Description
This Cooker Peanut Chicken recipe is a flavorful and easy slow cooker dish featuring tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich, creamy peanut sauce made with coconut milk, soy sauce, honey, and aromatic spices. Perfect for a fuss-free weeknight dinner, it combines sweet, savory, and spicy elements, served best over rice or noodles and garnished with green onions and chopped peanuts.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Peanut Sauce
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
Garnish
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
To Serve
- Cooked rice or noodles
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Rinse the chicken thighs under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Trim off any visible fat, then cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and easy eating.
- Make the peanut sauce: In a medium bowl, combine creamy peanut butter, coconut milk, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Whisk these ingredients until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Add aromatics and seasoning: Stir in the minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and red pepper flakes. Whisk again until fully incorporated. Adjust the sauce consistency by adding more coconut milk if it’s too thick.
- Assemble in the slow cooker: Place the chicken pieces evenly in the slow cooker. Pour the prepared peanut sauce over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are thoroughly coated. Gently stir with a spatula to integrate the sauce and chicken.
- Cook the chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. About 30 minutes before the cooking time ends, gently stir the chicken to redistribute the sauce and check for tenderness.
- Serve: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken onto a serving platter, allowing excess sauce to drain back into the slow cooker. Drizzle the remaining peanut sauce over the chicken for extra flavor.
- Garnish and enjoy: Serve the Cooker Peanut Chicken over cooked rice or noodles. Garnish liberally with chopped green onions and chopped peanuts for added texture and freshness.
Notes
- Adjust red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level.
- The sauce consistency can be modified with additional coconut milk to make it creamier or thinner.
- Chicken thighs are recommended for their tenderness and flavor, but skinless chicken breasts can be used as a substitute.
- Make sure to not overcook the chicken to avoid dryness—check around the minimum recommended time.
- Leftover chicken and sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently.
