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Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken

Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken with tender, slow-braised chicken thighs in a fragrant red curry coconut sauce. The sauce turns silky and gently spicy, finished with peas for a bright, colorful bite over jasmine rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai-inspired
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Slow cooker coconut curry chicken base
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 3 tbsp red curry paste
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 onion diced
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 0.25 fresh Thai basil for serving
  • 0.25 lime wedges for serving
  • 0.5 jasmine rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the curry
  1. Add the chicken thigh chunks to the slow cooker.
  2. Whisk together coconut milk, red curry paste, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and turmeric until smooth.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken, then stir in the diced onion and sliced red bell pepper.
Slow cook and finish
  1. Cook on LOW for 6–7 hours, or HIGH for 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender.
  2. Stir in the frozen peas during the last 20 minutes of cooking.
  3. Taste the curry and adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce, lime juice, or brown sugar as needed.
  4. Serve the curry over jasmine rice topped with fresh Thai basil and lime wedges.

Notes

For the best texture, don’t lift the lid during the long cook—steam helps keep the chicken tender. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently until steaming. Freezing is not recommended because coconut sauce and peas can change texture, but you can freeze cooked chicken separately if desired. For a dairy-free swap, use the same coconut milk (already dairy-free); if you need it soy-free, replace fish sauce with a soy-free alternative or use extra lime plus a pinch of salt to taste.