This easy Crockpot Thai Peanut Chicken is one of those meals that is so simple to prep but tastes so good, like lick your bowl good. Serve it with some rice noodles and Crispy Asian Brussels Sprouts for a meal that everyone will love.
There are so many things to love about this easy Thai Peanut Chicken. With the creamy peanut butter and coconut sauce, this really is a meal that the whole family will love. My kids gobble this up, and that includes my ridiculously picky two year old. Plus other than making the sauce, which takes about two minutes, this recipe takes minimal work. Dump and go.
Then there is the fact that it a great way to switch up your meal routine. This isn't something most of us are making all the time, but it is still familiar enough that it works for everyone. Normally I serve it with some steamed rice, raw carrots and cucumbers for crunch, some shelled edamame, and a good helping of cilantro and fresh lime. Mine also comes with a heaping pile of sliced fresh jalapenos. Eveyrone builds their own bowls or lettuce wraps.
What to Serve with Thai Peanut Chicken
There are so many different options for serving this yummy chicken from traditional options with rice or noodles to lightened up low carb options with lettuce wraps or zucchini noodles. Here are some you should try:
- Grab some butter lettuce and serve this peanut chicken with shredded carrots, crushed peanuts, and some sliced jalapenos for spice.
- Build on the flavors of the dish by serving it with cilantro lime quinoa instead of plain steamed rice. Make it with traditional white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice.
- You'll want something green on the side like these Sesame Sugar Snap Peas, Crispy Roasted Cabbage, or Honey Garlic Carrots.
- This chicken is also great over a big green salad. Include lots of crunchy vegetables that will stand up to the saucy chicken, things like carrots, edamame, cucumbers, bean sprouts, bell peppers, and cabbage.
Recipe Tips and Ideas
- If you like things a little spicy, then there are two really great options. First, you could simply add some red pepper flakes or sambal olek to the peanut sauce. Delicious. For even more flavor, you could add some red curry paste to the peanut sauce. This is so good since the flavor of the curry paste pairs really well with the peanut butter and coconut.
- This recipe works with lots of different vegetables. For most vegetables, add them in the last 30 minutes of cooking so they don't overcook and get mushy. Consider using zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, sugar snap peas, spinach, or regular peas.
- This recipe works for chicken breasts, chicken thighs, pork, and the sauce can also be used in a skillet for a quick-cooking meal for chicken, shrimp, or tofu. For skillet meals, you may need to add a touch of cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
- To make this Paleo friendly, make sure to use full fat peanut butter, coconut aminos, and regular coconut milk.
- If you are looking for a recipe that can cook all day while you are out of the house, just swap in boneless and skinless chicken thighs. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Chicken thighs won't dry out in the slow cooker like chicken breasts do when they are cooked too long.
- For those who don't love shredded chicken, just cut the chicken into chunks before adding it to the slow cooker.
Meal Prep and Freezer Options
There are two options if you want to prep this ahead of time for quicker and easier cooking.
- Prep the night before: If you want to prep this the night before, just add everything to a ziploc bag or Tupperware. Then you can just dump it into the slow cooker.
- Freeze up to 3 months in advance: You can also add all the ingredients to a freezer friendly bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Then defrost overnight in the fridge and add to the slow cooker.
- Lunch meal prep: This meal also keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days, so leftovers are a great option for lunch with rice, in salads, or in a wrap.