Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken (Easy + Flavorful)
Thai Peanut Chicken made in the slow cooker features tender chicken stewed in a flavorful coconut milk and peanut sauce, garnished with peanuts and cilantro and served over rice, rice noodles, or in lettuce wraps!
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For more easy, Asian-inspired dinners, you'll also enjoy Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken, Easy Fried Rice, Instant Pot Egg Roll in a Bowl, Ground Beef Stir Fry, or One-Pan Asian Beef + Rice Skillet!
Need an effortless, delicious dinner idea? This slow cooker spin on Thai Peanut Chicken turns out soooo yummy. As a bonus, it's ridiculously easy to make.
What is Thai Peanut Chicken?
Chicken breasts are seasoned and slow cooked until fall-apart tender.
The cooked chicken is then shredded and returned to the slow cooker along with a flavorful sauce of coconut milk, peanut butter, and other goodness. That's when the Thai Peanut Chicken heats through and soaks up the fabulous sauce.
Then it's simply a matter of garnishing with crunchy peanuts and fresh cilantro and serving over rice noodles (seen here) or white or brown rice.
If you're feeling especially virtuous, you can even use this recipe as a filling for lettuce wraps!
The flavors in this dish actually remind me a lot of a crockpot Pad Thai, except there are no eggs or tofu involved. 😉
Tweaking the Recipe
I originally posted this Thai Peanut Chicken recipe ten years ago, with directions to cook the raw chicken in the sauce. Back then, I used my original, older-model slow cooker, which cooked much slower (AKA, cooler) than most modern day slow cookers.
But in the years since first sharing this recipe, some people have had issues with the peanut sauce burning. And since that time, I have had to replace my own old slow cooker with a shiny new model. I've discovered myself that this sauce is indeed prone to over-thickening and even burning if the particular crock pot used runs hot.
Thus presented the dilemma that this recipe worked great for some people and didn't turn out for others, depending on their particular model of slow cooker and how hot it ran. So I decided to trouble-shoot a new process of cooking to ensure that this Thai Peanut Chicken will turn out perfect in any slow cooker!
And that's the updated, new-and-improved recipe I'm sharing today. 🙂
Ingredients
I bet you've already got most of these ingredients in your fridge and pantry, especially if you enjoy cooking with Asian flavors.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts. Or you could use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Or a combination of the two. For moister chicken, you could even opt for bone-in chicken breasts or thighs (with or without the skin), then remove and discard any skin/bones before shredding. Just remember that bone-in chicken requires a longer cooking time than boneless chicken, and thighs require a longer cooking time than breasts. At the end of the day, use what you like. Slow cooker chicken recipes are pretty forgiving.
- Chicken broth, salt, + freshly ground black pepper. For slow cooking the chicken.
- Coconut milk. Meaning the real stuff from a can. I use full-fat coconut milk (and I try to buy coconut milk with no added guar gum), but light coconut milk should work as well. Be sure to shake the can well before opening it. I actually like to flip the can over and use a can opener to open it from the bottom. Since the thick coconut cream settles to the bottom of the can, this makes it easier to scrape it straight off the "lid" that the can opener removed.
- Unsweetened peanut butter. I prefer chunky, although creamy would be fine. I also like to use all-natural peanut butter.
- Garlic. Glorious garlic...don't skimp!
- Honey. For natural sweetness.
- Soy sauce. Use low-sodium to give you more control over the ultimate saltiness of your dish.
- Fish sauce. Optional but recommended, for extra umami.
- Lime juice. A bit of acidity helps balance the fat and creaminess from the coconut milk and peanut butter.
- Rice wine vinegar. For more acidity, plus extra Asian flavor. If you don't have rice wine vinegar (also called rice vinegar), you may use apple cider vinegar instead.
- Crushed red pepper flakes. For a nice touch of heat. Alternatively, sriracha would work as well.
- Chopped peanuts + fresh cilantro. Optional yet highly recommended garnishes.
- Rice, rice noodles, or lettuce leaves. For serving.
How to Make Thai Peanut Chicken
As with most good crockpot recipes, this Thai Peanut Chicken is quick and simple to toss in the slow cooker ahead of dinner time. Then when it's time to eat, you're just a couple quick steps away from getting it on the table.
- Arrange chicken pieces in the bottom of your slow cooker, season with salt and pepper, and pour chicken broth into the bottom.
