Crockpot Thai Chicken Curry
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Crockpot Thai chicken curry is one of the easiest meals to make and is so tasty. Curry paste, coconut milk, and ginger add a ton of flavor to this healthy dinner recipe. Put everything into your crockpot then walk away until dinner!
Complete the meal with a side of perfect basmati rice or cauliflower rice. Also make sure to check out our favorite crockpot Thai chicken soup!
Crockpot Thai Chicken Curry
Friends! It's crockpot time again! This magical pot of cook-my-food-for-me has become a staple around here. Most days we wonder how the heck we lived without one for so long.
Remember back when we thought that crockpots were the domain of frazzled, minivan-driving moms? Boy, were we wrong! They belong to us all. Frazzled moms, cool moms, single dudes, suburban folks, city folks, country folks ā¦ crockpots are bringing us all together.
Seriously, what's not to love about quickly throwing a few ingredients in a pot and then coming back for dinner. It's. The. Best.
That's what this crockpot Thai chicken curry is all about. You literally put a couple of ingredients into the pot then come back 4 hours later for dinner. Read: easiest dinner ever!
Video: How to make Thai Chicken Curry {1 min}
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
We like to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs as they're more flavor than breasts, and they're usually a lot more reasonably priced, too. But if you have chicken breasts on hand, you can definitely use those instead.
Can I cook this on low heat 8-10 hours?
Yes, but there's a caveat. Cooking this curry for a longer time means that the squash will be very soft. At least half of it will disappear into the sauce ā which isn't a bad thing!
The curry sauce will become thicker, sweeter, and taste a little like squash, but it will still be very tasty.
Is this chicken curry thick or thin?
We prefer our curry to be more like a traditional Thai curry, which is on the thin side.
But most Thai restaurants here in North America cater to our tastes and make their curries thicker and creamier, more like traditional Indian curry.
So if you would like yours thicker, all you have to do it reduce the water. (So easy!) There is a note about the exact amount in the recipe card.
Can I make this Thai chicken curry on the stovetop?
Yes! You'll want to simmer the curry for no longer than 1 hour.
What kind of curry paste should I use?
Not all curry paste is created equally. And since the curry paste is the base of the flavor in this recipe, the better the curry paste you can find, the more flavorful the dish will be.
We like Mae Ploy curry paste. When in doubt, look for where the curry paste is made and choose one that is made in Thailand; it's your best bet.
Another option is to make your own curry paste.
Can I use a different color curry paste?
Yes! We've used red, green, and yellow in this recipe and they all work well.
Can I use curry powder?
No, curry powder won't work in this recipe. Curry powder is an Indian spice mix made from ground turmeric, coriander, cumin, and other spices and is very different than Thai curry paste.
Crockpot Thai Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-2 cups chicken stock (see notes)
- 2-4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce (gluten-free, if needed. Coco aminos for paleo and Whole30)
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or sub maple syrup or brown sugar. Omit for Whole30)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (see notes)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite sized pieces)
- 1 large kabocha squash (cut into 1-inch cubes (or 1 small butternut squash))
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
- 1-2 chili peppers (if you like extra heat)
- 14 ounce can coconut milk
- 1 large bunch of kale (torn into small pieces (roughly 2 packed cups))
- Optional: cilantro, chili peppers, and lime to serve
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients, except for the coconut milk and kale, into your crockpotĀ and stir together well. Set your crockpot to cook on high for 4 hours.1-2 cups chicken stock, 2-4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 3 cloves garlic, 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 large kabocha squash, 1 medium yellow onion, 1-2 chili peppers
- After 4 hours, stir in the coconut milk and kale and let it sit while you prepare the rice, cauliflower rice,Ā or quinoa to serve.14 ounce can coconut milk, 1 large bunch of kale
- Top with a little cilantro, lime, and, if you like it extra spicy, some chopped chili peppers.Optional: cilantro, chili peppers, and lime to serve
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our curry recipes!
I usually make panang curry chicken on stove top but we’re doing a kitchen reno and the crockpot is all I have access to. My question is about the kale. Never had kale in curry? Is there a substitute if one doesn’t care for kale or does it not taste like kale in this recipe?
We add the totally not traditional kale to get some greens in. You can omit it, or use spinach or swiss chard instead. š
Disappointed. Recipe is bland & boring. The red curry paste didnāt add enough flavor. I think it needs other spices too, but I donāt know what. Plus, I donāt think there are enough vegetables in this. I love Thai curry, so I would like to be able to make it myself.
The type of curry paste you use really affects the outcome as it’s where all the flavor comes from. I would suggest trying a different brand. Also, feel free to add any veggie you like. This recipe is very versatile.
Look out for Mae Ploy Curry paste, it has all the ingredients you can see it it, personally its all I’ve used and turned many people onto it, its amazing!
This is the one I use:
https://www.amazon.com/Mae-Ploy-Yellow-Curry-Paste/dp/B000EICISA/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=mae+ploy&qid=1659315488&sr=8-6
Can I double this recipe and is there anything I need to do differently
As long as your slow cooker is big enough than doubling it should work fine!
Excellent recipe! My husband said I could add it to our rotation of meals! Thanks for the recipe.
This was such an easy recipe to follow and it was the first time Iād made something in my crockpot and it was delicious! I did one cup of chicken stock and it turned out well. Definitely going to put this on my rotation of regular meals!Ā
Great recipe with just the perfect spice flavor. I used two Chile de arbol. It came delicious.
So excited to make this tonightā¦ any tips on using chicken breast as my hubby doesnāt care for dark meat? Also, can I use chicken bone broth instead of regular chicken broth?
Bone broth will make this even tastier! And chicken breast will work just as well in this recipe. š
I have made this recipe many times. Sometimes I will do the chicken curry but other times, I will use prawns. It is very tasty. I also add some lemon grass from my garden. This is one of my favorite recipes for curry
Can you use leaks instead of yellow onion?
Yes!
Amazing recipe. I used bone in chicken thighs. I think it adds flavor. I used butternut squash. Served with cauliflower rice. Taste is amazing.
Made this today for myself and my parents. thanks for sharing
I am devastated: the chicken is not cooked and the squash is falling apart. I used only one cup of chicken broth as I wanted thicker and it isnāt. I have never been a fan of slow cookers and this experience is no exception. My slow cooker is a feature of my Ninja Foodi, which I use practically every day, but NOT the slow cooker function. I am having some leftover Indian chicken curry for dinner this evening. This just did not work out for me. I am so disappointed.
I’m so sorry to hear about your experience. Are you sure the chicken pieces weren’t cooked through? It seems very odd if they were cooked for 4 hours and the squash was cooked. For me, the chicken is very tender and falls apart by the time the recipe is ready. Maybe it was the way Ninja Foodie works – I’m not familiar with that appliance so I’m just guessing.
The ninja foodi (and the instant pot, too) has a āslow cookerā function, but it doesnāt work the same way as a traditional slow cooker and has a super steep learning curve. I found it way easier to keep my slow cooker for recipes like this – they need the wider base and ceramic pot of traditional slow cookers to really work.Ā
I don’t know how to cook chicken curry. Thanks for this recipe, it’s now an all time favorite for dinner! added a little more of spiciness though. thanks!
I made this with yellow curry paste and it was super easy and yum! Everyone loved it!!
This sounds delish š can I set it on low for longer? Would 6-7 hours work?
While technically you can set it to cook on low for longer, I find that the squash ends up completely falling apart that way. It will make for a thick and creamy sauce. I don’t mind it that way, but I prefer it cooked for less time. š
Thank you for sharing – super easy and delicious. Cant wait to make again.