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Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken is tender, covered in creamy sauce, and full of peanut-y goodness . . . AND it's super easy with its five-ingredient sauce. Prep for this flavorful crockpot chicken with peanut butter and salsa is quick—just mix the five sauce ingredients, pour over chicken, and cook in the slow cooker. Garnishing with peanuts and cilantro adds the perfect flavor and and just the right amount of crunch.
What you need to make Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
- For garnish Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted.
- Cooked rice. I always serve this over cooked rice, but you could serve over rice noodles or cauliflower rice if you prefer.
- Salsa.
- Lime juice. Bottled lime juice is fine.
- Soy sauce or tamari. Tamari has a richer, less salty taste and I always use it instead of soy sauce unless the recipe calls for large quantities (such as in marinades).
- Peanut butter. Chunky or smooth is fine.
- Grated fresh ginger. I think fresh ginger is always worth the trouble, and since it keeps fine in the freezer, it's easy to keep on hand. The consistency changes a bit in the freezer, but you won't notice it in this recipe.
- Optional, for garnish: chopped peanuts and chopped cilantro.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, mix together salsa, peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, and lime juice.
Spread peanut sauce over chicken.
Cook until chicken is cooked through to 165ºF, stirring occasionally.
Serve over cooked rice and garnish with chopped peanuts and chopped cilantro.
Crockpot tip
You'll need to adjust the cooking time of this recipe based on your individual appliance. Slow cookers give different results based on brand, size, and how full they are, so keep that in mind when planning your cook time. A 6-quart crockpot will cook the same recipe much faster than a 4-quart or 3-quart crockpot.
On top of that, not all crockpots cook at the temperature they are supposed to (you can use this method to test your crockpot temperature). The bottom line is that unlike oven cooking, there is no way to exactly predict the time needed to perfectly cook in a crockpot because they vary so much.
I use a 6-quart crockpot—the size is perfect for the recipes I make, and it gives me the options I need without needing to learn complicated programming modes. I like the ability to choose how long to cook at high or low. It automatically switches to the "keep warm" function after the cooking time ends.
Variations
Veggie-ful - Peanut sauce is delicious on vegetables, so you could add slices of yellow or red bell peppers and onions to the slow cooker at the beginning of cooking. Throw in 2-3 cups of spinach in the last half hour or so and this is a complete meal with no sides needed.
Spicy - Add red pepper flakes or sliced serrano peppers to the ingredients to take this up a notch on the spicy scale, or add Thai chili sauce to taste with the salsa.
Storage & freezer instructions
Refrigerate leftovers: Store the rice and chicken separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freeze before cooking: Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken freezes well. Prepare the sauce in whatever quantity needed for the number of dishes you want to freeze. Freeze the sauce in a separate container and put it together with the chicken in the freezer, then place the instructions and ¼ cup chopped peanuts with them.
Print or write out the below instructions and place with the dish, and label as follows (I use permanent marker to label the outside; it can be removed with magic eraser).
Suggested sides
The rich flavor of the peanut sauce makes this dish perfect for a simple side. Sautéed or steamed vegetables with no additional sauces or just a simple salad would be good choices.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup salsa
- ⅓ cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger root
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- 3 cups prepared white rice
Instructions
- Place 2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts in slow cooker.
- Mix together 1 cup salsa, ⅓ cup peanut butter, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari, and 1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger root. Pour over chicken.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours depending on your slow cooker, stirring occasionally.
- Serve over 3 cups prepared white rice and garnish with ¼ cup chopped peanuts and 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Preparation option: Peanut sauce is delicious on vegetables, so you could add slices of colorful bell peppers and onions to the slow cooker at the beginning of cooking. Throw in 2-3 cups of spinach in the last half hour or so and this is a complete meal with no sides needed.
- To freeze: Prepare the sauce in whatever quantity needed for the number of dishes you want to freeze. Freeze the sauce in a separate container and put it together with the chicken in the freezer, then place the instructions and ¼ cup chopped peanuts with them. Label with:
Easy Slow Cooker Thai Chicken in Peanut Sauce: Thaw. Place chicken in slow cooker. Cover with sauce and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 3-4 hours depending on your slow cooker. Stir occasionally. Serve over white rice and garnish with 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro and ¼ cup chopped peanuts.
Frannie
I find it hard to believe that the people who left 5-star ratings actually ate this. It was awful...completely inedible and I followed the recipe exactly. At least the dogs enjoyed it.
Mary Ann
I'm sorry you didn't care for it, Frannie. I haven't had anyone express a similar sentiment and have always had good results when I make it.
Shannon
I have this recipe. The version I have calls to sprinkle coconut over the rice then follow with the Thai chicken and cilantro. The coconut is optional but I love it! I use chunky peanut butter and skip the peanut garnish. It is one of my 3 sons favorites!
Mary Ann
I love the dry crunch of the peanut garnish!