- Cover and cook on LOW until the chicken is cooked through and fall-apart tender. As a general rule, cooking time for boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a slow cooker is totally dependent on your model of slow cooker and how hot it runs. Older model, cooler running slow cookers take longer to cook and can go for 6 to 8 hours without drying out the chicken. Newer model, hotter running slow cookers can cook chicken breasts as quickly as 3 or 4 hours. You need to be familiar with your slow cooker in order to determine the appropriate cooking time for this recipe. (Hint: If your chicken isn't falling apart, it needs to cook a bit longer!)
- Remove the chicken to a cutting board and pull it into chunks. Drain the liquid from the slow cooker, wipe out any fat, and return the shredded chicken to it.
- Stir together the sauce by whisking all of the ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
- Pour the sauce over the shredded chicken in the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for up to an additional hour, stirring halfway through, or until the sauce is thickened and everything is heated through.
- Serve your Thai Peanut Chicken over rice or rice noodles, garnishing with plenty of chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro. (Truly, don't leave off the peanuts and cilantro...they take this recipe to the next level!)
Ta-daaaa!
Who needs take-out?
Add an optional side salad drizzled with flavor-packed Asian Salad Dressing and dinner is DONE.
Adjusting the Heat
I like my Thai Peanut Chicken rather spicy. So while I kept this recipe fairly mild for the kiddos, I particularly enjoy it generously sprinkled with extra crushed red pepper flakes.
If you like a little spice, there are other ways you could jazz it up as well. Sriracha, anyone?
So feel free to experiment...but only if you think you can handle the heat!
If you like Asian flavors, I hope you love this Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken!
It's simple.
Satisfying.
Delicious.
An easy weeknight dinner you'll definitely want to put on repeat. 😉
More Slow Cooker Dinners
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- Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn Chowder
- Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
- Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
- Slow Cooker Honey Lime Pulled Pork Tacos
- The BEST Easy Slow Cooker Recipes Collection
Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken (Easy + Flavorful)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup chicken broth
- Salt + freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
- ½ cup unsweetened natural peanut butter, crunchy or creamy
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
- Chopped peanuts, for garnish
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Rice, rice noodles, or lettuce leaves, for serving
Instructions
- Arrange chicken breasts in a large slow cooker. Season generously with salt and pepper and pour the chicken broth into the bottom. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until chicken is fall-apart tender.
- Remove chicken from slow cooker to cutting board, cut into chunks, and shred. Drain the liquid from the slow cooker and wipe it out. Return the shredded chicken to the empty slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together coconut milk, peanut butter, garlic, honey, soy sauce, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Pour over chicken in slow cooker and stir to coat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 45 minute to 1 hour longer, stirring halfway through, or until the sauce is thickened and everything is heated through.
- Serve chicken and sauce over cooked white or brown rice, cooked rice noodles, or stuffed inside large lettuce leaves, as wraps. Garnish with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and additional red pepper flakes, if desired.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Your chicken should be fall-apart tender...if it's not, you need to cook it a bit longer! As a general rule, cooking time for boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a slow cooker is totally dependent on your model of slow cooker and how hot it runs. Older model, cooler running slow cookers take longer to cook and can go for 6 to 8 hours without drying out the chicken. Newer model, hotter running slow cookers can cook chicken breasts as quickly as 3 or 4 hours. You need to be familiar with your slow cooker in order to determine the appropriate cooking time for this recipe.
- Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Leftovers may be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before gently reheating.
- This recipe was modified in 2025 to accommodate modern day slow cookers, which run hotter than older models. If you had success with and are looking for the old/original recipe -- where the raw chicken was cooked directly in the sauce -- you can find it HERE. Please note that the video for this post was created for the original version of the recipe.
Nutrition
Recipe originally published on May 14, 2015, and updated on October 13, 2019, August 1, 2020, September 24, 2021, and April 1, 2025. The original recipe was modified in 2025 to accommodate modern-day slow cookers, which run hotter than older models.
Samantha, do you think I could substitute lemon juice for the lime? I don't have any limes and I really want to make this for dinner tonight. Thank you!
I'm sorry that I didn't see this to reply in time for tonight's dinner, Michelle! I'm not sure how this recipe would turn out with lemon juice, however. Personally, I would probably wait to make it until I had lime juice, but you'll have to let me know if you tried it with lemon juice and if it turned out okay! 🙂
Thank you, Samantha. I thought it over and decided to wait until I could get a lime. 🙂
Hi!
Can we freeze this recipe?
It was delicious!!!
Thanks
I made this today and unfortunately it didn't turn out well. 🙁 I followed the recipe exactly. I cooked it on low for 6 hours and the sauce around the edges burned. What wasn't burnt tasted pretty good, but I found it to be not saucy (wet) enough. For the amount of chicken (as the recipe calls for), it was quite dry, not enough sauce there to wet the rice noodles I served with it. Just wanted to share in case anyone else had the same experience.
