Thai Curry Chicken is one of my all-time favorite curry recipes made with tender chicken, veggies, red curry paste, coconut milk, lime juice, etc. and so easy to make in the slow cooker!

This Crockpot Curry Chicken is one of my all-time favorite Thai curry recipes (and I have a lot) – YOU will lose your mind at how good it is! It’s ridiculously easy to make, customizable, pantry friendly, make ahead friendly, and can’t-stop-inhaling-delicious. It will spice up your dinnertime rut made with extra-tender, juicy chicken braised in a mélange of red curry paste, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, peanut butter and chili sauce. I’ve made this Thai curry recipe with my favorite sweet potatoes, cauliflower and bell peppers, but you can use whatever veggies you love or have on hand. Serve this Crockpot Curry Chicken over rice, and even toss in Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps or Chicken Satay for an appetizer if you’re feeling extra ambitious 😉.

Thai food is my absolute favorite with its symphony of savory, salty, sour flavors! Don’t miss Tom Kha Gai , Thai Chicken Noodle Soup , Red Curry Chicken, Panang Curry or Pad Thai.

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How to Make Crockpot Coconut Curry Chicken Video

up close of Crockpot Chicken Curry showing the juicy chicken and vegetables in Thai red curry sauce

WHY YOU’LL LOVE This Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

The best curry chicken. This Thai Coconut Curry Chicken is extra fragrant and flavorful thanks to the longer cooking time of the slow cooker, allowing the layers of tangy, savory, sweet and salty magic to build and meld to intoxicating perfection.

The easiest method for cooking Thai curry. Not only is Crockpot Curry Chicken the most flavorful, it’s also the easiest to make! No searing, stir frying or sautéing involved, simply add the ingredients to the slow cooker and walk away while your home fills with the tantalizing aroma of this one-pot wonder.

No dry, bland chicken in this recipe! The chicken soaks up the fragrant red curry coconut bath as it cooks, creating superbly flavorful, juicy, fall apart chicken – without any extra work from you!

Delightfully creamy, hearty and satisfying. Most crockpot curry recipes are sad and runny because steam doesn’t escape while the recipe cooks like on the stove. This recipe, however, is thickened with both a cornstarch slurry and peanut butter so it’s irresistibly creamy and velvety.

Made with easy to find ingredients. You should have all of the ingredients for this Thai curry stocked if you do much Asian cooking. If not, you can pick up everything you need at your local grocery store to make it any night of the week!

It’s versatile, make it your own! I’ve made this Thai Curried Chicken with my favorite vegetables but you can use whatever veggies you love, omit them altogether, and even make it vegan. You can crank up or tone down the heat, make it more or less tangy, garlicky, gingery, creamy, salty, etc.

scooping up crockpot curry chicken in the slow cooker showing how creamy it is

Thai Chicken Curry Ingredients

Restaurant-worthy Thai chicken curry is at your fingertips! The ingredient list may look long, but keep in mind, we’re just dumping all of the ingredients in the slow cooker – no searing or sautéing required! Here’s what you’ll need to make this Crockpot Curry Chicken recipe (full measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

The Chicken and Veggies

Chicken: I highly recommend juicier, more flavorful, boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts – you will thank me! However, you may use chicken breasts, but take extra care not to overcook the chicken or it will be dry.
Cauliflower: Use two cups florets. Chop the florets into medium bite-size pieces. If they are too small, they will disappear into the curry.
Sweet potato: Use one large sweet potato (garnet yam), peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes. Don’t chop the sweet potato too large or it won’t cook in the same time as the chicken, and not too small, or it will dissolve completely.
Bell pepper: You may use any color bell pepper you like, but I recommend green for its earthy flavor to compliment the sweetness of the sweet potato.

THE Curry Sauce

Red curry paste: This can be found in the Asian section of any grocery store. The premade paste is made of finely ground coriander, peppercorns, Kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, galangal, cilantro, shallots, garlic, and fresh chiles – all combined for you into one dynamic flavor bomb.
Coconut milk: Please use full fat coconut milk for restaurant-style creamy, flavorful curry. Most importantly, light coconut milk can split due to the long cooking time in the slow cooker.
Peanut butter: You can use smooth or crunchy, but keep in mind crunchy will be – crunchy! The peanut butter not only adds delectable flavor, but helps thicken the sauce immensely.
Soy sauce: Use reduced sodium soy sauce so you can control the saltiness of the curried chicken.
Fish sauce: I promise fish sauce will not make your Thai chicken curry taste fishy – even though it smells fishy! It is necessary to infuse the dish with its nutty, rich, savory, salty flavor. If you’ve never used fish sauce before, it can be found in the Asian section of any grocery store.
Lime juice: Freshly squeezed is best, but you may substitute bottled if needed.
Asian sweet chili sauce: Instead of adding sugar to balance the umami rich ingredients, Asian sweet chili sauce adds both sweetness and spice, made with chilies, onion, garlic, brown sugar and fish sauce. You should be able to find it easily in the Asian aisle of your grocery store.
Chili sauce: Use sriracha or your favorite Asian chili sauce at the end of cooking depending on how spicy you want your Thai chicken curry to be. I use Sambal Oelek with the green lid.
Cornstarch: Because the curry chicken is cooked in a crockpot, none of the steam escapes, which usually helps thicken the curry on the stove. A cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) is added to the slow cooker the last 20 minutes of cooking to help thicken the recipe along with the peanut butter.
Seasonings: This curry chicken is flavored with dried basil, coriander, onion powder and a bay leaf for restaurant worthy flavor with ease!

