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Crockpot Thai Peanut Chicken

Crockpot Thai peanut chicken made with a thick, creamy peanut sauce that turns boneless chicken thighs tender and easy to shred. Set-and-forget slow cooker peanut chicken served over rice with cilantro, crushed peanuts, and a sriracha drizzle.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Thai-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken thighs
  • 2 lb boneless chicken thighs Use boneless chicken thighs for the most tender shred.
Thai peanut sauce
  • 0.5 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp sriracha For heat and finishing drizzle.
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth Helps thin the sauce so it turns silky in the slow cooker.
To serve
  • 0.1 cooked rice Use warm rice for best texture under the thick sauce.
  • 0.25 fresh cilantro
  • 0.25 sliced green onions
  • 0.25 crushed peanuts Adds crunchy contrast to the creamy peanut sauce.
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 crockpot

Method
 

Make the peanut sauce
  1. Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, garlic, ginger, and chicken broth together until smooth, no lumps remain.
Slow-cook
  1. Place chicken thighs in the crockpot and pour the peanut sauce over them so the chicken is well coated.
  2. Cook on low for 6 hours until chicken is completely tender and shreds easily, or cook on high for 3–4 hours until tender.
Shred and coat
  1. Shred chicken directly in the crockpot and stir to coat in the peanut sauce until thick and creamy around the shredded meat.
Serve
  1. Serve over cooked rice and top with fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, crushed peanuts, and lime wedges.

Notes

For the creamiest peanut sauce, whisk until fully smooth before adding to the crockpot, since the peanut butter thickens as it heats. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze the chicken and sauce (without garnishes) up to 3 months, then thaw and reheat. For a lighter option, use natural creamy peanut butter with no added sugar and slightly reduce honey to taste.