Listen, some nights I swear I don’t have the energy to boil water, let alone chop vegetables for a proper meal. That’s when I turn to my faithful Crockpot, and honestly, nothing saves the day like my Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe. It’s the definition of set-it-and-forget-it cooking, but the payoff is huge!
You toss everything in there in the morning, and when you finally drag yourself home, you’re greeted by the most incredible savory, slightly sweet aroma. The chicken literally melts apart—it gets so tender that pulling it feels like cheating. Slow cooking is absolutely the best way to ensure that creamy peanut sauce totally permeates every single strand of chicken. Trust me on this one; this recipe is my secret weapon against takeout menus.
Why This Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe is a Weeknight Hero
If you need dinner on the table without getting stressed, this is the recipe you need on repeat. Honestly, the magic is how little you have to do up front! Seriously, you just whisk a few things, dump them in the pot, and walk away until dinner time.
- It’s incredibly hands-off once it starts cooking—no stirring required, which means you can actually relax after work!
- The flavor gets so much deeper the longer it cooks; that slow heat really coaxes the peanut butter and ginger to blend perfectly.
- It’s the perfect, easy chicken solution for when you need a big batch of dinner ready to go. You’ll want to check out some other wonderful crockpot chicken recipes too, but this one is top tier. This Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe never disappoints.
Prep Time and Yield Details for the Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe
You can’t beat these numbers for a busy schedule. It takes virtually no time to get it going. We usually get about 4 servings out of one round, which is perfect for leftovers the next day!
Prep takes about 10 minutes—that’s just whisking, really. Then you let the Crockpot handle the heavy lifting for about 6 hours on low.
Essential Ingredients for Your Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe
Okay, this is where the magic starts, and honestly, you probably have 90% of this stuff sitting in your pantry right now. The beauty of the Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe is that it relies on basic, flavorful building blocks rather than weird, hard-to-find items.
When you’re ready to mix up that incredible sauce, make sure you have everything lined up. Having your pantry ingredients ready means you can whisk everything together in about two minutes flat before pouring it over the bird.
Here is exactly what you need. I never skip the apple cider vinegar; it cuts through the richness of the peanut butter just perfectly. If you were looking for other sauce ideas, I wrote up a great one for homemade teriyaki sauce, but for this dish, these exact ingredients are non-negotiable!
- You’ll need 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs. I usually go with thighs because they are impossible to dry out, but breasts work great too!
- For the liquid base, grab 1 cup of chicken broth.
- The star, of course, is 1 cup of creamy peanut butter. Use the smooth kind, not the chunky stuff—we want that silky sauce texture!
- For that salty kick, measure out 1/4 cup of soy sauce.
- You only need 2 tablespoons of brown sugar; it gives a lovely depth that white sugar just misses.
- Don’t forget 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.
- For the spice, use 1 teaspoon of ground ginger and 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.
- If you like a little kick, toss in 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, but feel free to leave this out if the kids are eating!
Expert Tips for Perfect Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken
Our recipe is fantastic because it’s so forgiving, but if you really want to elevate it from “good” to “I need the recipe immediately” status, you need to pay attention to the sauce consistency and how you serve it. Nobody wants a watery peanut sauce pooling around their rice, right? These little tweaks make all the difference!
If you’re looking for other sauce techniques, I’ve shared tips on using teriyaki sauce that apply here too—specifically about getting the right viscosity. A great sauce finishes the dish.
Thickening the Peanut Sauce for the Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe
Sometimes, even with all that peanut butter, the liquid ratio just ends up being a little thin when everything is done cooking, especially if you used chicken breasts which release less moisture. Don’t panic! This is an easy fix for your Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe.
Right near the end of the cooking time, take about a cup of that liquid out of the slow cooker into a separate small pot on the stove. Take one teaspoon of cornstarch and whisk it really well with about one tablespoon of cold water—we call that a slurry. Whisk that slurry into the liquid in the saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Wow, you’ll see it thicken up almost instantly! Pour that concentrated, rich sauce back over your shredded chicken. Perfect!
Garnishing for Flavor and Texture
The texture of this dish is mostly soft and tender, which is delicious, but it really begs for a bit of crunch to keep things interesting. This is where garnishing comes into play, and it’s my personal favorite part!
