This Slow Cooker Red Thai Chicken Curry is our favourite ‘fakeaway’ dinner. All the flavours you love from your local Thai restaurant, made at home in your slow cooker with barely any fuss. The whole family loves this one and it is on regular rotation at our place.
Thai red curry is one of those meals that feels like a real treat even though it is actually very simple to put together. This slow cooker version does all the hard work for you while you get on with your day, and the house smells incredible by the time dinner is ready..
Why This Slow Cooker Red Thai Curry Works So Well
Slow cookers are brilliant for curries. The long, gentle heat lets all those spices and aromatics really get to know each other, and the chicken thighs become meltingly tender in a way that is hard to achieve quickly. The key things I have learned from testing this recipe that make a real difference are:
Sauté your aromatics first. I know, I know, the whole point of a slow cooker is that you dump and go.
But spending five minutes cooking your onion, garlic, ginger and curry paste in a pan before adding them to the slow cooker makes an enormous difference to the depth of flavour in the finished dish.
Raw curry paste added straight to the pot can taste a little flat, cooking it out first brings it to life. It is one small step that is absolutely worth it.
Less liquid than you think. Slow cookers trap steam and create their own liquid as they cook, which means you need far less added liquid than a stovetop or oven recipe. I have tested this a few times and settled on 300 ml of coconut milk during cooking, with the remaining 100 ml stirred through at the end for that lovely fresh creaminess. Trust the process, it will look like it needs more liquid, but it does not.
Vegetables go in at the end. Adding the capsicum and green beans in the last 20–30 minutes keeps them tender but not mushy. Nobody wants grey, sad vegetables in their curry!
What You Need to Make Slow Cooker Red Thai Chicken Curry
Here is what goes into this curry and a few notes on why each one matters:
Chicken thighs Boneless, skinless thighs are the best cut for slow cooker curries. They stay juicy and tender over the long cook time and have far more flavour than breast meat. Cut them into large chunks so they hold together nicely.
Red curry paste I use a good quality store-bought red curry paste. Start with 2 tablespoons for a milder, family-friendly curry and work up from there depending on how much heat you like and how strong your particular paste is. Different brands vary quite a bit!
Coconut milk Use a full-fat coconut milk for the best flavour and creaminess. I split it, 300 ml goes in during cooking and the reserved 100 ml is stirred through right at the end for a beautiful fresh finish.
Fish sauce and brown sugar This combination is the backbone of Thai flavour. The fish sauce adds that savoury depth (it really does not taste fishy, I promise!) and the brown sugar balances everything out beautifully.
Lime juice Added right at the end, this lifts the whole dish. Start with half a lime and taste as you go.
How to Make Slow Cooker Red Thai Chicken Curry — Step by Step
Step 1 — Build Your Flavour Base
Heat a little oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Then add the curry paste and stir it through, cooking for 1–2 minutes. You will really smell when it is ready, the kitchen will smell amazing at this point!
Step 2 — Into the Slow Cooker
Transfer the onion and paste mixture into the slow cooker. Add the chicken chunks and carrot if using. Pour over 300 ml of the coconut milk, then add the fish sauce and brown sugar. Give everything a gentle stir to combine, put the lid on and leave it to do its thing.
Cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours. The sauce will look quite thin at this point — that is completely normal and nothing to worry about. It comes together at the end.
Step 3 — Add the Vegetables
When the chicken is tender and cooked through, turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Add the sliced red capsicum and green beans, put the lid back on and cook for a further 20–30 minutes until just tender. You still want a little bite to them!
Step 4 — Finish and Serve
Stir through the reserved 100 ml of coconut milk and squeeze in the lime juice, start with half a lime, taste it and add more if you like.
Serve over steamed jasmine rice with fresh coriander or Thai basil and an extra lime wedge on the side. Honestly, it is so good.
Slow Cooker Thai Curry — Common Questions Answered
These are the questions I see come up again and again when people make Thai curry in the slow cooker, so let me answer them all here!
Why is my slow cooker curry watery?
This is the most common slow cooker curry complaint and it comes down to using too much liquid. Slow cookers build up steam and condensation, which adds liquid to the pot rather than evaporating it like a stovetop would. Follow the quantities in this recipe and resist the urge to add more liquid, the sauce will be thinner than a restaurant curry but will thicken slightly once you add the finishing coconut milk and vegetables. If you want it thicker still, mix 1 teaspoon of cornflour with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir it through, then cook on HIGH for 10–15 minutes.
