Description
This Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken recipe is an easy, flavorful dish featuring tender shredded chicken cooked in a creamy, spicy peanut sauce. Perfect for a hassle-free weeknight dinner, it combines classic Thai flavors of coconut milk, peanut butter, lime, and spices for a tasty, comforting meal that can be served over rice, noodles, or lettuce leaves.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Peanut Sauce
- 1 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup unsweetened natural peanut butter (crunchy or creamy)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
Garnish and Serving
- Chopped peanuts, for garnish
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Cooked rice, rice noodles, or large lettuce leaves for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Chicken: Arrange the chicken breasts in a large slow cooker. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until the chicken is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into chunks and shred with two forks. Drain the liquid from the slow cooker and wipe it out clean. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
- Prepare the Peanut Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, natural peanut butter, minced garlic, honey, low-sodium soy sauce, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine and Cook: Pour the prepared peanut sauce over the shredded chicken in the slow cooker. Stir well to coat all the chicken pieces evenly with the sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring halfway through, until the sauce has thickened and everything is heated through.
- Serve: Serve the peanut chicken hot over cooked white or brown rice, rice noodles, or inside large lettuce leaves for a low-carb option. Garnish with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and extra crushed red pepper flakes if desired for added heat and texture.
Notes
- You can use crunchy or creamy peanut butter based on your preference for texture.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to suit your desired spice level.
- For a lower calorie option, serve with lettuce leaves instead of rice or noodles.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and taste great reheated.
- Fish sauce can be omitted or substituted with soy sauce for a vegetarian variation.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 to 7 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 630mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: slow cooker chicken, Thai peanut chicken, peanut sauce chicken, easy Thai recipes, crockpot chicken, healthy chicken dinner