The recipe asks for 1 cup canned coconut milk. Is it a light coconut milk or regular ?
Thank you
Hi Joanna! I use regular (full-fat) coconut milk, but you should be able to swap out light if you prefer. 🙂
My kitchen smells great and its only been in the crock pot for about an hour and a half. So excited for dinner time! This recipe is perfect for my weekly ladies night with my besties! One of us is completely gluten intolerant, so the only tricky thing was finding a gluten free soy sauce, since a lot of popular brands use wheat as a main ingredient. So so thankful for this recipe. If it tastes as delicious as it smells (and as delicious as everyone else in the comments says it is) it'll quickly become a regular dish!
I hope it was a hit with you and your friends, Jordan! 🙂
Is all right if I stack some of the chicken in crock pot? My crockpot is small.
That should be fine, Amber! 🙂
Hi there! I see the date stamps are a little older for my message so I hope you have completed all your moving and are happy where you relocated. I am going to try this today but do not have canned coconut milk so was wondering if some coconut oil/almond milk mixture might work? Just wondering your thoughts as you seem to be much better at this cooking thing than I 😉 Haha!
Hi Roxanne! Yes, that move is well behind us...thank you and that goodness! 😉 If you don't have coconut milk, I'd probably just sub almond milk, but the flavor of the final recipe will taste slightly different since lots of Thai cuisine has a coconutty undertone thanks to coconut milk. That being said, I think it will still taste fine. 🙂 I'm not sure what adding coconut oil would do to the consistency of the sauce and I don't think it would add much coconut flavor anyway, so I'd advise against that. Good luck and hope you enjoy!
I made this recipe a couple weeks back and OMG it was amazing. I'm a college student, living (and cooking!) on my own for the first time. I love pad thai and I can't afford to buy it at restaurants and had to resort to making it myself.
This recipe is no fuss and I'm making it again right now.
Thank you so much!
not quite, needed 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1/2 cup tamarind paste and more honey to be authentic, also 1/4-half a cup of natural chunky peanut butter. close though! ( follow this and its gunna be 100% lit)
I made this tonight and looooooooooved it!!! Will definitely make it again and it was so easy!! May not have to go out to eat at Thai restaurants anymore 🙂 Thank you!
Have you ever made this as a freezer meal, just wondering if it would work.
Love this recipe! I added in some fresh ginger and tamarind sauce too 🙂
I just made this on the stove top on low heat until chicken was done. Stir it occasionally so it doesn't stick. I also added ginger. OMG, it was amazing. Everybody loved it. It's a keeper
This was an amazing dish! My husband, who's not one to get too far away from his meat and potatoes, loved it! I'll admit I neglected to shred the chicken (leaving it in chunks) to satisfy his man mouth and it worked! I didn't have cilantro so used green onions on top. Excellent! Will fix and again and follow you for more!!! Thanks!
I made a double batch of this recipe with a little twist and it is fantastic. I substituted grade a medium amber maple syrup for honey, added two bunches of scallions and two scotch bonnets for heat. Super easy to prep will definitely make it again.
Yum, Zach...I love your modifications. Sounds delicious!
Did you just double all ingredients when you did that, including liquid?
I pinned this about a month ago and can't believe I am just now getting around to thanking you for such a fantastic recipe! I have made it once a week since trying it for the first time..once a week! My husband has already asked for it on Father's Day and his birthday..which is in December! The peanut butter and coconut flavor is spot on and there is not one thing I would change about it. Thank you so much 🙂
Yay, yay, yay, Sonya! It makes me so happy to hear your rave review. 🙂 Glad it's been such a hit at your house and I appreciate you taking the time to let me know!
I think I must be doing something wrong...I am cooking currently and cooking on low for 6 hours. But even within the first hour of cooking, the edges of the sauce began to look and smell burned. Is this supposed to happen?
Hi Courtney! I don't think you're doing anything wrong...it just sounds like you have a very hot-running slow cooker! If you're home, it's okay to stir it a time or two to keep the edges from burning, and your chicken may be done as quickly as 4 hours. If it is done early, it's definitely okay to turn off the slow cooker or at least reduce it to WARM until you're ready to serve. Hope that helps and good luck!
Tried this and it was delicious. Added some lemongrass to the mixture. Couldn't get the sauce to thicken on its own however so had to put in some cornflour at the end...might have been because I doubled the quantities - had too many hungry (and appreciative, I might add) mouths to feed!