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Crockpot Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Crockpot Thai coconut chicken soup with tender shredded chicken, golden coconut broth, and veggies simmered until just tender. Slow-cooker method makes it easy to build bold Thai flavor with red curry paste, ginger, fish sauce, and lemongrass.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Thai-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and aromatics
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp red curry paste
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 lemongrass
  • 2 kaffir lime leaves optional
  • 1 tsp turmeric
Vegetables and serving
  • 2 cup mushrooms, sliced (shiitake or cremini)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime wedges
  • 1 sliced red chilies

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Cook the chicken and broth
  1. Place the boneless skinless chicken thighs into the slow cooker. Add them in an even layer so they cook through uniformly.
  2. Add the full-fat coconut milk, chicken broth, minced garlic, grated ginger, red curry paste, fish sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar to the slow cooker. Stir gently until the curry paste begins to blend into the golden liquid.
  3. Add the bruised lemongrass pieces, kaffir lime leaves (if using), and turmeric to the slow cooker. Make sure the lemongrass is submerged so it releases aroma as it simmers.
  4. Cook on low for 5–6 hours or on high for 2.5–3 hours until the chicken is cooked through. Visual cue: the chicken should shred easily when pressed with a fork.
Shred and finish with vegetables
  1. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
  2. Remove and discard the lemongrass stalks and lime leaves. Keep the broth going for the next step so the flavors stay in the soup.
  3. Add the sliced mushrooms and thinly sliced red bell pepper to the slow cooker. Stir to distribute the vegetables through the broth.
  4. Cook on high for 20 minutes until the vegetables are just tender. Visual cue: mushrooms should be soft but not collapsed, and bell pepper should stay bright.
Serve
  1. Serve the soup garnished with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and sliced red chilies. The toppings should sit on top so they look fresh and keep their color.

Notes

For maximum flavor, keep the soup at a gentle simmer after shredding—avoid cooking longer than the 20 minutes for the vegetables so they don’t soften too much. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or microwave until hot. Freezing is OK for up to 2 months, but add cilantro after reheating to keep it vibrant. For a dairy-free swap that still stays rich, use full-fat coconut milk as written; for lower-sodium, choose low-sodium chicken broth and reduce fish sauce slightly to taste.