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!
Really good. Mine turned out slightly spicy which I like. Any ideas for a sweet curry with no spice at all?
The spice comes from the curry paste, so you could try to find a mild one. Green curry paste is typically the mildest, so that could be a good option. And sugar mellows out spiciness, so if you want a sweeter and milder tasting curry, you could add more sweetness.
Very easy, tasty and Outstanding recipe. We tried it for the very first time and everyone loved it in my family.
Will definitely make this again. I used red curry paste . Put frozen boneless/skinless chicken thighs in. When the were thawed enough, pulled them out and cubed them. I didnāt have the vegies called for, but used broccoli, red peppers and carrots. Probably any vegies would be great. The balance of flavours is so amazing. Thanks so much š
Very easy, tasty & versatile recipe.
Used Kumera and spinach (over squash and kale) and a green curry paste. Will definitely make this again.
This was REALLY good. I looked through the comments to see what could be tweaked. I definitely seasoned the chicken first. Let it sit in the crockpot for about 30 minutes while I prepped. I added some potatoes as well. It came out great! I stumbled across this recipe while searching for āgut healthā recipes. And, this was one. Thx!!
Hello!
Can I freeze this recipe?
Thanks
Yes! It freezes very well!
Since discovering this recipe, I have made it five times. It’s my single favorite slow cooker recipe.
I like a really thick curry so (while this may be sacrilegious in Thailand) I just thicken it with cornstarch at the end. Also, the last couple of times I’ve doubled the amount of meat just because I want to increase the protein. I’ve had house guests over while cooking it and everyone wanted to know why my house smelled so heavenly too!
The flavor of the freshly grated ginger came through wonderfully. Just the right amount. I was out of the dry mustard so just left it out. I had some freshly made chicken broth, so used that instead of the water.
Brilliant, delicious, and easy. My wife usually cooks dinner; when I have time off I try new dishes, but, in addition to making the kitchen look like a bomb went off, it also takes 3-4x longer than the stated estimated prep time. This recipe actually took me the stated time and I added baby carrots and chopped up leeks.Ā
This meal was a heat for all 3 kids and their friends. As they said, āWow, dad. This is actually bussing.ā
Made this last night. Great flavor. We loved it!
Can you use the low setting for 7-8 hours on the crockpot to cook this?Ā
The problem with cooking it on low for longer is the squash completely falls apart. It’s still tasty, but it’s better with a shorter cook time.
I want to try this recipe, what size slow cooker do you use? I have a small 4 qt and want to know if I should half the recipe.Ā
I have made this successfully in a 4 qt!
I love Panang. How can I adjust this recipe to give it that flavor?
Panang curry is made with panang curry paste, so you could simply substitute that for the red curry paste. The main difference between the two is that there are peanuts in panang curry paste so you could also try finishing the curry with a little peanut butter to see if that gives it the flavor you’re looking for.
Iāve made this recipe many times! So delicious! This comment section is giving me ideas on how to try different variations.
Did you use fresh ginger or powdered?
Fresh!
This might be a silly question, but is the calorie count with or without the rice? Iām excited to try it!
No just for the curry š