Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken is an easy weeknight dinner with the flavors of Thailand. Quick prep, easy cleanup. Try this today!
This Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken is the perfect blend of classic Thai flavors and brings the tastes of Southeast Asia directly to your table in an easy weeknight meal. If you love these flavors but don’t have a slow cooker, try my Sheet Pan Peanut Chicken and Vegetables and Baked Thai Peanut Chicken instead!
Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe
Inspired by the classic dish from Thailand, this take on Thai Peanut Chicken uses the same simple ingredients as the original sauce but cooks it hands off in a slow cooker. The result is tender, juicy chicken breasts smothered in that addicting creamy Thai peanut sauce. Plus there’s only one dish to clean up. It’s such an easy way to make peanut chicken, you may never cook it any other way again!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk , about a half a can
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ginger , peeled and minced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 chicken breasts , boneless and skinless
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch , mixed with 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Optional garnishes:
- chopped peanuts, cilantro, or green onions
Instructions
- To a 6 qt slow cooker, add the coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, and stir until combined.
- Cut the chicken breasts into one inch chunks and add to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
- Add the lime juice and cornstarch/water mixture to the slow cooker and stir carefully.
- Cook for an additional 20 minutes until sauce is thickened.
- Garnish with desired toppings like chopped peanuts, cilantro or green onions (or all three!).
Nutrition
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Table of contents
About this Recipe
Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken is one of my favorite dishes to make because I know everyone loves that addicting, delicious sauce over the tender, flavorful chicken. And I love it because it’s easy to turn into a full meal with simple sides. I start the chicken in the slow cooker like normal. When I am about half an hour away from dinner, I throw some lightly seasoned veggies in the oven to roast. And I make some rice in a rice cooker but with a twist.
Now, the recipe intentionally calls for only half a can of coconut milk because I like to use the leftover coconut milk in my rice to make it a bit fancier. I cook the rice as you would any regular rice, but replace some of the water with the rest of the coconut milk and usually whatever lime juice is left in the lime we are using in the recipe. Everything finishes cooking in the last half hour of the chicken cooking time for an easy delicious, healthy dinner that I know everyone is going to gobble up!
Ingredients
- Base: 1 Cup Coconut Milk and ⅓ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter form the base of this amazing sauce. You can use crunchy peanut butter if you’d like.
- Chicken: The 3 Chicken Breasts are boneless and skinless, but don’t have to be. Chicken thighs can be used for an even juicier result.
- Seasonings: 2 Tablespoons Low-Sodium Soy Sauce can be switched with equal parts tamari or coconut aminos. 2 Tablespoons Honey adds a light touch of sweetness. 1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar adds a touch of acidity that brightens the dish; apple cider vinegar is a good substitute.
- Aromatics: 1 Tablespoon Ginger and the 3 Cloves Garlic are critical to the dish. Use fresh if possible for the best taste. The premade paste also works well but is milder in flavor.
- Slurry: 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch mixed with 2 Tablespoons Water is used to thicken the sauce.
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice: Adds a fresh, tangy finish to the dish. You can squeeze extra lime on top or on a side of rice.
- Optional Garnishes: Chopped peanuts, cilantro, or green onions add a more authentic and fresh flavor and are all highly recommended.
Can This Be Made Ahead?
Yes! You can cut up the chicken and add the ingredients into a large ziplock bag/bowl the night before if you’d like then you can just put it in the slow cooker in the morning.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Using Low-Sodium Soy Sauce: I find regular soy sauce much too salty, remember you can always add salt but you can’t subtract it. Starting with low sodium allows you to alter to your tastes if necessary.
- Choosing Coconut Milk: I stick to the full fat for the thickness and creaminess in the dish, if you want to stick to a lower fat alternative you may want to cook this on the stovetop as it may break the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Using Chicken Thighs: Using chicken thighs can keep the chicken moist and allow for you to cook it longer (7-8 hours on low) if you will be away all day. I recommend boneless skinless thighs for this since the skin would add a lot of rendered fat to the sauce.
- Substituting Garlic and Ginger: There are some pre-made garlic and ginger pastes on the market that you can keep on hand if you find that you don’t want to have to keep fresh ginger and garlic in your kitchen.
Serving Ideas
- Rice and Noodles: Serve with plain Jasmine rice or coconut rice that both soak up the delicious sauce. You can also make your own Thai-style noodles with recipes like Easy Thai Green Curry Noodles or Pad Thai.
- Vegetable Sides: Steamed broccoli, sauteed bok choy, or a Cold Thai Noodle Salad to add some fresh goodness. You can also pair it with roasted vegetables like garlic and ginger carrots to go with the Asian flavors.
