Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

What Makes This Crockpot Chicken Curry Better Than Takeout

With tender chunks of chicken, potatoes, and veggies in a fragrant coconut curry sauce, this recipe has takeout vibes in a much lighter (and budget-friendly!) form.

• Easy (and I mean it). A lot of slow cooker recipes promise ease, but then you have to sauté and sear a bunch of ingredients to start. When I’m trying to get the kids ready for school in the morning, I just don’t have time! I love that I can add everything straight to the crockpot for this curry.
• Big Thai-inspired flavor. There’s a lot of depth of flavor from the red curry paste, fresh ginger, and garlic, but then a slight sweetness from the coconut milk. It’s all balanced out by the lime juice and fresh cilantro at the end. It’s absolutely delicious.
• Cozy, hearty comfort food. Chicken, loads of vegetables, and coconut milk make this a satisfying one-bowl meal.

What You’ll Need

Here’s the list of everything you’ll need to make chicken curry in the slow cooker. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

• Chicken breast – If your family prefers chicken thighs, you can use boneless skinless thighs instead. Just note that they take slightly longer to cook through.
• Potatoes – Make it low carb by swapping the potatoes for cauliflower.
• Veggies – Carrots, red bell pepper, and red onion all stand up well to the slow cooker without getting mushy.
• Chicken broth – Use low sodium or homemade broth to keep the salt level in check.
• Red curry paste – The main flavor of the sauce. Some curry pastes are stronger and spicier than others, so adjust the amount to your taste.
• Fresh ginger and garlic – These add more depth to the flavor than the curry paste alone.
• Coconut milk – Use full-fat, not lite, for the creamiest curry. Lite coconut milk will give it more of a soup-y consistency.
• Arrowroot – Cornstarch works too if that’s what you have on hand.
• Lime juice – Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor.
• Fresh cilantro – If you’re not a cilantro fan, you can skip it without a replacement or swap in basil.
• Snap peas – Snow peas also work if you like them, but I’d add them during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
• Salt – Season to taste; the amount needed can vary depending on your broth and curry paste.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

As promised, this recipe is super easy. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

• Add the chicken and veggies. Place the chicken, potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and onion into the slow cooker.
• Mix the curry sauce. Whisk the broth, red curry paste, ginger, and garlic until smooth.
• Slow cook. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables, stir, and cook on HIGH for 3 hours.
• Thicken the sauce. Stir the arrowroot with 3 tablespoons of the cooking liquid, then stir this mixture into the crockpot. 
• Finish the curry. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, cilantro, and snap peas. Cook 30–45 minutes more.
• Serve. Season to taste and serve over rice.

Recipe Variations

If you want to try something different, here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Use sweet potatoes. Swap them in for the regular potatoes for a little extra sweetness.
• Try other veggies. Just make sure that harder vegetables (like winter squash) are added at the beginning, while softer veggies (like zucchini) are added during the last 30 minutes.
• Make it extra spicy. Add sliced Thai chilies at the beginning of the recipe.
• Use a different curry paste. This recipe would work with green curry paste too!

Serving Suggestions

You can serve this slow cooker chicken curry over a bed of jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or you could just eat it as-is, which is what I did. Pair it with Asian Cucumber Salad on the side or Fresh Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce as a starter for a restaurant-style dinner.

Storage and Reheating

• To store: Store leftover slow cooker chicken curry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the potatoes will get mushy and mealy.
• To reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through, adding a splash of broth if needed.

More Thai-Inspired Recipes

• Thai Chicken Pizza
• Thai Curry Grilled Chicken Recipe
• Thai Vegetable Curry
• Chopped Thai Chicken Salad