showing how to serve Thai crockpot coconut curry chicken by adding to a bowl with rice and garnishing with cilantro, limes, red chilies

How to Make Crockpot Curry Chicken

Coconut Curry Chicken is very straightforward to make, despite the long ingredient list – most of the ingredients are just dumped directly into the crockpot! Here’s an overview of how to make it (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Step 1: Add curry sauce. Add the curry sauce ingredients to a lightly greased slow cooker and whisk to combine.

showing how to make crockpot curry chicken by adding red curry paste, coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, red chili paste, garlic, ginger and basil to a crockpot

Step 2: Add the chicken and vegetables. Add the chicken, cauliflower and sweet potatoes and stir to combine, making sure the chicken is submerged after combining. You can add the bell peppers now for soft bell peppers or add them about ⅓ way through cooking for firmer peppers.

showing how to make crockpot curry chicken by adding chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and bell peppers to the slow cooker with the curry coconut sauce

Step 3: Cook. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shed when cool enough to handle.

showing how to make Thai curry chicken in the crockpot by shredding the chicken once tender

Step 4: Add the slurry and peanut butter. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch together with ¼ cup water to make a slurry. Stir it into the slow cooker along with the peanut butter and lime juice.

showing how to make Thai Crockpot Curried Chicken by stirring peanut butter into the slow cooker

Step 5: Cook uncovered to thicken. Cook UNCOVERED on HIGH for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the chicken as you shred it at any point while the sauce is cooking. You want the chicken to cook in the sauce for at least 10 minutes to soak up the flavor.

showing how to make crockpot Thai curry chicken by adding the shredded chicken back to the crockpot

Step 6: Add chili sauce to taste. Wait until the end to taste the coconut curry chicken after the flavors have melded. From here, add chili sauce to taste, about 2-4 teaspoons depending on the red curry paste you used and personal heat preference. Adding the chili sauce will make the entire dish come alive!

showing how to make crockpot Thai curry chicken by adjusting to taste with lime juice, chili sauce or fish sauce

TIPS FOR Makeing Thai CUrRY Chicken

This Thai curry chicken recipe is incredibly easy to make in the slow cooker, but there are a few details to pay attention to to make it the best ever!

For the juiciest chicken: This recipe will work with chicken breasts or chicken thighs, but for best flavor and juiciest chicken, use chicken thighs. Take care not to overcook the chicken, checking it for doneness at the earliest of the cooking window.
Don’t chop the vegetables too small. Chop the cauliflower into medium florets and the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. If the vegetables are too small, they will disappear/disintegrate in the curry. On the other end of the spectrum, don’t chop the potatoes too large, or they won’t cook in the same time as the chicken.
Adjust the curry paste amount as needed. If you are using a milder brand or red curry paste, like Thai Kitchen, I would start with 3-4 tablespoons. If you are using a spicier brand, like Mae Ploy, I would start with 2 tablespoons. You can always add more curry paste to the mixture when you add the peanut butter or even at the end of cooking.
Use full-fat coconut milk. Lite coconut milk can split due to the prolonged cooking time in the slow cooker.
Let the chicken soak. It’s important to let the chicken soak in the curry after it’s shredded for at least 10 minutes so the flavor can permeate the nooks and crannies. Add the chicken anytime during the thickening window, and time permitting, let the curry rest even longer after the heat is turned off.
Ginger pro tip. I like to freeze ginger so it’s always at my fingertips. To freeze ginger: grate it, spread it by the teaspoon or tablespoon on parchment paper and flash freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Transfer to an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 6 months. You can add frozen ginger directly to the curry.
Powdered ginger and garlic swap. If you don’t have fresh ginger and garlic on hand and need to make this coconut curry NOW (I get you), you may substitute with powders.
Adjust to taste. If you feel your Crockpot Curry Chicken is missing something, it is likely heat and/or acid. Wait until the end of cooking, then add chili sauce to taste, additional lime juice for more sour/citrus, sugar for sweeter/less tangy, more fish sauce for saltier etc.