How to Store
- Storing: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in a microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat. Add a splash of coconut milk or water if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Freezing: Place cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container or bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Leave some room at the top to allow for expansion.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Stovetop: You can easily make this dish on your stovetop or in your oven as well. Add the ingredients to a Dutch oven and cook in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or on your stovetop (covered) on medium heat for 20-25 minutes.
- Instant Pot: Start by using the sauté function to sear the chicken until brown – this is optional. Once browned, add all the ingredients to the pot, except the coconut milk. Make sure the chicken is fully submerged in the sauce. Seal the lid, set to high pressure, and cook for 10 minutes. Allow a natural release for 10 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure. Stir the coconut milk, cornstarch slurry, and lime juice, and let it thicken for about 5 minutes. Then garnish and serve. Note: be sure you’re using full-fat coconut milk so that it doesn’t curdle in the heat.
Frequent Questions
The sauce may curdle if the coconut milk is exposed to high heat for too long or if it’s a low-fat kind which is why I like to use the full-fat variety. To prevent curdling, use full-fat coconut milk in the slow cooker.
Technically yes. Almond butter or cashew butter can be used as substitutes. Just note that it will slightly alter the flavor.
Variations
- Spicy Thai Peanut Chicken: You can add a tablespoon of red curry paste or Sriracha to the sauce for a spicy kick.
- Vegetarian Thai Peanut Stir-Fry: You can substitute the chicken with extra firm tofu. Add 1 cup of a variety of vegetables like bell peppers, carrots, and/or snap peas. Reduce the cooking time to 2 hours on low to prevent the vegetables and tofu from becoming too soft.
Related Recipes
More Delicious Thai Peanut Chicken Recipes
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
Smelled amazing, but wasn’t too crazy about how it turned out…
Same as Elizabeth. Smelled and looked amazing, but was missing something. I make another more simple peanut butter sauce we like better!
This sounds delicious, but What are the macros (nutritional information)?
Thank you. I’ve edited the recipe card to show the macros. 🙂
When using thighs and browning first, do i then cut into chunks before i put in crock? I plan to double the recipe so also wonder if I should adjust the time in the crock pot? Thank you.
Yes, brown the chicken and then cut into chunks to put into the slow cooker. You may need to add another hour of cook time if you plan on doubling it. I would check it after 5 hours and see if more time is needed or not.
We loved this recipe! Made it exactly as written. Don’t pass on the cilantro! If you like more spice you can add cayenne or your favorite, but the flavor is perfect. Can’t wait to make again!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sarah!
When cooking in the oven do you cover the Dutch oven?
Yes 🙂
This looks delicious. One question, I usually cook cabbage, peppers, and some other veggies in my pad Thai when I cook it on the stove top and serve with rice noodles. Should I add the vegetables into the slow cooker with the chicken or cook separately?
Thanks!
I would cook them separately and add them in at the end. 🙂
This was soooo good! I made it in my pressure cooker and had dinner in less than 40 mins! I just made the sauce and poured it over my frozen chicken breasts and served over jasmine rice. Will definitely become a regular in our house!
Thanks for the suggestion about using your pressure cooker! So glad you enjoyed it!
Really tasty recipe. Made it in the slow cooker using chicken thighs instead of breast. Delicious!
This was quite tasty. I think the next time I will use chicken thighs and brown them a bit first to add to the flavour. This recipe is a keeper for sure.
Thank you for a great recipe! I made this in my Instant Pot with first the saute feature, then the crock pot setting. My family love it, and your garlic ginger carrots, too. I passed the recipe along to my friends on FB. Best wishes to you and your family.
Jane
You’re welcome Jane!
Just made this dish for the first time for dinner. My roommates and I did a taste test and we absolutely loved it! Made it with the chicken thighs which I definitely think was the right call. Since I used the low sodium soy sauce, they did suggest adding a bit more salt to it (low sodium soy sauce is definitely the way to go and then add salt to taste). Next time I may add a bit more lime juice since the peanut butter was a bit overpowering and maybe add bean sprouts to the mix. Also loved the idea of adding the rest of the coconut milk with water for the rice! It was a nice addition of flavor and texture and it didn’t leave any waste! Will definitely make again!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it!
I can hardly wait to try this and several more of your recipes!!!!!
I have kidney disease and these recipes are just what I needed to find today!
Chicken is a big favorite and I love Thai food.
I’m not a great cook, but your recipes make me want to do more.
So, so, glad I found your page today. My meals will be far more nutritious now!
Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Thanks, Mary! I always love to hear when my recipes help people get more adventurous with their cooking!
Hello! This looks delicious and I will making it this week. How many chicken thighs do you think equate three breasts? Six? Thank you
I would recommend 6 skinless thighs. Enjoy!
Sorry I meant to come back earlier and tell you how much the whole family enjoyed this! Making again next week
Awesome! So happy to hear it!
Are the calories listed somewhere?
