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I love a simple, versatile dinner that’s tasty, healthy and super easy. This slow cooker peanut butter chicken fits the bill! You can use chicken breasts or chicken thighs, and creamy or crunchy peanut butter. This is sure to become a new family favorite. Enjoy with this 10-minute Easy Rice!
A Family Favorite Recipe:
I am introducing you to my kids’ favorite crockpot meal. If there is one food they love more than tacos, it’s peanut butter chicken. The peanut sauce is slightly sweet, a little acidic, and will leave your house smelling AhhhhhMAZING! You will love the way the chicken tenderizes and can even shred to create the most delicious bowl of goodness.
As a nutritionist, I love nothing more than easy healthy dinner recipes. This dinner is one that fits the bill! It’s high in healthy fat and protein, and can be a perfect meal when paired with some fiber; a side of broccoli or Brussels sprouts is a great option!
Short on time? This recipe is perfect. If your weeknights are super busy like ours, dinner can be ready with very little prep time. Less than 10 minutes!
How to make Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Chicken:
All you need is a slow cooker and these simple ingredients:
- Chicken breast or thighs
- Peanut butter (smooth or crunchy, your preference! You can also use another nut butter)
- Gluten-free Tamari Sauce, coconut aminos, or soy sauce
- Honey (omit if using coconut aminos)
- Rice vinegar (you can sub with apple cider vinegar)
- Chicken broth
- Garlic cloves
- Cilantro (for serving)
- Crushed red pepper (optional)
- Lime juice (optional)
All you need to do is stir the peanut sauce ingredients (peanut butter, coconut aminos, honey, rice vinegar, chicken broth, and garlic), throw in your chicken breast, hit start, and be on your way. Cook on 4 to 6 hours in your slow cooker. I always set mine to 6, then check at the 4 hour mark.
It’s that easy you guys!
Tips for Serving and Storing:
- Make it creamier: stir in 1/2 cup of coconut milk!
- Serve with some veggies over rice or cauliflower rice. It tastes so delicious with my Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice.
- For veggies, my favorite companion is my oven Roasted Lemon and Garlic Broccoli.
- Storing: in the fridge for up to 5 days (perfect for meal prep lunch), or freeze for up to 3 months.
Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
Yes! You can make this recipe in the Instant Pot. You will need to increase the chicken broth to 3/4 cup, or use coconut milk. Note that the nut butter has a tendency to create the burn signal so be sure to add in more liquid than you would use in the slow cooker. I recommend following my recipe for Instant Pot Cashew Butter Chicken to get the right liquid ratio.
Is there a Paleo option?
You can easily make this a paleo meal by substituting cashew butter or almond butter for the peanut butter. I would suggest trying my Cashew Butter Chicken recipe for a Paleo option!
Also, use coconut aminos in place of GF Tamari or soy sauce. When using coconut aminos, you will most likely not need any honey. You can stir the sauce and taste before adding it to the slow cooker to test it out.
Now it’s your turn to try!
Be sure to rate the recipe below and comment if you make it! Also, tag me on Instagram @wholesomelicious with your creations. I love to see them!
Easy Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breast or chicken thighs
For the Peanut Butter Sauce:
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, (creamy or crunchy)
- 1/4 cup GF Tamari Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos*
- 1/4 cup honey**
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
For Serving:
- 1 tbsp crushed red pepper, (optional)
- 1 tbsp lime juice, (optional)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, (optional)
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts into your slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients: peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chicken broth, and garlic cloves. Sauce will be slightly lumpy, but make sure it's well incorporated. Pour on top of chicken.
- Set your slow cooker to cook on low for 6 hours. You can check on it at the 4 hour mark to see if it can easily shred. If not, let it continue to cook until the 6 hour mark.
- Serve over rice with roasted vegetables and be sure to top your chicken with the sauce. Add optional crushed red pepper, lime juice, and cilantro on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Me and my wife will have a dinner date tomorrow and this one will be an addition to our table. Thank you so much for sharing the guide! Move Out Cleaning Services Denver
I made this tonight for dinner with steamed broccoli and rice and the consensus here was that it was just okay. I would have wanted the peanut sauce to be a little thicker and sweeter.
Hi! I made this delicious chicken dish for dinner tonight and it was a HUGE hit!
Thank you for sharing!
Julianne, so glad you loved it!
So good …. will definitely make again! One comment …. Cook Time says 6hr but instructions say 4hrs. I did it in the Crock Pot for 4hrs and it was perfect!
Thank you, Dawn!
Do you think this would freeze okay before cooking? Combine all the slow cooker ingredients in a bag, freeze, thaw overnight then cook?
Yes, my only suggestion would be to blend the sauce in a blender or food processor so that the peanut butter is well incorporated. It will freeze better that way! Hope that helps.
You say chicken is done when you can shred it. But the pictures show whole pieces.
Hi Sunny, yes I kept them whole for the picture. But they are tender enough to pull apart. You can serve them whole if you like!
This sounds delicious! And I have extra peanut butter to do things with. Can I make this with split breasts (on bone)? Would you cook it meat side down? Thanks.
The basics of this recipe are great, but I find that it needs only 1-2Tbsp vinegar. I also completely left out the honey and it was still delicious.
I wanted to make this without using honey so substituted 2 tsp liquid stevia and enough water to make the 1/4 cup measurement of the honey. It turned out really well.
I used regular vinegar. Any way to correct?
Could I make this in the instant pot vs. the slow cooker?
Yes! Add in a bit more chicken broth, about 3/4 cup total. Add ingredients and use the manual setting at 8 minutes, quick release.