You absolutely must top your meal with a sprinkle of chopped peanuts. You get that fantastic nutty crunch, and it really highlights the peanut flavor in the sauce. I also love slicing up some bright green onions—the slight sharpness cuts through the richness beautifully. It makes the final plate look amazing, too!
Step-by-Step Instructions for the Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe
Now, let’s get this show on the road! I hope you have your slow cooker ready because this is genuinely one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make. Remember, the beauty here lies entirely in the long, slow cooking time. Don’t rush Step 1!
First things first, just toss those 2 lbs of chicken—breasts or thighs, your call—right into the bottom of the slow cooker insert. Try to get them spread out nicely rather than piling them in a giant mound.
- In a separate mixing bowl, you need to whisk together all those sauce goodies. Pour in that chicken broth, then the peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, and any red pepper flakes you’re brave enough to use. Honestly, you need to whisk until it’s totally smooth; no one wants lumps of peanut butter hiding in their sauce!
- Once that sauce looks perfect, just pour that entire mixture right over the chicken sitting in the pot. Cover it up nice and tight.
- Now for the waiting game! You can set it to cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours, or if you are really rushing dinner, you can crank it up to high for 3 to 4 hours. Either way, the chicken needs to be fork-tender.
- When it’s done, carefully scoop out all that tender chicken. Place it on a cutting board or in a large bowl and easily shred it up with two forks. It should fall apart beautifully after that long soak.
- Finally, return all that shredded chicken back into the slow cooker pot. Give it a really good stir so every piece gets drenched in that amazing peanut coating. You’ll want to serve this right away over some fluffy rice. If you’re new to this way of cooking, check out these other amazing crockpot recipes for more inspiration! Your Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe is officially done!
Serving Suggestions for Your Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken
This chicken is so rich and saucy that you absolutely need something underneath it to soak up all that goodness. Honestly, if you don’t serve it over a base, you’re missing half the flavor experience! It’s Asian-inspired, so naturally, my go-to has always been white rice.
You can’t go wrong with classic steamed white rice, but fluffy jasmine rice just smells heavenly mixed with that peanut sauce. If you’re looking for something a little lighter, thin egg noodles are fantastic because they tangle up so nicely with the shredded chicken. I sometimes toss them with just a tiny bit of sesame oil before plating.
But let me tell you about my new favorite way to serve this: lettuce wraps! Seriously, this is great for a lighter dinner or lunch. Take big, crisp leaves of butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce, fill them with the saucy chicken, and top them with a little bit of that crunchy peanut garnish we talked about. It’s such a fresh contrast to the slow-cooked richness. If you haven’t tried making homemade simple egg fried rice to go alongside this, you are in for a real treat!
Storage and Reheating the Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe
The best part about making this Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe is having leftovers! Seriously, I often make a double batch because I look forward to eating this cold right out of the fridge the next day. The flavor actually seems to deepen overnight, which is amazing.
When you are saving your extra peanut chicken, you have to make sure you store it correctly so the sauce doesn’t separate or go weird. You’ll want to transfer any leftovers into a clean, airtight container. Seriously, don’t leave it sitting on the counter—get it into the fridge within two hours of taking it out of the slow cooker.
This chicken keeps really well for about three to four days in the refrigerator. If you plan on freezing it, I really recommend freezing the chicken and the sauce separately if you can, because sometimes the peanut butter emulsifies a little strangely once it thaws, though it’s still perfectly safe to eat!
Reheating is super easy, thankfully. For the best results that keep the chicken moist, I always recommend reheating on the stovetop. Scoop the amount you want into a small saucepan over medium-low heat and stir gently until it’s heated through. You want to warm it slowly so you don’t dry out the chicken.
If you’re in total rush mode, the microwave works too, but lower the power slightly and reheat in short 45-second bursts, stirring in between each burst. This prevents those hot spots and keeps your delicious Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe nice and succulent. It’s just too good to waste!