Can I skip the sautéing step?
You can, and your curry will still taste good, but that five minute step really does make a difference. Raw curry paste in particular can taste sharp and flat compared to paste that has been cooked out. I always do it.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Chicken breast can dry out over a long slow cook, so I really recommend thighs here. If you do use breast, add it as whole pieces rather than chunks and check it on the earlier end of the cooking time.
How spicy is this curry?
Starting with 2 tablespoons of paste gives a mild to medium heat that most families are comfortable with. The heat also depends a lot on your particular brand of paste, they can vary quite a bit. Taste and adjust as you go.
Can I make this dairy free or gluten free?
This recipe is naturally dairy free. For gluten free, check the label on your curry paste and fish sauce as some brands can contain gluten, there are great gluten free options available for both.
Variations and Serving Ideas
This curry is lovely as is but easy to adapt. Add a handful of baby spinach or sliced zucchini in the last 10 minutes, or swap the chicken for prawns added right at the end, they only need a few minutes on HIGH. Bamboo shoots and baby corn both work beautifully here too, and rice noodles make a nice change from rice.
For toppings I like to put out fresh coriander, sliced chilli, crushed peanuts and lime wedges so everyone can build their own bowl.
Storing and Freezing Slow Cooker Red Thai Chicken Curry
This curry is wonderful for meal prep as it keeps and reheats beautifully. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, the sauce will thicken slightly as it cools which I actually love.
To freeze, let the curry cool completely then transfer to an airtight container or zip lock bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.
Give it a good stir as it reheats and add a splash of water or coconut milk if the sauce needs loosening.
More Fakeaway Favourites for your Slow Cooker
- Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli
- Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
- Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken
- Slow Cooker Creamy Vegetable Alfredo
- Collection of Chicken Dinners for the Slow Cooker
Onto the Recipe for This Delicious Slow Cooker Red Thai Chicken Curry
Slow Cooker Red Thai Curry Chicken
A creamy, flavour-packed slow cooker red Thai chicken curry with tender chicken and a rich coconut sauce. Easy to prepare and slow cooked to develop deep, takeaway-style flavour at home.
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram boneless skinless chicken thighs , (about 800 grams once trimmed / 1.75 pounds) cut into large chunks
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- tablespoons 2–3 tablespoons red curry paste , (start with 2 for a milder flavour)
- ½–1 carrot, thinly sliced (optional)
- 400 ml coconut milk , (13.5 oz can) split
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
To finish
- 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), sliced
- 1 cup green beans
- Juice of ½–1 lime, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.Add the onion and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute.
- Add the curry paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
- Transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add the chicken and carrot (if using). Pour in 300 ml of the coconut milk, then add the fish sauce and brown sugar. Stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2–3 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Add the capsicum and green beans. Cover and cook for 20–30 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
- Stir through the reserved coconut milk, then add the lime juice, starting with a smaller amount and adjusting to taste.
- Serve over rice with fresh coriander or Thai basil and a lime wedge.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot. Stir well as the sauce reheats, adding a splash of water or coconut milk if needed to loosen.
Notes
- Start with 2 tbsp curry paste for a mild, family-friendly heat. Increase to suit your taste and the strength of your paste.
- The sauce will look thin during cooking — this is normal. It comes together when you add the finishing coconut milk and vegetables at the end.
- Don't skip blooming the paste in the pan first. It takes 5 minutes and makes a real difference to the depth of flavour.
- To thicken the sauce, stir in 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water at the end and cook on HIGH for 10–15 minutes.
- Add vegetables late — capsicum and beans go in the last 20–30 minutes only, so they stay tender rather than mushy.
- Leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 44647Total Fat: 4805gSaturated Fat: 4249gUnsaturated Fat: 556gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 3315mgCarbohydrates: 639gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 465g
This nutrition calculation for Just Slow Cooker Recipes has been automated, please use your discretion with the calculation and use your own if unsure.
I hope you love this one as much as we do. It is the kind of dinner that feels like you have made a real effort without actually having to, which is basically my favourite kind of recipe.
Thank you so much for visiting and taking the time to try this recipe. I hope you find plenty of slow cooker inspiration here on my blog.
If you’d like to see more of my latest recipes and kitchen adventures, be sure to follow along on Pinterest.
Happy cooking!
Anna
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