Crockpot Thai Peanut Chicken (Printer-friendly)

Slow-cooked chicken in a creamy Thai peanut sauce, served over jasmine rice with peanuts and cilantro.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, sliced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

→ Sauce

06 - 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
07 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
08 - 2 tablespoons honey (or brown sugar)
09 - 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon lime juice
11 - 1/2 cup canned coconut milk (full fat or light)
12 - 1 tablespoon sriracha or other chili sauce (optional, to taste)

→ For Serving

13 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
14 - 2 green onions, sliced
15 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
16 - Cooked jasmine rice or rice noodles

# How-To Guide:

01 - Place the boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts into the bottom of the slow cooker in an even layer.
02 - Scatter the sliced red bell pepper, sliced onion, minced garlic, and grated fresh ginger evenly over the chicken.
03 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the creamy peanut butter, low-sodium soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, lime juice, coconut milk, and sriracha until completely smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour the prepared peanut sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables, ensuring everything is well coated.
05 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and cooked through.
06 - Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred using two forks, or slice into pieces as desired. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir gently to coat evenly with the sauce.
07 - Serve the Thai peanut chicken over steamed jasmine rice or rice noodles. Garnish each portion with chopped roasted peanuts, sliced green onions, and fresh cilantro.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce practically builds itself while you are gone, and it tastes like something you would pay good money for at a restaurant.
  • It freezes beautifully, so you can double the batch and have a backup dinner waiting in the freezer for chaotic weeks.
02 -
  • Do not lift the lid during cooking to peek, every time you do you add about thirty minutes to the total time because all the trapped heat escapes.
  • If the sauce seems too thin at the end, let the crockpot sit uncovered on warm for fifteen minutes and it will thicken up nicely on its own.
03 -
  • Taste the sauce before you pour it in and adjust the honey or sriracha to your liking because the flavor will concentrate but will not fundamentally change during cooking.
  • Toast the chopped peanuts in a dry skillet for three minutes before serving, it takes almost no time and the aroma and crunch are worth every second.

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