Description
Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken is a deliciously easy and flavorful dish featuring tender shredded chicken cooked in a rich, creamy peanut sauce infused with coconut milk, lime, and savory seasonings. Perfect for a comforting weeknight meal, this recipe uses a slow cooker to bring out deep, authentic Thai flavors with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup chicken broth
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Peanut Sauce
- 1 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
- ½ 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
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
Garnishes and Serving
- Chopped peanuts, for garnish
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Rice, rice noodles, or 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, then pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours until the chicken is fall-apart tender.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Cut into chunks and shred the chicken using two forks. Drain the liquid from the slow cooker and wipe it clean. Return the shredded chicken to the empty slow cooker.
- Prepare the Peanut Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the unsweetened coconut milk, peanut butter, minced garlic, honey, low-sodium soy sauce, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes until smooth and well combined.
- Combine and Simmer: Pour the prepared peanut sauce over the shredded chicken in the slow cooker. Stir well to evenly coat the chicken with the sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for another 45 minutes to 1 hour until the sauce thickens and everything is heated through. Stir halfway through cooking.
- Serve: Serve the Thai peanut chicken over cooked white or brown rice, rice noodles, or stuff it inside large lettuce leaves for a fresh wrap. Garnish with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and additional crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
Notes
- Your chicken should be fall-apart tender; if it isn’t, continue cooking longer. Cooking times vary with slow cooker models.
- Cooking time depends on your slow cooker’s heat level: older, cooler models take 6 to 8 hours, while newer, hotter models may cook chicken in 3 to 4 hours.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen leftovers overnight in the refrigerator before gently reheating.
- This recipe was updated in 2025 for modern slow cookers that run hotter; the original method of cooking raw chicken directly in sauce is available via the original recipe link.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 cup chicken and sauce)
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
