Description
This Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken recipe features tender chicken cooked with vibrant vegetables and a creamy, flavorful peanut sauce. Perfectly easy to prepare and full of comforting Thai flavors, it’s a healthy and satisfying main dish that can be served over rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (5-ounce) carton or bag fresh baby spinach
- Juice of 1 large lime (¼ cup)
Peanut Sauce Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup light or full-fat canned coconut milk
- ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Place chicken pieces, diced onion, and diced red bell pepper in the slow cooker. Season with salt and black pepper and toss to coat everything evenly.
- Make Peanut Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together garlic, coconut milk, peanut butter, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, honey (if using), toasted sesame oil, fish sauce (if using), ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes until smooth and well combined.
- Combine and Cook: Pour the peanut sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 to 4½ hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Season and Add Spinach: Taste the dish and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Remove the lid, stir in the fresh baby spinach and lime juice, then heat for an additional few minutes until spinach is wilted and well incorporated.
- Serve: Serve the Thai peanut chicken over cooked rice, cauliflower rice, pad Thai noodles, or your favorite noodles. Garnish as desired and enjoy.
Notes
- Using both chicken breasts or thighs works well, choose your preference for lean or richer flavor.
- For a spicier dish, increase the crushed red pepper flakes amount.
- Honey is optional; adjust sweetness to your taste or substitute with maple syrup.
- Fish sauce adds depth but can be omitted for a milder flavor or vegetarian adaptation.
- Serve over cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 340 calories
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 572 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