Common Questions About This Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken
I get asked questions about this recipe all the time, and honestly, that just tells me how much you guys love easy weeknight dinners! It’s such a versatile dish, and people always wonder about little tweaks based on what they have. Since this Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe is one of our family favorites, I’ve tweaked it for almost every scenario, so let me answer the most common ones I hear!
Don’t worry if you can’t find exactly what’s listed; we can almost always make a substitution that still delivers that incredible flavor profile.
Can I substitute chicken thighs in this Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe?
Yes! A big, enthusiastic yes! I mentioned it briefly already, but I want to emphasize it here. Chicken thighs are actually my preferred cut for this dish, especially for make-ahead meals. They have a little more fat naturally, which means they stay richer and stay incredibly moist even if you accidentally leave them in the slow cooker for an extra half hour. If you use thighs, you might find they are so tender they shred almost instantly when you pull them out. They release a little extra liquid, so be extra diligent about testing your sauce thickness at the end!
How can I adjust the spice level for this Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken?
This is totally up to your personal heat tolerance! The recipe traditionally calls for just a quarter teaspoon of red pepper flakes, which gives you a nice background warmth—it’s not truly spicy, just enough to wake up the flavor of the peanut butter. If you want it hotter, you have two easy options.
First, just double or triple the red pepper flakes, but be cautious! The second, and what I often do when I want serious heat later on, is skip the flakes in the crocker pot entirely and add a squirt of Sriracha or chili garlic sauce right into your individual bowl after you shred the chicken. That way, everyone can customize their own spice level. That bright, sharp heat works wonderfully with the sweetness of the brown sugar in the sauce.
Also, if you happen to have ground chicken on hand instead of whole pieces, you can certainly try this recipe using ground meat, though you might need to look at some other resources like ground chicken recipes just to tweak the cooking time slightly since it cooks much faster!
Nutritional Snapshot for the Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe
I know some of you need to keep an eye on the numbers, so I pulled together the basic nutrition facts for this dish. Just remember that these figures are estimates based on serving sizes and don’t account for what you serve it with—so if you pair it with four cups of white rice, your carb count will obviously jump up!
This particular dish is actually quite protein-heavy, which is great if you’re trying to fuel up after a long day. If you are curious about how much sugar sneaks into everyday items, I found a really interesting read about the surprising sugar content of fruits exposed that you might want to check out!
Here’s the basic breakdown, per serving:
- Calories: Around 380
- Total Fat: About 18 grams (But look, most of that is the healthier unsaturated fat, which is the good stuff from the peanut butter!)
- Protein: A whopping 40 grams! That’s why this meal keeps you full.
- Carbohydrates: Roughly 15 grams.
- Sugar: Close to 12 grams, mostly from the touch of brown sugar we use to balance the saltiness.
It’s a delicious, balanced meal when kept in check. I always count on this dish to feel satisfying without leaving me feeling weighed down!
Share Your Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Success
Seriously, I put my heart and soul into making sure this Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken Recipe turns out perfectly for you every single time. But the best part of being in this cooking community is seeing all your amazing results!
Once you’ve made this—and I hope you make it this week!—I would absolutely love to hear what you thought. Did you use chicken thighs or breasts? Did you double the spice? Don’t be shy! Head down to the comments section right now and leave me a star rating. It helps future busy cooks see that this recipe is worth the effort, even on a Tuesday night.
If you snap a picture of your finished meal, especially if you got those garnishes looking perfect, tag me on social media! Seeing that tender, saucy chicken over rice is the highlight of my week. We are all in this together, trying to conquer the weekday dinner rush, and this simple, flavorful dish is our delicious victory!
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Slow Cooker Peanut Chicken
- Total Time: 6 hours 10 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Low Fat
Description
A simple recipe for tender chicken cooked in a savory peanut sauce using a slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Place the chicken in the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ginger, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes until smooth.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks.
- Return the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat.
- Serve hot over rice or noodles.
Notes
- For a thicker sauce, remove about 1 cup of liquid during the last 30 minutes of cooking and simmer it on the stovetop with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water until thickened.
- Garnish with chopped peanuts and green onions before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 5 oz chicken with sauce)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 110
Keywords: slow cooker, peanut chicken, easy chicken, crockpot, asian chicken, peanut sauce