Name: Slow Cooker Basil Chicken with Coconut Curry Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 6 h 30 min
Total time: 6 h 35 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 30 oz coconut milk; 2 TBSP dried basil leaves; 2 tsp salt; 1.5 TBSP yellow curry powder; 1/2 tsp mild chili powder; 1 large red onion, chopped; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1 small can diced green chiles; 1 TBSP cornstarch; 1 TBSP COLD water; 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced; 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Jump to Recipe

This easy and delicious slow cooker chicken curry with coconut milk is perfect for busy weeknights! There is great family friendly flavor in this simply curry from coconut cream, fresh basil, tender chicken, and almost no work!

A serving of rice and coconut chicken curry on a white plate with a fork

Ah, busy weeknights! How do they get so full and crazy?!

That’s where the magical crock pot comes in! Using the combination of the slow cooker and chicken thighs ensures that you end up with amazingly tender and flavorful shredded chicken that literally swims in a decadent sauce.

Feel free to serve this with as much rice and/or naan as you see fit. You won’t get any judgement here.

This weeknight meal is flavorful but not at all spicy, so its perfect for all members of the family to enjoy! You can always amp up the head if you need to by adding in some jalapeños, or by serving some hot sauce on the side.

Try these other best easy slow cooker recipes:

A white plate on a blue and white striped napkin with a serving of rice and coconut chicken curry

Table of Contents hide

1) How to make this slow cooker chicken recipe:

2) Frequently Asked Questions…

3) Slow Cooker Basil Chicken with Coconut Curry Sauce

How to make this slow cooker chicken recipe:

This dinner is so simple to make! Don’t let the ingredient list fool you into thinking this is complicated, because its not! Basically, you dump it all in the slow cooker and let it do its thing!

This recipe is very simple to make! Here is a brief overview of the recipe to give you an idea of how it works. For the full set of directions and measurements, please make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below!

Place the chicken breasts into the crock of a slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, sauce, basil, salt, curry powder, garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Pour this sauce over the chicken.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
Remove the lid and shred the chicken.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cold water and cornstarch. Add this to the slow cooker and mix thoroughly.
Place the lid on the slow cooker again and allow to cook for another 10 minutes.
Serve with rice and homemade naan and a sprinkle of cilantro on top.

A white plate with rice and coconut chicken curry with a fork on a wooden table with a blue and white striped napkin

Frequently Asked Questions…

Does coconut milk curdle in the slow cooker? Coconut milk is a great ingredient to use in the slow cooker. You do want to make sure you use a good quality brand that doesn’t have gums or stabilizers in the ingredient list, as those can cause the coconut milk to curdle during cooking.

What cut of chicken is best for the slow cooker? Using chicken thighs is the best choice when it comes to cooking chicken in the slow cooker.

Is this kid friendly? You bet! The tender chicken is so flavorful, but in a comforting and pleasant sort of way, it is not overpowering for kids at all! Want to add more globally inspired recipes to your meal plan? Read How to teach kids to love international food.

A close-up of a serving of coconut chicken curry on a white plate

Food tastes better when its shared! If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rate below! Love and links are always appreciated! If you’d like to share this post, please link to this post directly for the recipe, please do not copy and paste or screenshot. Thanks so much for supporting me! xoxo

Slow Cooker Basil Chicken with Coconut Curry Sauce

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 6 hours 35 minutes

This easy and delicious slow cooker chicken curry is perfect for busy weeknights! Great flavor, tender chicken, and almost no work!

Ingredients

2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
30 oz coconut milk
2 TBSP dried basil leaves
2 tsp salt
1.5 TBSP yellow curry powder
1/2 tsp mild chili powder
1 large red onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can diced green chiles
1 TBSP cornstarch
1 TBSP COLD water
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

Place the chicken into the slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, basil, salt, curry powder, onion, garlic, ginger and green chiles.
Pour the sauce over the chicken.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
Remove the lid and use a fork to shred the chicken.
In a small bowl, whisk together the COLD water and cornstarch.
Add this to the slow cooker and stir to mix thoroughly.
Place the lid back on and allow to cook for another 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the cilantro on top.
Serve with rice and/or naan.