Description
This Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken is a flavorful and easy-to-make dish combining tender, slow-cooked chicken with a rich and creamy peanut sauce, infused with coconut milk, ginger, garlic, and lime. Perfect for a hassle-free weeknight dinner, it’s served over rice or noodles and garnished with crunchy peanuts and fresh cilantro for added texture and brightness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Peanut Sauce
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional for spice)
Garnish and Serving
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Cooked rice or noodles, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Slow Cooker: Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with non-stick spray or a small amount of oil to prevent sticking during cooking.
- Add Chicken: Place the boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs evenly in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, creamy peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice or apple cider vinegar, lime juice, grated ginger, minced garlic, and optional crushed red pepper flakes until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Pour Sauce Over Chicken: Pour the prepared peanut sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker, ensuring that each piece is well coated with the sauce for maximum flavor.
- Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is tender and thoroughly cooked through.
- Shred Chicken: Once cooked, shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker using two forks to mix it evenly with the sauce. Alternatively, you can leave the chicken pieces whole if desired.
- Serve: Serve the shredded or whole chicken over cooked rice or noodles, and garnish with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro for added texture and freshness.
Notes
- Use either chicken breasts or thighs depending on your preference; thighs will be more tender and juicy.
- If you prefer a spicier dish, increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes or add a dash of hot sauce.
- This dish can be made ahead and reheated; flavors often deepen after resting.
- For a low-sodium option, use low-sodium soy sauce.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, ensure the soy sauce used is gluten-free.
- Leftovers refrigerate well for up to 3 days and can be frozen for up to 1 month.
