Fall, in my opinion, truly is the best season of all. Temps are (finally) dropping, cute and cozy decor is hitting the shelves, sweaters and boots are de-hibernating from the back of the closet, and pumpkin-spice-everthing is everywhere. One of my favorite parts of this season has to be the rich, comforting flavors of Autumn. Pumpkin stew, butternut squash soup, chili, potato soup…all a staple as soon as October hits!
Today, I want to share with you one of the go-to-dishes that has become a major fan favorite in my household. This creamy, decadent Thai Peanut Chicken will warm you and your tastebuds on those breezy Autumn days and is guaranteed to have you heading back for seconds (and maybe thirds). Bonus: it’s a crockpot dish, so prep and cleanup is super quick and easy, making it perfect for busy nights!
*Note: I’ve slightly tweaked the original recipe, which is from averiecooks.com. It can be found via this link: https://www.averiecooks.com/slow-cooker-thai-peanut-chicken/#wprm-recipe-container-64144
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (can sub for chicken breasts but I like the tenderness of the thighs better)
- 1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced in thin strips
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 14 oz canned coconut milk (I use full-fat; lite may be substituted)
Toppings:
- lightly salted chopped peanuts
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Directions:
- Add chicken (I prefer to keep it whole and cut/shred after cooking) to your slow cooker and drizzle with olive oil. Salt and pepper generously on both sides. Top with sliced bell peppers.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, vinegar, lime, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and onion powders. I add the coconut milk last for easy mixing. If your peanut butter is clumping you can microwave for 30 seconds until mixture is smooth. *Note: At this point I always taste and adjust the sauce. I may add a little more of a particular ingredient until the taste is to my liking*
- Pour sauce over the chicken and bell peppers and make sure it is evenly covered. It will seem liquidy but will thicken with cooking.
- Cook on low for 4 hours or high for about 2, or until chicken reaches an internal temp of 165F. Roughly chop or shred your chicken and return to the sauce. *Note: if sauce is still too thin, you can add 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water and cook for another 20 minutes to thicken*
- Serve warm over rice (see below) or noddles. Garnish with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and a lime wedge. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days or the freezer up to 3 months.
We like to serve over jasmine rice. Here’s how we make it:
- Take however many cups of jasmine rice (not instant) you are preparing and rinse 2-3 times under water and drain.
- Boil the appropriate amount of water for your rice according to package directions. Add some oil, plenty of salt, and some ground ginger to your water.
- Once water is boiling, add your rinsed rice, turn heat to low, cover, and cook for around 30-40 minutes.
I hope you enjoy this dish and that it makes it into your regular dinner rotation. Happy Fall, y’all!
