This easy slow cooker coconut curry chicken is perfect for a cozy evening! This dish combines simplicity with luxurious flavors. Imagine a whole chicken, tender and infused with creamy coconut and spicy curry. The slow cooker does the work of putting a delicious meal on the table without stress.
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Slow Cooker Whole Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce
The first time I discovered the flavors of Indonesian cuisine, I was immediately sold. Curries, spices, everything was new and exciting! But making a curry can be time-consuming. And then I discovered the slow cooker.
It's simple: make a spicy base, put the chicken in it, pour the sauce over it, and let the slow cooker do the rest. After a few hours, you get a chicken full of flavor with a creamy sauce of coconut milk, fresh lime, and a spicy curry paste. It's a little work, and the result is great. Try it yourself!
What do you need?
What meat do you use in this curry stew?
Use a whole chicken, chicken legs, or chicken breast. The long cooking time makes the chicken tender and full of flavor.
You use the red curry paste when making the creamy coconut curry sauce.
Why use the red curry paste when making the creamy coconut curry sauce?
This makes the curry spicy and full of flavor. Curry paste contains herbs such as red peppers, paprika, ginger, garlic, coriander, and cumin. Do you find it too spicy? Then start with one tablespoon instead of 2 ½. If you don't have curry paste, replace it with a mix of sambal, garlic, lemon juice, and ginger. The flavor will be less deep.
What coconut milk do you use for this slow cooker dish?
Choose canned coconut milk, preferably not the light version. Coconut cream (the thick part in the can) makes the curry extra creamy and flavorful.
How Do You Prepare Whole Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce?
- Place the shallot, garlic, ginger, curry paste, pepper, oil, lime juice, and zest in the slow cooker.
- Add the coconut milk and mix well.
- Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper and rub it with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place the chicken in the sauce and distribute the cherry tomatoes around it.
- Pour some sauce over the chicken for extra flavor. Set the slow cooker on high for 5-6 hours. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 170 °F (75 °C).
Why do you baste the chicken?
Basting the chicken with the sauce helps the flavors to penetrate the meat. You can gently turn the chicken halfway through cooking to ensure an even flavor.
Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!
📖 Recipe
RECIPE CARD
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup coconut milk, use coconut milk with a high-fat percentage for extra creaminess
- 2 ½ tablespoons red curry paste
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- ⅔ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 red chili pepper, without seeds in thin strips
- 1 lime, zest and juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, coarse
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Whole chicken, about 3 pounds (1.5 kg)
Garnish
- flat parsley
- 1 lime, in wedges for serving
All my recipes are written both in Metric (gram / ml) and US Customary (cups / pounds). Here you can select which type of amount you would like to see.
Instructions
Making the curry mixture
- Put the coconut milk, red curry paste, shallot, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, lime juice, zest, and cherry tomatoes in the slow cooker.1 ¾ cup coconut milk, 2 ½ tablespoons red curry paste, 1 shallot, 4 cloves garlic, 1 inch fresh ginger, ⅔ cup cherry tomatoes, 1 red chili pepper, 1 lime
- Mix all the ingredients well together so that the flavors mingle and create a fragrant sauce, then pour into the slow cooker.
Slow cooker whole chicken
- Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper. Brush the chicken generously with olive oil. Rub the inside and outside of the chicken with sea salt and freshly ground pepper so that the flavors are well absorbed.3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons sea salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 Whole chicken
- Carefully place the spiced chicken breast side up in the slow cooker on top of the coconut curry sauce. Spoon some sauce over the chicken for more flavor.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to high. Cook the chicken for 5–6 hours until the meat is tender and juicy. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 170 °F (ca. 77 °C).
Serving and Dressing
- Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and place it on a nice plate. Pour some sauce around it and serve the rest in a bowl, so everyone can take extra sauce. Garnish with parsley and lime wedges.flat parsley, 1 lime
Notes
- Refrigerator: Cover the chicken with coconut curry in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Freezer: You can freeze the chicken curry for up to three months. Let it defrost in the refrigerator.
- Reheat: Heat the chicken with curry sauce over medium heat in a pan with some extra water, or in the microwave.
Nutrition
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