Description
A comforting Thai Slow Cooker Chicken recipe featuring tender chicken breast simmered with butternut squash, zucchini, and sweet peppers in a fragrant red curry coconut sauce, served over nutritious brown jasmine rice. Perfect for an easy, hands-off meal that brings vibrant Thai flavors to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
- 6 cups butternut squash, cubed
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup sweet peppers, sliced into rings
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 13.5 oz can light coconut milk
- 1 cup brown jasmine rice, cooked according to package directions
Flavorings & Sauces
- 2 limes, juiced
- 3 tbsp red curry paste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Thai basil, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp fish sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the Slow Cooker Base: Place chopped onion and chicken breast at the bottom of the slow cooker to create a flavor foundation for the dish.
- Layer Butternut Squash: Evenly arrange the cubed butternut squash on top of the chicken and onions to ensure uniform cooking.
- Create the Curry Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together light coconut milk, lime juice, red curry paste, minced garlic, coconut sugar, ginger paste, and fish sauce until smooth and well combined.
- Pour Sauce over Ingredients: Pour the curry sauce evenly over the butternut squash in the slow cooker, making sure all components are coated with the flavorful mixture.
- Slow Cook Initial Ingredients: Set the slow cooker to low and cook the mixture for 6 1/2 hours, allowing the chicken to become tender and the flavors to meld together.
- Blend the Sauce: After cooking, carefully remove the chicken and transfer the butternut squash and sauce into a blender or food processor. Leave a vent open to release steam and blend until smooth. Return the creamy sauce to the slow cooker.
- Shred Chicken and Add Vegetables: Shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks and add it back to the slow cooker. Then add chopped zucchini, sweet pepper rings, and chopped Thai basil.
- Final Cooking: Continue to cook on low heat for an additional 30 minutes to slightly soften the vegetables while maintaining their texture.
- Serve: Portion the cooked brown jasmine rice into bowls and top with the butternut squash and chicken curry mixture. Garnish with extra Thai basil if desired for a fresh aroma and flavor.
Notes
- Use light coconut milk to reduce fat content while keeping creaminess.
- If unable to blend directly from the slow cooker, allow the ingredients to cool slightly before blending to safely avoid pressure build-up.
- Adjust the level of red curry paste to your preferred spice tolerance.
- Brown jasmine rice adds a nutty flavor, but you can substitute white jasmine rice for a quicker option.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and can be frozen for longer storage.
