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Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken

Slow cooker coconut curry chicken with tender chicken thighs simmered in a fragrant Thai-inspired coconut curry sauce. Cook low for 6–7 hours for fall-apart texture, then finish with peas and bright lime.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 21 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai-inspired
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Cut into chunks so they get very tender.
Coconut curry sauce
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 3 tbsp red curry paste
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 onion Dice for even distribution in the sauce.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger Grated.
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp turmeric
Vegetables & finishing
  • 1 red bell pepper Slice.
  • 1 cup frozen peas Add during the last 20 minutes of cooking.
  • 0.5 fresh Thai basil For topping, plus extra to taste.
  • 0.25 lime wedges Serve on the side.
  • 1 jasmine rice For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Load the slow cooker
  1. Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker as an even layer so they cook through uniformly.
Make the coconut curry sauce
  1. In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, red curry paste, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and turmeric until smooth.
Cook
  1. Pour the sauce over the chicken, then add the diced onion and sliced red bell pepper so everything is coated.
Low and slow until tender
  1. Cook on low for 6–7 hours (or high for 3 hours) until the chicken is very tender and the sauce looks thick and golden.
Finish with peas
  1. Stir in the frozen peas and cook for the last 20 minutes until bright green and heated through.
Adjust seasoning
  1. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce, lime juice, or brown sugar as needed until the flavors balance.
Serve
  1. Serve the coconut curry chicken over jasmine rice, topped with fresh Thai basil and lime wedges for squeezing.

Notes

Pro tip: cut chicken into even chunks so all pieces reach the same level of tenderness by the end of the cook time. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; reheat gently until steaming. Freezing is yes for up to 2 months, though peas may soften further after thawing. For a lower-sugar option, reduce the brown sugar by half and compensate with a little extra lime juice to keep the sauce bright.