Description
Mouthwatering slow-cooked Thai peanut chicken delivers explosive Asian-inspired flavor straight from your kitchen. Creamy, spicy sauce and tender meat promise a delightful culinary journey you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Liquid and Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 3/4 cup natural peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Flavor Enhancers and Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish and Serving:
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Chopped peanuts
- Cooked rice or rice noodles
Instructions
- Whisk the peanut sauce ingredients together in a mixing bowl, creating a smooth, fragrant blend of coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Position the chicken pieces evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker, then generously pour the prepared sauce over them, ensuring complete and uniform coverage.
- Secure the slow cooker lid and allow the chicken to simmer on low temperature for 4-5 hours, monitoring until the meat becomes exceptionally tender and fully cooked through.
- Carefully extract the chicken from the cooking liquid and use two forks to delicately shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, then return the shredded chicken back into the sauce.
- For those preferring a more robust sauce consistency, create a cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with water, then incorporate it along with fresh lime juice into the slow cooker, cooking on high for an additional 20-30 minutes until the sauce reaches desired thickness.
- Transfer the aromatic Thai peanut chicken over steamed rice or delicate rice noodles, finishing with a sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro and crushed peanuts as a vibrant garnish.
Notes
- Tenderize chicken breasts by pounding them to an even thickness before slow cooking, ensuring uniform cooking and preventing dry spots.
- Reduce sodium by using low-sodium soy sauce and adjusting salt levels to accommodate personal dietary needs.
- Enhance flavor depth by toasting peanuts before garnishing, which releases their natural oils and intensifies nutty undertones.
- Transform recipe into a gluten-free version by substituting soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos, maintaining authentic Thai taste profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Thai
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 580
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg