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Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken

Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken is a Thai-inspired main dish where chicken becomes very tender in a fragrant red curry coconut sauce. Cook it low until the sauce turns silky and spoonable, then finish with peas for bright pops of color.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai-inspired
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs Cut into chunks.
Coconut curry base
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 3 tbsp red curry paste
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 large onion Diced.
  • 4 cloves garlic Minced.
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger Grated.
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp turmeric
Vegetables and finishing
  • 1 red bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 cup frozen peas Stir in during last 20 minutes.
  • 0.5 fresh Thai basil For topping; use to taste.
  • 0.5 lime wedges For serving; use as desired.
  • 0.5 jasmine rice For serving.

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Load the slow cooker
  1. Add the chicken chunks to the slow cooker.
  2. 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.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken, then add the diced onion and sliced red bell pepper.
Cook
  1. Cook on low for 6–7 hours, or on high for 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and the sauce looks cohesive.
  2. During the last 20 minutes, stir in the frozen peas until bright green and hot through.
Finish and serve
  1. Taste the curry and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce, lime juice, or brown sugar as needed, until the flavor balances.
  2. Serve over jasmine rice and top with fresh Thai basil and lime wedges.

Notes

For best texture, avoid opening the slow cooker frequently during the long low cook; the chicken should be shreddable when ready. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Freezing is yes—freeze cooled curry (without rice) up to 3 months; thaw and reheat gently until hot. If you want a dairy-free, dairy-free swap is already built in; for a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free fish sauce (or tamari) and keep the rest the same.