This Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry is one of the easiest slow cooker recipes to make, as you just throw a few ingredients into the slow cooker and let it cook away - no prep or pre-cooking needed - it takes 5 minutes to make. Just some diced chicken, Thai curry paste and coconut milk and you have yourself a spicy and fragrant easy weeknight meal.
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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. It freezes so well too, making it perfect for batch cooking.
The juices from the chicken 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. This is meant to be a really saucy curry.
If you are looking for some more slow cooker chicken recipes, then why not try our easy Slow Cooker Chicken Korma, simple Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas or our comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole?
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Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry Ingredients
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken - We used chicken breasts to keep it lean, but you can use skinless and boneless chicken thighs which would have more flavour and be juicier.
- Thai curry paste - You can make your own Thai curry paste, or use a good quality store bought Thai red curry paste. This is a slow cooker Thai red curry.
- Coconut milk - We used full fat coconut milk because it has the best flavour and makes it nice and creamy. Also, reduced fat can split in the slow cooker and only works well in dishes where it is just added at the end.
- Soy sauce - A little splash of this adds some extra saltiness and umami flavour.
- Water - This is just to loosen up the sauce a little and make it go further. If you didn't want a very saucy curry then you could leave it out. You could also use chicken stock for more flavour.
- Spinach - I know this isn't very traditional, but I love giving our family favourite meals a green veggie boost and you can just stir this in at the end.
Flavour Hit
If you want to add loads of extra flavour to this, then stir in a couple of spoonful's of peanut butter. SO good!
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How To Make A Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry
Step 1
Put the chicken, Thai red curry paste, can of coconut milk, water and soy sauce in the slow cooker and mix very well.
Step 2
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
Step 3
10 minutes before the end, add the spinach and stir it in.
Step 4
Serve with brown rice and quinoa and vegetables.
Serving Suggestions
Curry goes perfectly with rice, which soaks up all that incredible creamy curry 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 or try our Brown Rice and Quinoa recipe.
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 airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. We recommend these glass storage containers.
Freeze: This curry is great for freezing. 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. We love these reusable silicone freezer bags.
Defrost and Reheat: Defrost in the fridge overnight. Once fully defrosted you can reheat in the microwave or oven.
Dannii's Top Tips
- You can make a vegetarian version of this by swapping the chicken for chunky vegetables and cooking it on high for 2 hours. Cooked halloumi or tofu is good in it too.
- If you don't want to serve this with rice, add some chunks of butternut squash r sweet potato in with the rest of the ingredients to make the curry itself more filling.
- If you like your curry really spicy, then sprinkle some chilli flakes over before serving.
- Finish it all off with a squeeze of lime juice to freshen it all up.
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. We use a Morphy Richards Slow Cooker and we love it. What I love most about it is that you can put the bowl insert on the hob too. 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 3 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.
More Thai Recipes
If you've tried this Crockpot Thai Chicken Curry, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Curry {Just 5 Minute Prep}
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.3 lb) of Chicken breast - cut into chunks
- 80 g (0.3 cup) of Thai curry paste
- 400 ml (1.66 cups) of Coconut milk
- 60 ml (0.25 cup) of Water
- 2 tablespoon of Soy sauce
- 100 g (3.33 cups) of Spinach
Instructions
- Put 600 g of Chicken breast, 80 g of Thai curry paste, 400 ml of Coconut milk, 60 ml of Water and 2 tbsp of Soy sauce in the slow cooker and mix very well.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
- 10 minutes before the end, add 100 g of Spinach and stir it in.
Recipe Tips
- You can make a vegetarian version of this by swapping the chicken for chunky vegetables and cooking it on high for 2 hours. Cooked halloumi or tofu is good in it too.
- 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.
- If you like your curry really spicy, then sprinkle some chilli flakes over before serving.
- Finish it all off with a squeeze of lime juice to freshen it all up.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
helen says
Love it, great quick and easy put it on in morning and ready for tea. Family all eat it, which is great. Sometimes I have with rice sometimes I just add potatoes to the mix saves messing about in the evening.
Jenn says
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 says
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!
Sue says
I just bought a jar of curry paste for another recipe, so I'm all set to make this for dinner, yum!
Cindy says
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 says
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!
Nadia says
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 says
Yes, this did happen to us - as you can see in our step by step process pictures we have provided. However, stirring it together and then serving sorted this out.
Nadia Hubbard says
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!