scooping crockpot curried chicken with tender shredded chicken, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and bell peppers

possible curry recipe variations

Make it vegetarian. Omit the chicken and use a vegan fish sauce. You can either use tofu, chickpeas, mushrooms or extra sweet potatoes, bell peppers and cauliflower instead of the chicken.
Alternate veggies. Mix and match the veggies based on what’s in your fridge, your favorites, what’s in season or what’s on sale. Yukon gold potatoes, carrots, broccoli, zucchini and/or peas would all be tasty. Keep in mind vegetable cooking times and add quick cooking vegetables halfway through cooking or the peas at the end of cooking.
Use a different curry paste. Swap the red curry paste for green or yellow.
Omit the peanut butter. The peanut butter helps thicken the curry, but you can omit it if desired, keeping in mind the curry won’t be as rich.
Add coconut. Garnish the soup with toasted sweetened coconut for extra coco-nutty yumminess.

up close of showing how to make crockpot curried chicken recipe by garnishing with cilantro in the slow cooker ow cooker showing how creamy it is

WHAT to serve with Curried chicken

This Crockpot Coconut Curry Chicken should be served with a side of rice to absorb the rich, robust sauce. We particularly like it with:

Rice: I prefer jasmine rice but any rice will work. Make sure to thoroughly rinse your white rice until the water runs clear to achieve the fluffiest rice. You can also use microwave rice pouches if you’re making a serving for one or meal prep.
Low-carb options: Cauliflower rice, quinoa, broccoli rice or a blend of brown rice and any of the aforementioned options make for great low-carb alternatives. You can even serve the Thai curry over spaghetti squash.
Appetizers: Turn this coconut curry into a feast with Thai Chicken Satay or Peanut Pineapple Thai Chicken Satay, Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, or Spring Rolls. It is also delish with other Asian-inspired, non-Thai appetizers such as Crab Rangoons, Homemade Egg Rolls, Pineapple Cream Cheese Wontons, or potstickers.
Salad: A simple green salad, Crunchy Asian Salad, or Asian Pineapple Salad.
Fruit: Pineapple, kiwis, mangos, grapes – pick your favs!

top view of crockpot curry chicken recipe made with coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice, in a bowl serve over rice

Can This Recipe Be Made in Advance?

The flavors of this curried chicken in the crockpot taste even better the next day! The entire recipe can be prepared and reheated throughout the week, or, you can prepare elements of the recipe in advance so it’s easy to add the ingredients to your slow cooker on a busy morning:

-Curry sauce: Whisk all of the ingredients together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or in the slow cooker.
-Chicken: Trim excess fat from chicken and store trimmed chicken in an airtight container or freezer bag in the refrigerator or directly in the curry sauce.
-Veggies: Peel and cube the sweet potato, chop the cauliflower into florets, and slice the bell peppers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use, or on top of the chicken in the curry sauce.

HOW LONG IS Thai curry chicken GOOD FOR?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. If desired, you can divide the Thai curry into individual containers with rice on the side for meal prep.

Can I freeze Coconut chicken Curry?

The sauce in this Crockpot Curried Chicken recipe freezes well because the base is coconut milk instead of dairy. The bell peppers, however, will become mushy. If you are making this recipe specifically to freeze, only use freezer friendly vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, green beans carrots, etc. Freeze the Thai curry in a freezer safe container for up to three months, thaw overnight before reheating.

How Do I Reheat Thai Coconut Curry Chicken?

-Stove: Reheat large batches on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until warmed through, adding additional water as needed.

-Microwave: Transfer to a microwave-safe dish, cover with a microwave-safe lid or paper towel. Microwave for 90 seconds, stir, then continue to microwave for 30-second intervals, if needed.

up close of a spoonful of crockpot Thai curry chicken showing how creamy it is

Looking for more Thai Recipes?

Pad Thai
Classic Thai Chicken Curry
Pumpkin Curry
Shrimp Curry
Thai Green Curry
Thai Red Curry
Thai Yellow Chicken Curry
Tom Kha Gai (Chicken and Coconut Soup)
Tom Yum Soup
Coconut Curry Noodles
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

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Tools Used in This Recipe

Crockpot

Kitchen Knife Set

Wood Chopping Block

Instant Read Meat Thermometer

See Favorite Tools

Thai Crockpot Curry Chicken

This Crockpot Curry Chicken is one of my all-time favorite Thai curry recipes (and I have a lot) – YOU will lose your mind at how good it is! It’s ridiculously easy to make, customizable, pantry friendly, make ahead friendly, and can’t-stop-inhaling-delicious. It will spice up your dinnertime rut made with extra-tender, juicy chicken braised in a mélange of red curry paste, coconut milk, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, peanut butter and chili sauce. I’ve made this Thai curry recipe with my favorite sweet potatoes, cauliflower and bell peppers, but you can use whatever veggies you love or have on hand. Serve this Crockpot Curry Chicken over rice, and even toss in Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps or Chicken Satay for an appetizer if you're feeling extra ambitious 😉.

