Make this tasty and flavorful Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken right in your crockpot with only 10 minutes of prep. Spicy, easy, hearty, comforting, and delicious!
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👩🏻🍳 Why You'll Love Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
Like many busy moms, I love shortcuts! I love to try different ways to streamline meal preparation, especially when I can do it without sacrificing quality or taste.
For this recipe, if you have the time, by all means you should slice up some fresh bell peppers and onion. You could also buy frozen, pre-sliced veggies if you really want to save time on prep.
It's so easy to pop all of these ingredients into the slow cooker. It usually takes me 10 minutes maximum, and about 6 hours later I have an incredible meal.
But if you need something quick and last minute, this One Pot Spicy Thai Noodles dish is ready in 20 minutes!
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- chunky peanut butter - gives great nutty flavor and crunch from the peanuts.
- chicken broth - helps keep your chicken moist and flavorful.
- soy sauce - provides great umami flavor.
- honey - balances out some of the saltiness.
- sriracha sauce - gives this recipe a great kick!
- lime juice - the citrus flavor helps tie everything together.
- pepper and onion strips - I buy mine frozen and pre-sliced to reduce prep, but you could also buy fresh veggies and slice them yourself!
- chicken thighs - the thighs are better for slow cooker recipes as they don't dry out as easily.
🔪 Instructions
- Combine the peanut butter, chicken broth, honey, soy sauce, lime juice and sriracha in a medium bowl.
- Mix well, then set aside.
- Place your pepper and onion strips into the slow cooker.
- Layer the chicken on top of the peppers and onions.
- Pour the peanut sauce over top and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken.
👪 FAQs
If you really need a quick prep, you can prepare the sauce the night before and keep it stored in the fridge. Then just throw everything in the slow cooker and you're good to go!
This dish will be good for at least 3 or 4 days in the fridge. It makes for delicious leftovers; try having it for lunch the next day!
Yes, leftovers will be good for at least a month in the freezer.
The easiest method is to transfer your chicken to a microwave safe bowl or plate and pop it in for a minute or so. If it's not hot enough, continue in 30-second intervals.
📖 Variations and Serving Suggestions
- Toppings: serve this peanut chicken with chopped up cilantro, green onions, or some crushed peanuts for extra flavor and crunch.
- Serve over top of rice, lettuce leaves, or noodles (rice noodles work great for this!).
- If you prefer chicken breasts to thighs, you could use those instead. Just be sure to check for done-ness around the 5 hour mark, as it's easier to dry out breasts than thighs.
- For some extra heat, sprinkle with red pepper flakes.
- Save any leftover peanut sauce from the slow cooker to drizzle over leftovers or as a great dressing for salad.
- To make this dish even healthier, add some broccoli or zucchini.
Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken is a savory dish with complex flavors, but so easy to make! Perfect over rice or noodles and sure to fill you up and satisfy.
🥗 Suggested Side Dishes
Check out these great suggestions to serve with your Thai peanut chicken!
🍗 Additional Chicken Recipes
Here are a few more chicken recipes ideas for you!
Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken
Love this recipe? Awesome! Please give it a 5 star ⭐ rating below! And if you make this, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram. You can find me at DizzyBusyandHungry or #dizzybusyandhungry!
📋 Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Thai Spicy Peanut Chicken
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup chunky peanut butter
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 16 ounces frozen bell peppers and onion (1 package, like the kind by Bird's Eye)
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ½ cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
- handful of chopped peanuts (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, chicken broth, soy sauce, honey, Sriracha sauce, and lime juice. Set aside.⅔ cup chunky peanut butter, ½ cup chicken broth, ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Empty contents of package of frozen peppers/onion into the slow cooker.16 ounces frozen bell peppers and onion
- Place the chicken on top of the peppers/onion.2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Pour the peanut butter mixture over the top of the chicken.
- Cook on low for 6 hours.
- Just before serving, shred the chicken with two forks.
- Garnish with chopped peanuts and cilantro (optional).handful of chopped peanuts, ½ cup chopped cilantro
Notes
- Top with chopped cilantro, green onions, red pepper flakes, or peanuts.
- Serve over rice, lettuce, or your choice of noodles.
- Chicken breasts can be substituted for thighs; just be careful not to overcook and dry them out.
- Leftover sauce can be used to drizzle over leftovers or as a salad dressing.
- Add broccoli, zucchini, or your chosen vegetable for additional nutrition.
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.
Update Notes: This post was originally published in March 2015, but was republished with tips, step by step photos, and a recipe change in January 2021.
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Happy cooking!
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
This slow cooker Thai spicy peanut chicken recipe looks perfect for rainy evenings inside!
Tara
Such a delicious weeknight meal and I love how easily the chicken comes together in the slow cooker. Those flavors sound amazing!
Andrea Metlika
I love easy prep meals like this. Let the slow cooker do all the work. Then you end up with a delicious meal.
Alex
Love the idea of a one-dish meal with minimal prep! This looks perfect for busy weekday nights.
Courtney
Easy to prepare and loved by the whole family. Definitely a keeper!
Nicole Wilker
This was a fantastic recipe! I cut it down so that it was just enough for 2, cut the time to 3 hours and used fresh peppers, and agave syrup! Thank you so much for sharing!
Chris
Love this wonderful recipe. I used boneless chicken breasts and threw in some grape tomatoes in addition to ingredients. I cooked on high for 4 hours. I didn’t have chunky peanut butter so tossed in some peanuts ( used organic peanut butter). Oh, I used fresh peppers, a yellow and a red pepper. Delicious!
Kristin
Glad to hear it! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Create With Joy
This looks SO good and easy to make!
Congrats - you are one of our Featured Guests at Inspire Me Monday #370 at Create With Joy!! 🙂
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
Oh, yes: I can relate to the scrambled eggs dinner because SOMEBODY forgot to grocery shop! This recipe sounds so delicious, and I love that it comes together in the crockpot.
Kristin
Thanks, Michelle!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner Party. Have a great week.