Made with peanut butter, coconut milk, and Thai red curry paste, this slow cooker satay chicken simmers low and slow into tender, flavor-packed meat in just 3 hours. A weeknight take on Thai peanut chicken that pulls together with just 5-minutes of hands-on prep!

Overhead shot of an oval baking dish with cooked chicken thighs. The baking dish is surrounded by a lime cut in half, fresh herbs, and containers with sauce, lime wedges, and peanuts.

5 star review

“Absolutely loved this one! Used chicken thighs, added cilantro, lime, and peanuts on top and it came out delicious! Could eat the sauce with a spoon!”

– Stephanie
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My Favorite Slow Cooker Chicken Satay

This easy slow cooker satay chicken is the kind of dump-and-go recipe I keep coming back to because, truly, what is better than five minutes of prep and the most flavorful, takeout-quality chicken at the end? And the signature trick that took a few rounds of testing to land on? Cook the chicken with only a third of the satay sauce, drain the cooking liquid, and toss the chicken with fresh sauce at the end! Saving most of it for the finish livens up the whole dish and gives you that bright, just-made flavor and makes all the difference.

Unlike most of my other slow cooker chicken recipes, my satay chicken is NOT shredded. Cook it on the lower end of the time range so it is fully cooked but still holds together. From there, don’t skip the broil step if at all possible. Since traditional satay is grilled over open flame, the broil step is what gives you that authentic char without dragging out a grill on a weeknight.

My family loves this slow cooker satay chicken served over my hands-off cilantro lime rice or rice noodles (slow cooker satay chicken noodles, anyone?) with steamed broccoli, snow peas, or my slow cooker vegetable curry on the side for a complete Thai-inspired meal. Topping with chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime is non-negotiable for me; and leftovers keep beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days and freeze well for up to 3 months, which makes this one a true high-protein slow cooker meal prep win!

Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Chicken Satay in the Slow Cooker!

Jump to Recipe Instructions
Overhead shot of a variety of containers with the following ingredients: chicken thighs, salt, coconut milk, red chili paste, brown sugar, fish sauce, peanut butter, and a lime cut into halves.
Gather ingredients.
Overhead shot of a glass bowl with coconut milk, peanut butter, brown sugar, and thai red curry paste.
Combine the satay ingredients.
Overhead shot of raw chicken tighs covered in an orange sauce in a slow cooker.
Coat the chicken with half of the marinade and cook.
Overhead shot of cooked chicken thighs in a slow cooker.
Drain the excess liquid and add remaining sauce.
Overhead shot of an oval baking dish with cooked chicken thighs. The baking dish is surrounded by a lime cut in half, fresh herbs, and containers with sauce, lime wedges, and peanuts.
Optional: Broil the chicken.
Overhead shot of a white dish with cooked chicken thighs. The baking dish is surrounded by limes, fresh herbs, and containers with sauce, and peanuts.
Serve with the remaining satay sauce.
Overhead shot of a white dish with cooked chicken thighs. The baking dish is surrounded by limes, fresh herbs, and containers with sauce, and peanuts.

Testing Tips for Crockpot Thai Peanut Chicken

  • The heat level is yours to control! One tablespoon of Thai red curry paste keeps the dish mild and kid-friendly, two brings noticeable warmth, and three pushes into adult-spicy territory, so the choice is your.
  • No Thai red curry paste? One of my readers, Stephanie, swapped in 1 teaspoon of yellow curry powder per tablespoon of paste called for in the recipe and reported the sauce came out so good she could have eaten it with a spoon. The flavor profile shifts toward something milder and less complex, but it absolutely works as a pantry-friendly substitute!
  • To make it peanut-free, swap almond butter for the peanut butter (or cashew butter in a pinch). I have tested the almond version multiple times and it comes out beautifully, with a slightly milder, less assertive nut flavor. Cashew butter works too, though the curry and lime flavors will come forward more since cashew is less dominant.
  • Pro tip, double the sauce. One of my readers, Iris, suggested using a whole can of coconut milk (adjusting the other sauce ingredients proportionally) and freezing the leftover to use the next time you make the recipe. Either way, you end up with more sauce to spoon over rice or noodles, and the sauce somehow tastes even BETTER after sitting in the fridge or freezer.
Overhead shot of an oval baking dish with cooked chicken thighs. The baking dish is surrounded by a lime cut in half, fresh herbs, and containers with sauce, lime wedges, and peanuts.

Follow my step-by-step video:

Overhead shot of raw chicken tighs covered in an orange sauce in a slow cooker.
4.95 stars (20 ratings)

Easy Slow Cooker Satay Chicken (Coconut Milk)

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 6 servings
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 5 minutes
Slow cooker satay chicken simmered low and slow in a creamy peanut butter, coconut milk, and Thai red curry paste sauce. An easy weeknight dinner!
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (or boneless skinless breasts)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For the Satay Sauce

  • ⅓ cup peanut butter
  • ⅓ cup canned coconut milk
  • 1-2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
  • 1 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoons fish sauce

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Add the chicken to a 6-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the chicken to coat.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, coconut milk, curry paste, sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce until very smooth.
  • Pour ⅓ of the satay sauce over the chicken, tossing gently to coat. Set the remaining sauce aside.
  • Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or low for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender but not falling apart.
  • When the chicken is cooked, uncover and carefully drain most of the cooking liquid. Pour over half of the remaining satay sauce, tossing to coat.
  • Optional, but recommended: Place the cooked and sauce-coated chicken on a broiler safe pan or baking sheet. Place under a broiler for 3-5 minutes or until browned, then flip and broil 2-3 more minutes to brown the other side. Keep a close eye on the chicken, as the sugar in the sauce can brown very quickly.
  • Serve the sauce coated chicken with the remaining satay sauce on the side for dipping. Garnish with cilantro, fresh lime slices, and peanuts if desired.

Notes

  • Toppings + Sides: Chopped roasted peanuts, fresh lime slices, fresh cilantro, steamed cilantro lime rice.
  • Chicken Breasts: If using chicken breasts, you may need to add an additional hour, so 3-4 hours or high, or 5-6 on low.
  • Curry Paste: Use 1 tablespoon red curry paste for a milder satay sauce, and 2 tablespoons (or more!) for a spicy satay sauce.
  • No Fish Sauce: Sub tamari or soy sauce.
  • Coconut Milk: Give the can a good shake before using, as the fat often separates from the coconut water. If shaking doesn’t work, use a fork to whisk it together before making the sauce.
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Thai

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 308kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 144mg, Sodium: 528mg, Potassium: 501mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 432IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 30mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition disclaimer
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