Sorry I don’t have the nutritional facts for recipes on the site but I know there are a lot of free resources on the internet from when I’ve cooked for clients with low calorie diets.
You can always plug into myfitnesspal and it will calculate calories!
How many calories are there per serving?
Sorry I don’t have the nutritional facts for recipes on the site but I know there are a lot of free resources on the internet from when I’ve cooked for clients with low calorie diets.
My family loved this recipe.
I had the recipe for 2 lbs. of chicken, and I cooked on low for 4 hours, however, that was an hour too long. I made it exactly to the recipe and added about a teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a little heat. When I make again, I will reduce the amount of cornstarch and be sure you check the slow cooker at 3 hours on low, mine was close to burning. Try this recipe and make the adjustments to the recipe according to your tastes. Will definitely make this again.
I served it over Jasmine rice, yummmmmm!
Made it today for the first time – really yummy and absolutely zero effort. I didn’t need to thicken the sauce but feel I need some crushed peanuts to top next time just to add to the texture. A great recipe, thanks!
Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you enjoyed it!
What can I use in place of rice viniger?
You can substitute using cider vinegar. 🙂
My family loved this. I doubled the sauce and served it up in a bowl with jasmine rice. Topped it with Thai basil, siracha, and peanuts. Will definitely make again!
Yay!! Thanks for letting me know how much you all enjoyed it!
Can i cook on low for 7 hours with chicken breast?
I’d be afraid they would dry out being cooked that long.
Would this recipe work using frozen chicken breast strips in the crockpot?
You want to make sure that the chicken is thawed out before putting it in the crockpot otherwise it will release too much water while cooking and make everything very “soupy”. Sorry
Amazing recipe even my stubborn 3 yr old was tucking in now become a family favourite I add fresh chilli to husbands as he likes spice thank you looking forward to trying other recipes
Fantastic! I love hearing that the whole family enjoyed it!
Sweetened coconut milk? I tried with unsweetened and the taste was great but ‘dry’.
I’m thinking if it was dry it was from the chicken. Try using chicken thighs next time and see it that’s better for you.
Sounds so good. Do you think it would be good with cashew butter & cashews?
I haven’t tested it before but it should ok. If you decide to try it, I’d love to know how it turned out!
I added a sriracha to this to give it a little hint of spice and it really gave it a nice kick. I absolutely love this recipe
Such a great idea for a kick of flavor! So glad you enjoyed it!
This looks delicious and I’m going to make this week. Question – would it be okay to throw in 3 frozen chicken breasts into the crockpot? I know the outcome will be more of a shredded chicken, but wanted to make sure all of the timing would still be the same. Thank you!
I really don’t prefer to put frozen chicken in because it produces too much water during the cooking process and everything becomes more “soupy”. If you know that going in, you can definitely give it a try. Good luck!
Really great recipe, excellent flavour. Quantities were perfect for my 3 quart (3.5 litre) slow cooker – if I tried to cook it in the big 6-quart it would not have filled it enough, and it would have burned. This is probably the problem some have been having.
Very easy and quick to do, very flexible for substitutions (couldn’t get lime juice so had to use lemon, couldn’t get rice wine vinegar so used apple cider vinegar – turned out fine), perfect consistency, everyone loved it, will definitely do it again. Thanks for this recipe!
My daughter is a vegetarian. Thoughts on substituting tofu for the chicken?
Yes, you can certainly use tofu but I would recommend ensuring it was extra firm for this recipe. Enjoy!
So if I use the boneless thighs, like your suggestion, I should set my slow cooker to 7 hours? Just to clarify, as I want to start it before I go to work all day.
Looks amazing, can’t wait to try it!
Yes, boneless skinless thighs would work on a low setting for 7-8 hours in the slow cooker. I hope you enjoy it!
I used 3 lbs of boneless skinless thighs and it was done at 4 hours. Very yummy!
DO you have any suggestions on how to add veggies to this?
You can move the chicken over to the side and add in some sliced and peeled carrots 2 hours before it is done. In the last half hour you could add broccoli to the top (don’t mix).
This recipe has DELICIOUS flavor. I just made it. My only note (which I assume is because I live at elevation) is that this was past ready at 3 hours. I came to check on it and it obviously had started drying up (I did have my Crockpot on Low) and I didn’t need to use the cornstarch to thicken it – I added a few tablespoons of boiling water to perk it back up (chicken was still tender). So I just wanted to make this note for people who live at elevation 🙂 Check at two hours! Thanks for the delicious recipe! My whole house smells heavenly.
Thanks for the info Anna! Also glad you enjoyed it!
I’d love to make this as it sounds absolutely gorgeous, however I would have to use skinless boneless chicken thighs as my family aren’t keen on the breast, what weight/ number of thighs would you suggest? Thanks in advance.
P.S Has anyone done this in an electric pressure cooker? I’d love to know what setting/ time you used and how it turned out!
