to 3 green onions, thinly sliced for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
• Lime wedges for serving, optional

How to Make this

1. Prep stuff: grate the ginger, mince the garlic, juice the lime and open the coconut milk. If your coconut milk is thick chill chunked, scoop it into a bowl and whisk or microwave 20 seconds to loosen it so it mixes easy.

2. Make the sauce: in a medium bowl whisk together the coconut milk (use the whole 1
3.5 oz can), 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari, 1 to 2 tbsp fish sauce if using, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, 2 tbsp packed brown sugar or 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp grated ginger (or 1 tsp ground), 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 to 2 tsp sriracha or 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or water to thin if needed. Add 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil or neutral oil if you want. Taste before adding salt because the soy and fish sauce are salty.

3. Chicken into the slow cooker: place 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3 large) in the bottom of the slow cooker. If you want a little extra flavor and crust, quickly sear the breasts in a hot skillet 1 to 2 minutes per side then transfer to the cooker, but this is optional.

4. Pour sauce over the chicken, cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for
1.5 to
2.5 hours, until the chicken reaches 165 F and is very tender. Dont overcook or the chicken can dry out.

5. Shred the chicken: remove the breasts to a cutting board or bowl and shred with two forks. Skim any big fat blobs off the sauce if you want it cleaner. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to coat.

6. Thicken if needed: if you want a thicker sauce mix 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry, whisk it into the sauce and set the slow cooker to HIGH for 10 to 15 more minutes until it thickens. Alternative hack: scoop sauce into a small saucepan and simmer on the stove while whisking until it thickens.

7. Fix the flavor: taste and adjust with more lime juice, sriracha, brown sugar or a pinch of salt and black pepper until balanced. If the sauce split a bit, blitz with an immersion blender for 10 seconds and it will come back together.

8. Serve: spoon the Thai peanut chicken over steamed rice, rice noodles, or cauliflower rice. Garnish with 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts, 2 to 3 thinly sliced green onions, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and lime wedges for squeezing. Drizzle a little extra sesame oil if you like.

9. Storage tips: cool to room temp then refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently with a splash of coconut milk or broth to loosen the sauce, stir well so it doesnt separate.

Equipment Needed

1. Slow cooker or crockpot (3 to 6 qt) — for cooking the chicken until tender
2. Medium mixing bowl for whisking the sauce and holding the coconut milk
3. Whisk (or fork) to combine sauce and make the cornstarch slurry
4. Measuring cups and spoons for peanut butter, soy, lime juice, etc
5. Chef’s knife and cutting board to mince garlic, slice green onions and chop peanuts
6. Microplane or fine grater for fresh ginger
7. Can opener for the coconut milk can
8. Two forks (or tongs) to shred the chicken; ladle or slotted spoon to serve

Note: a skillet for quick searing and an immersion blender (to fix a split sauce) are handy but optional.

FAQ

Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Coconut milk: light coconut milk if you want less fat but same coconut flavor, evaporated milk for creaminess without the coconut taste (not vegan), or unsweetened almond milk plus 2 Tbsp coconut cream to mimic richness.
• Peanut butter (smooth): almond butter for similar texture and a milder taste, sunflower seed butter if you have a peanut allergy, or tahini for a sesame twist (add a little brown sugar or honey to cut bitterness).
• Soy sauce/tamari: coconut aminos for a gluten free, slightly sweeter swap, liquid aminos (Bragg) for similar salty umami, or low sodium Worcestershire in a pinch (use sparingly, flavor differs).
• Fish sauce: skip it and use extra soy sauce with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of sugar for umami, diluted miso paste for a vegetarian boost, or Worcestershire sauce for a similar savory note.

Pro Tips

1) Warm and loosen the coconut milk first. If it’s thick or chunked, microwave 15 to 20 seconds or whisk a bit with warm broth so the peanut butter blends smoothly. That little step stops clumps and makes a silkier sauce.

2) Prevent a split sauce by tempering the peanut butter. Stir a spoonful of the coconut mix into the peanut butter to loosen it before dumping it all in, and add acidic things like lime at the end so the sauce doesn’t break. If it still looks curdled, blitz 8 to 10 seconds with an immersion blender and it comes back together.

3) Don’t overcook the chicken. Cook until just tender then shred right away. Overcooked breasts get stringy and dry. If you want more forgiving meat, use boneless thighs or sear the breasts quickly first for flavor and a little crust.

4) Thicken smartly. A cornstarch slurry works fast but add it sparingly and give it a good simmer to activate. If you prefer no starch, remove some sauce and reduce it on the stove while stirring until it coats the back of a spoon. Peanut butter itself will also help thicken as it cools.

5) Finish for balance and texture. Taste before adding salt because soy and fish sauce add salt already. Brighten with extra lime, more heat with sriracha, and add roasted peanuts and green onions at the end for crunch and freshness. When reheating leftovers, add a splash of coconut milk or broth to loosen the sauce so it doesn’t separate.