SLOW COOKER PEANUT CHICKEN Recipe

I just dropped an Easy Slow Cooker Meal into the pot that comes out as ridiculously saucy, protein-packed peanut chicken you’ll want to eat for days.

I’m obsessed with this Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken because I want dinner that tastes like I tried but didn’t. I love the sticky, slightly spicy peanut sauce dinner that coats every shred of chicken.

I used boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs and a big scoop of creamy peanut butter. And the result is ridiculous.

It’s an Easy Slow Cooker Meal that somehow feels serious, not lazy microwave food. I hate dry chicken and this never is.

Juicy, saucy, a little messy. I make it when I need something loud and hits all the cravings.

Ingredients

• Chicken, the hearty protein that soaks up the peanut sauce real good.
• Peanut butter, creamy richness that makes the sauce thick and cozy.
• Coconut milk, silky and tropical, it mellows the peanut punch.
• Soy sauce, salty umami backbone, it pulls everything together.
• Fish sauce, funky depth that makes it taste more grown up.
• Brown sugar, adds caramel warmth and balances salty notes.
• Lime juice, bright tang that cuts through the richness.
• Rice vinegar, light acidity for a cleaner finish.
• Garlic, punchy and savory, you’ll smell it before you taste it.
• Ginger, zippy freshness that keeps it from feeling heavy.
• Sriracha, spicy kick—add more if you like heat.
• Chicken broth, thins the sauce so it’s not gluey.
• Cornstarch slurry, optional thickener for clingy, restaurant-style sauce.
• Roasted peanuts, crunchy garnish that adds nutty texture.
• Green onions, bright oniony bite and color on top.
• Cilantro, fresh herb note—love it or skip it.
• Salt and pepper, basic seasoning you’ll tweak at the end.
• Red pepper flakes, extra heat and visual pop, if you dare.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, roughly 4 pieces
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (natural or regular, whatever you got)
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional but adds depth)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha or chili sauce, adjust to taste
• 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or water
• 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water for thickening, optional
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped roasted peanuts for garnish
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced for topping
• Small handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped optional
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Red pepper flakes for extra heat, optional

How to Make this

1. Pat chicken dry and season lightly with salt and pepper, then place the pieces in the slow cooker in a single layer if you can.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce or tamari, fish sauce if using, brown sugar, lime juice, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, sriracha, and chicken broth or water until smooth. Scrape the bowl to get every bit of peanut-y goodness.

3. Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover, and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until chicken is very tender and shreds easily.

4. Remove chicken to a cutting board or bowl and shred with two forks. Taste the sauce in the slow cooker and adjust: add more sriracha for heat, more lime for brightness, or a pinch more salt if needed.

5. If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth, stir it into the sauce in the slow cooker, then turn heat to HIGH and let it cook 10 to 15 minutes until thickened. If you like it thinner skip the cornstarch.

6. Return shredded chicken to the thickened sauce and stir well to coat. Let it warm together for a few minutes so the flavors marry.

7. Serve over rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice. Spoon extra sauce over the top because you want it peanutty and saucy.

8. Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro if using, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for extra heat. A lime wedge on the side is great too.

9. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on low heat so the coconut milk doesnt break.

10. Quick hacks: soften cold peanut butter in the microwave for 15 seconds if it resists mixing; if sauce splits add a splash of warm coconut milk and whisk; use thighs for richer flavor and breasts for leaner protein.

Equipment Needed

1. Slow cooker or crockpot
2. Medium mixing bowl
3. Whisk (or sturdy fork)
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Sharp chef knife
6. Cutting board
7. Two forks for shredding the chicken
8. Heatproof spoon or rubber spatula for stirring and scraping

FAQ

SLOW COOKER PEANUT CHICKEN Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Chicken: swap with 2 pounds boneless skinless turkey breasts or thighs, or use an equal amount of firm tofu (press it first) for a vegetarian version. Turkey will be a hair drier so watch cooking time, tofu soaks up the sauce great.
• Peanut butter: use almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter if you got nut allergies. Almond or cashew give a similar creamy, slightly sweeter flavor, sunflower is earthier but allergy friendly.
• Coconut milk: replace with full fat evaporated milk or plain canned coconut cream diluted with water (about 3/4 cup cream + 1/4 cup water). Evaporated milk makes it less coconutty but still rich; coconut cream gives extra richness so thin it a bit.
• Soy sauce or tamari: swap with liquid aminos, Worcestershire sauce mixed with a little water, or 1 tablespoon miso dissolved in 1/4 cup water for depth and salt. Adjust salt since these can be stronger or milder.

