This Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry is one of the easiest slow cooker recipes to make, as you just throw everything in the slow cooker and let it cook away - no prep or pre-cooking needed. Just some chicken, veggies, Thai curry paste and coconut milk and you have yourself a spicy and fragrant easy weeknight meal.
We spent 3 weeks travelling around Thailand a few years ago and we ate a LOT of Thai curry. We ate pretty much every variety that we could get our hands on and have been making it every couple of weeks since we got back. Thai food is simple, but incredibly fresh, fragrant and can be really healthy too.
As with most recipes, cooking them slow and low allows the flavours to really intensify. That certainly goes for this Slow Cooker Thai Curry.
The juices from the chicken and vegetables mix with the coconut milk and curry paste to make a really delicious broth that the rice will soak up when served. So, even though it looks really "liquidy" when cooked, that is where all the flavour is.
If you are looking for some more slow cooker chicken recipes, then why not try our Slow Cooker Chicken Korma, Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas or Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole.
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Why you will love it
- Very little prep - You just dump everything in and let it cook away. The perfect meal for a busy week night.
- Freezes well - Make extra because this freezes really well.
- Can use store bought curry paste to save time - Try to use the best quality you can though, as you will be able to taste the difference.
- Can be served with rice or noodles - This is a really versatile curry.
Ingredients needed
- Chicken - We used chicken thighs because they are nice and juicy and have the best flavour. However, you could use chicken breasts which would make this leaner.
- Red pepper - Any colour bell pepper will work, however we like how vibrant the red peppers look.
- Onion - Swap for shallots for a sweeter flavour.
- Thai curry paste - You can make your own Thai curry paste, or use a good quality store bought one.
- Coconut milk - We used full fat because it has the best flavour and makes it nice and creamy, however you can use reduced fat if you prefer. It will make it more watery though.
- Lime - This adds a lovely freshness to the curry.
- Coriander (cilantro) - Optional, but delicious sprinkled on top before serving.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step by step
One: Put the chicken, onion and red pepper in the slow cooker.
Two: Add the curry paste and coconut milk and gently mix.
Three: Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
Four: Serve on top of a rice, quinoa or noodles with a squeeze of lime and fresh coriander on top.
Thai curry paste
We are big fans from making things from scratch as much as we can, but being busy working parents we love finding ways we can save time in the kitchen. If you want to make your own Thai Curry Paste, then we have a recipe for that, but in the interest of keeping this a really quick and easy to prepare meal, we used store bought paste.
There are some fantastic option out there now, that aren't loaded with salt and sugar, so get the best quality one you can. You can use red, green or yellow paste depending on what level of spiciness you like.
What to serve with Slow Cooker Thai Curry
Curry goes perfectly with rice, which soaks up all that incredible creamy sauce. If you want something quick and easy, then try our Microwave Rice, or why not try our Turmeric Rice for something a little different? You could swap rice for quinoa for a protein boost.
Soft and fluffy bread is always a good option with curry too, so why not try making our Homemade Flatbreads or Easy Naan Bread. You could also serve this with noodles.
Storage
Store: Leftovers can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Freeze: This curry is great for freezing. Take the chicken off the bone (and discard the bone) and shred it up in the slow cooker pot with the rest of the ingredients and wait for it to cool. Portion it out (with some rice for an even easier freezer meal) and put in the freezer. They will keep in there for about 3 months.
Defrost: Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: Once fully defrosted you can reheat in the microwave or oven.
Frequently asked questions
You can easily make a vegetarian version of this dish. Swap out the chicken for chunky vegetables such as butternut squash, sweet potato, peppers, courgette and mushrooms and cook is for 2 hours on high. You could even use a meat substitute or some tofu.
There really is no rule here, just make sure that the ingredients you are using can fit in your slow cooker. We use a Crock Pot DuraCeramic Slow Cooker and we love it. What I love most about it is that you can put the bowl insert on the hob too. So, you can cook the onions on the hob, in the slow cooker bowl. I also love that it has a clear lid, as I am so impatient that I want to keep looking and seeing what it is doing. If you don't have a clear lid, then lifting it to see will release lots of the heat and add to the cooking time.
The chicken should be perfectly cooked in the slow cooker after 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. However, we always like to use a food thermometer to check. The cooked temperature of chicken is 75°C/165°F. However, if you don't have a food thermometer, then it is best to use your judgement and stick a knife in it. It shouldn't be pink inside.
Yes, this can all be cooked on the hob and it will take around 35-40 minutes. Just make sure that the chicken is cooked through. You will need to dice the chicken first.
Yes, as long as you make sure the curry paste is gluten free, and there is no cross contamination, then this can be gluten free.
More Thai recipes
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Recipe
Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper - thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion - peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoon Thai curry paste - (heaped)
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 1 lime - (juice only)
- 25 g fresh coriander (cilantro) - chopped
Instructions
- Put the chicken, onion and red pepper in the slow cooker.1 medium onion, 4 chicken thighs, 1 red pepper
- Add the curry paste and coconut milk and gently mix.2 tablespoon Thai curry paste, 400 ml coconut milk
- Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Serve on top of a rice/quinoa mix with a squeeze of lime and fresh coriander on top.1 lime, 25 g fresh coriander (cilantro)
Notes
- You can make a vegetarian version of this by swapping the chicken for chunky vegetables and cooking it on high for 2 hours.
- Make a leaner version of this by using chunks of chicken breast rather than the chicken thighs.
- If you don't want to serve this with rice, add some chunks of butternut squash in with the rest of the ingredients to make the curry itself more filling.
- Give this curry a veggie boost by adding some chopped kale or spinach about 30 minutes before the curry is finished.
- If you like your curry really spicy, then sprinkle some chilli flakes over before serving.
Jenn
Another curry winner! This dish is so full of flavor, it's my new go-to when I'm craving Thai food! Yummy!
Angela Allison
What a simple and delicious recipe! Love that this is healthy and so full of flavor. Definitely a go-to weeknight dish. Thanks so much for sharing!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
I was looking for a recipe like this, thank you for sharing!
Sue
I just bought a jar of curry paste for another recipe, so I'm all set to make this for dinner, yum!
Cindy
You can't go wrong with a slow cooker meal! Especially on busy nights. We made this last week and it was delicious!
Annie @ Annie's Noms
My husband and I love Thai curry, but I've never tried it in the slow cooker. I have my slow cooker out most weeks at the moment as I'm busy and need dinner to be easy. Will definitely be trying this, it looks delicious!
Julie
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Nadia
Hi
Thanks for this recipe, the taste was superb and it was so easy to follow but was surprised to see that the coconut milk had split and looked like curdled split milk. Was this meant to happen? When I googled it it said that coconut wasn't suitable for slow cooking so some advice please?
Dannii
Yes, this did happen to us - as you can see in our step by step process shots we have provided. However, stirring it together and then serving sorted this out.
Nadia Hubbard
Thanks for this, did wonder if I'd done something wrong. I did stir it but unfortunately it still looked like curdled cheese but managed to eat it without using my eyes and hoping for the best and it still tasted delicious!