It can really vary but my chicken breasts were about 6-8 oz each so I used about 1.5-2 pounds in this recipe. I hope you enjoy!
Can I double this recipe in my slow cooker? Will that impact time at all?
You could totally double this recipe and wouldn’t need to adjust a thing. Enjoy!
3 halves of whole chicken breasts? thank u! 🙂
You’ll want to use 3 chicken breasts for this recipe. Enjoy!
3 halves or whole chicken breasts? here’s what i mean by 3 halves – http://mania-m.co.il/?product=%D7%97%D7%96%D7%94-%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A3-%D7%98%D7%A8%D7%99
thanks!
Yes, 3 halves 🙂
hi! this looks great! but i dont have a slow cooker :/ how could i make this on the stove top/in the oven? thanks!
You can easily make this dish on your stovetop or in your oven as well. Add the ingredients to a dutch oven and cook in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or on your stovetop (covered) on medium heat for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!!
just a couple of questions; how much Ginger paste would equal the amount in the recipe? AND what programmable slow cooker is your new one? as I’m seriously considering buying a new one – mine is NOT programmable & runs to hot & everything gets overcooked & dried out. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
You can use the same amount of ginger when substituting with paste. You will LOVE my slow cooker!! I have a link to the new one in the post. If you go to the “tools I use” section and click on the green highlight for it, it will take you to the exact one I have. It’s amazing!
Unfortunately, my slow cooker (which, after seven years, does run a tad hot) burned this pretty well after four hours, even cooking it on a lower setting. Thankfully I had enough of all the ingredients to make it again on the stovetop – and it was tasty! I did add a little chili garlic sauce for some extra dimension. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh no! so glad you were able to give it a second go round on the stovetop though.
Would this freeze well? Without the rice of course. Since my family would not like it was thinking of making a batch and freezing in individual containers for myself
Sure, but I would add about 1/2 – 1 cup water to the amount you’re going to freeze, then stir. Spoon that into your freezer containers because when foods tend to freeze and be reheated they are drier than they once were.
Great tip! I didn’t even think about adding water to a meal before freezing it! Especially with sauce, I’m a little obsessed with any meal that has sauce .
How long do you think this would need to cook if it was frozen before hand?
I prefer to take it from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat the next day. Hope this helps!
I made this today and it was delicious! I used the extra coconut milk to make rice and served it all with edamame. Even my fussy kid enjoyed it. The only complaint is that there wasn’t enough sauce. Do you think some water would dilute the flavors too much? Thank you so much. I can’t wait to try out some of your other recipes.
So glad to hear you loved it! Getting your kids to eat, especially fussy ones, is definitely a great compliment for any dish 🙂 To get more sauce, you could add water or more chicken stock. If the flavors are too diluted after doing so, add more peanut butter too.
You suggest “more” chicken stock above with reference to dryness. I don’t see chicken stock in the list of ingredients.??
Sorry to confuse you…I meant just to add chicken stock if desired. 🙂
If making on the stovetop, do you brown the chicken first?
Also, do you wait until chicken is mostly cooked before adding the lime and cornstarch (as you instruct in the slow cooker version)?
Thanks!
Yes, I would still brown it first. It really does add a deeper flavor to the chicken. You’ll want to still add the lime and cornstarch as directed because that will help thicken up the sauce for the dish after it’s been cooking. I’d love to hear what you think after trying it on the stovetop. Enjoy!
Mine did dry out a bit, I cooked for 4 hrs. I wonder if browning first would help seal the juices? Delicious sauce……I might skip cornstarch next time as it was already quite thick. Thanks for sharing this!! I’ve been looking for a thai peanut chicken recipe!
Doesn’t the chicken breasts DRY out….
No, not at all 🙂 Because you’re cooking it in the sauce, it stays moist and delicious.
Have yout tried this in an Instant pot? Would love a conversion!
Looks awesome
I haven’t but I’m sure there are some great resources online that could help converting it. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try 🙂
Did you try it? Was going to convert this recipe today and wondered how it turned out 🙂
I am totally making this soon. I love anything peanut butter so this is great!
Me too! It’s so delicious!!
I can’t get over how good this looks– AND that it’s made in the slow cooker! Perfect for busy weeknights!
Thanks Karly!
This looks crazy delicious! Thai chicken is our favorite!
Thanks Anna!
I love this peanut chicken! Coconut milk, lime, ginger, peanut butter! A lot of delicious flavors!
Such a great flavor combination, for sure!!
Springtime is a busy season around here. Can’t wait to throw this one in the crock pot and enjoy later!!
Definitely, let your slow cooker do the work!!
That looks and sounds so flavorful, yummy!
I absolutely love this dinner!
Thanks Cathy!
Slow cooker megs are the best!! Love these flavors!