Pro Tips

1. If your peanut butter is stiff, microwave it in 10 second bursts and stir in between so it mixes smooth with the coconut milk. Don’t overheat or it gets grainy.

2. Use thighs if you want richer flavor and breasts if you want leaner. Either way low and slow gives the best shredding texture, so resist the urge to crank the heat.

3. Taste the sauce before thickening. Slow cooker heat dulls acidity and spice, so add extra lime or sriracha at the end rather than at the start, otherwise it can end up flat or too hot.

4. To avoid a split coconut sauce, stir a small cup of warm coconut milk into a bowl, whisk in the cornstarch slurry, then add that back to the slow cooker while it’s on high to thicken gently.

5. Save some crunchy texture: stir most of the chopped peanuts into servings but reserve a few for sprinkling on top at the table so they stay crisp.

SLOW COOKER PEANUT CHICKEN Recipe

Recipe by Belinda Ecclestone

0.0 from 0 votes

I just dropped an Easy Slow Cooker Meal into the pot that comes out as ridiculously saucy, protein-packed peanut chicken you’ll want to eat for days.

Pin

Servings

4

servings

Calories

886

kcal

Equipment: 1. Slow cooker or crockpot
2. Medium mixing bowl
3. Whisk (or sturdy fork)
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Sharp chef knife
6. Cutting board
7. Two forks for shredding the chicken
8. Heatproof spoon or rubber spatula for stirring and scraping

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, roughly 4 pieces

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (natural or regular, whatever you got)

• 1 cup full fat coconut milk

• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional but adds depth)

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

• 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha or chili sauce, adjust to taste

• 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth or water

• 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water for thickening, optional

• 1/4 cup roughly chopped roasted peanuts for garnish

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced for topping

• Small handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped optional

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• Red pepper flakes for extra heat, optional

Directions

• Pat chicken dry and season lightly with salt and pepper, then place the pieces in the slow cooker in a single layer if you can.
• In a medium bowl whisk together peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce or tamari, fish sauce if using, brown sugar, lime juice, rice vinegar, minced garlic, grated ginger, sriracha, and chicken broth or water until smooth. Scrape the bowl to get every bit of peanut-y goodness.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover, and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until chicken is very tender and shreds easily.
• Remove chicken to a cutting board or bowl and shred with two forks. Taste the sauce in the slow cooker and adjust: add more sriracha for heat, more lime for brightness, or a pinch more salt if needed.
• If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth, stir it into the sauce in the slow cooker, then turn heat to HIGH and let it cook 10 to 15 minutes until thickened. If you like it thinner skip the cornstarch.
• Return shredded chicken to the thickened sauce and stir well to coat. Let it warm together for a few minutes so the flavors marry.
• Serve over rice, noodles, or cauliflower rice. Spoon extra sauce over the top because you want it peanutty and saucy.
• Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, sliced green onions, chopped cilantro if using, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for extra heat. A lime wedge on the side is great too.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on low heat so the coconut milk doesnt break.
• Quick hacks: soften cold peanut butter in the microwave for 15 seconds if it resists mixing; if sauce splits add a splash of warm coconut milk and whisk; use thighs for richer flavor and breasts for leaner protein.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 400g
• Total number of serves: 4
• Calories: 886kcal
• Fat: 51g
• Saturated Fat: 20g
• Trans Fat: 0.1g
• Polyunsaturated: 6g
• Monounsaturated: 30g
• Cholesterol: 193mg
• Sodium: 925mg
• Potassium: 1031mg
• Carbohydrates: 21g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 7.5g
• Protein: 86g
• Vitamin A: 150IU
• Vitamin C: 2.5mg
• Calcium: 89mg
• Iron: 4.5mg