If you’re looking for an easy dinner that’s packed with flavor, this Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken with Spinach & Peas is one of those recipes you’ll want to keep on repeat. Tender chicken slowly cooks in a rich coconut curry sauce with garlic, ginger, and warm spices, creating a creamy, comforting meal that tastes like it came from your favorite restaurant.
If you love easy slow cooker and crock pot chicken dinners like this one, be sure to check out my 10 Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Breast Recipes for even more simple, slow cooker recipes to add to your weekly meal rotation.
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken Recipe
- High-protein dinner – With about 50 grams of protein per serving, this hearty coconut curry chicken dinner will keep you full and satisfied.
- Creamy restaurant-style curry sauce – Coconut milk plus an easy thickening trick creates a rich, velvety sauce that tastes like something you’d order at your favorite Thai restaurant.
- Super easy slow cooker recipe – Just add everything to the crockpot and let it cook while the flavors develop. For another super easy crock pot chicken dinner, try my Easy Slow Cooker Italian Chicken. It’s a reader favorite!
- Family-friendly flavor – This coconut curry chicken is full of warm spices but not overly spicy, making it perfect for the whole family. My youngest is sensitive to spice but she LOVES this chicken. If you like it extra spicy, you can always add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
- Don’t love the spinach or peas? – Just leave out what you don’t like, and it will still be amazing. You could easily add other veggies too. (Potatoes, carrots, bell pepper and zucchini are all great in this curry chicken.)
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions for Coconut Curry Chicken
Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts work great for this recipe and keeps it high in protein. You can also use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer a slightly richer flavor.
Coconut Milk – Full-fat coconut milk creates the creamiest sauce and gives this curry its rich texture. Light coconut milk can work, but the sauce may be slightly thinner.
Curry Paste – Red curry paste adds most of the flavor to the sauce. If you prefer a milder curry, start with a smaller amount and add more to taste. Some brands of curry paste are spicier than others. I use two tablespoons of the Thai Kitchen brand and it isn’t spicy at all. You could also use green curry paste instead of red if you prefer a more spicy, citrusy curry.
Peas – Frozen peas work best because they stay bright and slightly firm in the curry. Since they’re already blanched before freezing, they only need a few minutes to warm through at the end of cooking. Canned peas can be used if that’s what you have, but they’re much softer and should be drained well before adding.
Spinach – Fresh spinach wilts quickly into the hot curry sauce and adds extra nutrients. Baby spinach works especially well.
Cornstarch – A quick cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce near the end of cooking, creating a silky, restaurant-style curry. It’s super easy to make by just mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cold water. You could skip this step if you don’t want to use cornstarch, but the sauce will be slightly thinner. (Still great spooned over rice though!)
Sesame Oil – A small drizzle of sesame oil at the end adds a subtle nutty flavor that goes really well with the coconut curry sauce.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken
- Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest curry sauce.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch slurry if you want a thicker sauce. It turns the sauce into a silky, restaurant-style curry.
- Add peas and spinach at the end so they stay vibrant and tender instead of overcooking.
- Adjust the spice level easily by adding more or less curry paste, chili oil, red pepper flakes or your favorite hot sauce.
- Serve over rice to soak up the creamy coconut curry sauce.
Slow Cooker Coconut Curry Chicken with Spinach & Peas
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk (full fat)
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tbsp minced garlic (or 3-4 cloves, finely chopped)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 lime
To Thicken:
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cold water
Optional Mix-Ins:
- 1 cup peas (canned or frozen)
- 1-2 cups fresh spinach
Instructions
- Add to crockpot: Coconut milk, curry paste, soy sauce, curry powder, ginger, brown sugar, paprika, garlic and salt. Whisk lightly. (Do NOT add the lime juice or sesame oil yet.)
- Lay chicken gently into the sauce.
- Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Chicken is done when it's tender and falls apart with a fork. Remove chicken from crock pot to a plate and either shred it, break it into smaller pieces or leave as large ones.
- Add the cornstarch slurry and gently stir. Put the chicken back in the crock pot and cook on HIGH for about 20–30 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Just before serving, stir in the sesame oil, lime juice, peas, and spinach so the vegetables and flavors stay vibrant and tender. Taste and add more salt, lime or pepper if desired. Enjoy as is or serve over rice.
- If you make this recipe and have a quick second to give it a rating, it would help my little website so much! Just scroll to the bottom of this page until you see the row of blank stars. Thank you!
Nutrition
How to Store and Reheat Coconut Curry Chicken
If you have leftovers, this slow cooker coconut curry chicken stores really well and tastes just as delicious the next day.
Refrigerator: Store leftover coconut curry chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors continue to develop as it sits, making the leftovers even more flavorful.
Freezer: This recipe also freezes well. Let the curry cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 30–60 second intervals, stirring occasionally until warmed through. If the sauce thickens too much after storing, simply stir in a splash of water or coconut milk to loosen it back up.
FAQ’s
Yes! Boneless skinless chicken thighs work great in this slow cooker coconut curry chicken. They’re slightly richer and stay very tender during slow cooking.
Yes, but the sauce will be thinner. The cornstarch slurry added at the end helps create a thicker, restaurant-style curry sauce. Without it, the sauce is thinner but still tastes amazing and works to spoon over rice.
Absolutely. You can increase the amount of curry paste or add a pinch of red pepper flakes or hot sauce if you prefer a spicier curry.
Yes, green curry paste works well in this recipe. It will give the curry a brighter flavor and slightly more heat compared to red curry paste.
Definitely. Bell peppers, carrots, or zucchini are great additions. Just add them during the last hour of cooking so they stay tender but not overly soft.
Very flavorful. Needed to double the recipe and had to adjust at the end with more coconut milk, sugar, salt, and some red chili pepper flakes to bring the flavors out more. But it came out delicious!!
I’m so glad you like it! And thank you so much for sharing your notes on what you adjusted for doubling it. I really appreciate you taking the time to share that and rate the recipe. Enjoy!