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Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken

Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken with a fragrant red curry sauce, tender chicken, and sweet-tangy lime finish. Cook low for hours so the sauce coats each chunk, then add peas at the end for bright 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 and aromatics
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into chunks
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 3 tbsp red curry paste
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 fresh Thai basil for serving
  • 1 lime wedges for serving
  • 1 jasmine rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Add chicken to the slow cooker
  1. Place the chicken thigh chunks into the slow cooker so they sit in a single layer as much as possible.
Make the coconut curry sauce
  1. Whisk together the coconut milk, red curry paste, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and turmeric until fully blended.
  2. Pour the sauce over the chicken, then scatter in the diced onion and sliced red bell pepper.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cook on low for 6–7 hours or until the chicken is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
  2. Alternatively cook on high for 3 hours until the chicken is very tender and the sauce looks thickened and cohesive around the chunks.
Finish and adjust
  1. Stir in the frozen peas during the last 20 minutes of cooking until they are bright green and just tender.
  2. Taste the curry and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce, lime juice, or brown sugar as needed to balance salty, tangy, and sweet.
Serve
  1. Serve the coconut curry chicken over jasmine rice, then top with fresh Thai basil and add lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Pro tip: If your curry tastes flat after slow cooking, increase salt with a little more fish sauce and brighten with lime juice in small increments. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently to avoid overcooking the peas. Freezing is not recommended because coconut sauces can separate when thawed. For a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium chicken broth and reduce fish sauce slightly, then adjust at the end.