Servings: servings

Total Time: 4 30

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 4

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Ingredients

Curry Sauce

1 14. oz can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
2-4 tablespoons red curry paste depending on brand (see notes)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon Asian/Thai Sweet Chili Sauce (like Mae Ploy)
2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 tsp EACH onion powder, ground coriander

CHICKEN AND VEGGIES

1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1 large sweet potato, peeled, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups cauliflower florets
1 green bell pepper, sliced

ADD LATER

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2-4 teaspoons sriracha/Asian chili sauce

GARNISH (pick your favs)

crushed peanuts
lime juice to taste
fresh basil
fresh cilantro
crushed peanuts

Instructions

Add curry sauce: Lightly spray slow cooker insert with cooking spray. Add the Curry Sauce ingredients and whisk to combine.
Add chicken and veggies: Add the chicken, cauliflower and sweet potatoes and stir to combine, making sure the chicken is submerged after stirring. You can add the bell peppers now for soft bell peppers or about ⅓ way through cooking for firmer peppers.
Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. (Always check for doneness on the earlier end of the cooking window, then cook on as needed.) Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.
Add cornstarch slurry: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch together with ¼ cup water to make a slurry. Stir into the slow cooker along with the peanut butter and lime juice.
Thicken: Cook UNCOVERED on HIGH for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Add the chicken as you shred it at any point while the sauce is cooking. You want the chicken to cook in the sauce for at least 10 minutes to soak up the flavor, or better yet, even longer after the heat is turned off.
Add chili sauce: Add desired amount of Asian chili sauce to taste (this will make the dish come alive!). Adjust to taste with lime juice, soy sauce, etc. Garnish servings with optional crushed peanuts, fresh basil, cilantro, lime juice and chili sauce. Serve with rice.

Video

Notes

Different brands curry paste: If you are using a milder brand or red curry paste, like Thai Kitchen, I would start with 3-4 tablespoons. If you are using a spicier brand, like Mae Ploy, I would start with 2 tablespoons. You can always add more curry paste to the mixture when you add the peanut butter or even at the end of cooking.
Why full fat coconut milk? Lite coconut milk can split due to the prolonged cooking time in the slow cooker.
Meal prep: The flavors of this recipe taste even better the next day and all throughout the week! Alternatively, you can add the curry sauce, chicken and vegetables to the crockpot insert, refrigerate, then cook when ready.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze: The sauce in this recipe freezes well but the bell peppers will become mushy. If you are making this recipe specifically to freeze, only use freezer friendly vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, green beans carrots, etc. Freeze the Thai curry in a freezer safe container for up to three months, thaw overnight before reheating.

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8 Comments

Mariel says

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This was so delicious, Jen! I followed the directions as written and it tasted amazing! I love all of your recipes and I constantly am recommending your website to friends and family.

- Jen says
  
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  I’m so glad this was a hit! Thanks for making so many of the recipes Mariel! I appreciate you!
  
Vicky Ford says

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Wow Wow Wow. This was so good. I served it to friends last night and they both loved it, too. I’ll be making this again and again. I always know I can count on Carlsbad Cravings to serve up the best!

- Jen says
  
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  I’m so happy to hear that it was a hit! Thanks for trying so many recipes, I appreciate you!
  
Erin R says

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I’ve been making so many recipes from your wonderful collection over the last month. They hit all of the right notes for my palette and my partner’s tastebuds seem to be equally delighted. We haven’t eaten this one yet, but the smell of the slow cooker is mouthwatering and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to resist plucking some meat and veggies out to try. I’m sure that just with every other dish I’ve prepared, this one is going to be delicious. Thank you for sharing your kitchen with us! Our home is happier for it.

- Jen says
  
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  Hi Erin! Thank you so much for this sweet review! I am so glad that you are loving the recipes! Hope you are well!
  
Stacy R says

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This dish turned out great. I used almond butter b/c I didn’t have any peanut butter. I used frozen veggies. You could add any kind of veggies and it will still be good. I didn’t add the chili sauce and it still had plenty of flavor. Definitely will be on rotation.

- Jen says
  
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  I’m so glad this will be part of your future meal planning!