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Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry with Crispy Shallot Basil Oil. A cozy Thai-inspired chicken curry for cold winter days. Made in the crockpot by mixing chicken with ground turmeric, ginger, and spices, then adding coconut milk, sweet potatoes, and a splash of fish sauce for a Thai-inspired curry. It’s perfectly creamy, spicy, and warming. Serve over basmati rice with crispy shallot oil and fresh herbs. Looks fancy, but is so easy!
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The very first recipe of 2023 and it’s such is a cozy one. Oh, how I love this slow cooker curry chicken. It’s a reflection of how I cook today, simple, but with plenty of flavor and one special element (the shallots you all!). I am so excited to share!
With the short, cold January days, my plan is to share only cozy, yet wholesome recipes. We may all be doing a January reset, but our food should still warm us up inside!
This curry is that perfect dish! And I love how simple it is to create.
My family has all been here in Colorado for the holidays. New Year’s Eve was filled with snow, it was very pretty and so cozy.
The only thing I wanted to cook was soup or curry. Since everyone had been outside in the snow all day, I thought a creamy slow cooker chicken curry could be perfect. Especially one with some spice to help keep the winter cold away!
I wanted this dish to have flavor, so I used a mix of turmeric, ginger, shallots, and garlic. A touch of fish sauce and fresh lime juice helped to tie in the Thai flavors even more.
Here are the details
There’s really nothing fancy about this dish. Everything is put together in the crockpot. Mix the chicken (I use a mix of breast and chicken thighs) with ground turmeric, ground ginger, and cayenne pepper. Use the cayenne to your taste.
Then, the fresh ingredients: shallots, garlic, and a handful of ginger slices. Pour over a couple cans of coconut milk and add the sweet potatoes and fish sauce. If you don’t enjoy fish sauce, use a touch of tamari or soy sauce.
Let everything slow cook and allow the crockpot to do its thing. If you’re cooking longer than 4-5 hours, I recommend adding the sweet potatoes about 3 hours before serving. The sweet potatoes get really soft and fall apart the longer you cook. They end up melting into the coconut sauce, which actually makes it even creamier.
So it’s up to you! Just a heads up that they will break up the longer you cook them.
The shallot oil
Technically, this step makes this a 2-3 step cooking process, which I know is annoying when using the crockpot. But the oil is worth it.
First, fry the shallots in sesame or peanut oil. This only takes a few minutes. Next, remove the heat and add Thai red curry paste and lots of fresh basil. I used regular Italian basil since it’s all my grocery had, but if you have access, use Thai basil.
Fry the shallots before serving. Then make a big pot of rice, you could also do cauliflower rice. Enjoy the chicken and curry sauce over the rice with lots of chili oil and shallots. Oh, and be sure to find some naan bread or your favorite flatbread to really sop up all the sauce.
I always add fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime too. Leftovers can easily be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Such a flavorful, colorful dinner to start off the New Year. Fresh, but cozy! Exactly how I want 2023 to feel!
Looking for other cozy, wholesome dinners? Here are some favorites:
Sheet Pan Sticky Ginger Sesame Chicken and Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Chinese Mushroom Dumplings with Sweet Chili Ginger Sesame Sauce
Easiest Coconut Cauliflower Adobo
Sheet Pan Salmon with Citrus Avocado Salsa and Potatoes
Roasted Garlic Butter Chicken with Lemon Olive Dressing
Lastly, if you make this Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry with Crispy Shallot Basil Oil, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crockpot Coconut Chicken Curry with Crispy Shallot Basil Oil
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/4-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 cans full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce
- kosher salt
- 2 cups sweet potato chunks, thicker is better
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Crispy Shallot Oil
- 1/2 cup sesame or peanut oil
- 3-4 shallots thinly sliced
- 1-3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- chili flakes
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh Thai or regular basil
Instructions
Crockpot
- 1. In the bowl of the crockpot, toss the chicken with the turmeric, ground ginger, cayenne, and sesame oil. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, sweet potatoes, and fish sauce. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-4 hours.2. Remove the lid, cook 30 minutes on high to thicken the sauce. Stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt.3. To make the shallot oil. In a skillet, cook the sesame oil and shallots over medium heat until they begin turning golden and crisp, 5 minutes. Using a fork, remove the shallots from the oil. Set aside.4. Turn the heat off, stir in the red curry paste, basil, and chili flakes. Season with salt. 5. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice. Drizzle with oil and top with shallots.
Instant Pot – done in 30 minutes
- 1. In the bowl of the instant pot, toss the chicken with the turmeric, ground ginger, cayenne, and sesame oil. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, sweet potatoes, and fish sauce. Cover and cook on high pressure for 8-10 minutes. 2. Release the steam, switch the instant pot to sauté, and cook 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt.3. Finish as directed above.
Stove – 45 minutes or so
- 1. In a Dutch oven, combine the chicken with the turmeric, ground ginger, cayenne, and sesame oil. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, coconut milk, sweet potatoes, and fish sauce. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is tender and falling apart. 2. Remove the lid, and simmer over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce. Stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt.3. Finish as directed above.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Hi Tieghan,
Wow this was delicious! We just finished dinner and in the words of my husband, after his second helping, “Well that didn’t suck!” Flavors were delicious and the crunch of the shallots was the perfect touch – my husband’s favorite part. I am not a sweet potato fan but I used them in this recipe and they provided the perfect creamy texture and flavor to each mouthful! I highly recommend to anyone wanting to substitute for white potatoes – don’t! Another great one!
Donna
Hey Donna,
Thank you so much for giving this dish a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Thursday:)
This was delish! Will make again. If cooking on stovetop I wouldn’t add sweet potatoes until the last 15 minutes. Also I’d either cut up chicken before or take it out and shred. Can’t wait to make this again.
Hey Mary,
Thank you so much for giving this dish a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Thursday:)
FABULOUS! And wonderful leftover for lunch today! I am trying to cook new things in the new year, so the curry and tumeric made me a little nervous, but wow, so yummy ( and a perfect start to 2023). The shallot/basil oil on top was like icing on a cake, so worth the extra effort!
Hey Susan,
Thank you so much for giving this dish a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Thursday:)
Made this yesterday – it was unreal! The flavours really packed a punch and it was such a comforting meal. Do not skip the shallot oil – those crispy bits were definitely the wow factor! One thing I will say is that it was more watery than I thought (and I definitely used canned full fat coco milk)… next time I might just try with one can of milk and see how that goes! Thanks for another super recipe!
Hey Maggie,
Wonderful! Thanks for your comment and making this dish, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
Made this recipe in the instant pot tonight and we loved it! Super easy and quick. I left the cilantro and sliced ginger out (grocery store shortage). Served it over brown rice and topped with the chili oil and crispy shallots, so good!
Hey Lynsey,
I appreciate you trying this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
Made this tonight in our slow cooker and it was so good! Didn’t have the energy to make the oil but it was delish even without. Added some extra veggies like mushroom and baby corn as well. The icing on the top: my hubby who grew up in Thailand and was VERY skeptical when I told him what I was making not only approved when he tried it but went back for seconds!! Tieghan, seriously you have no idea how big a deal that is lol. As always, thank you for another great (and easy!) recipe
Hey Zoha,
Thanks so much for making this dish! Wow, that’s pretty amazing:) Love the idea of adding baby corn and mushrooms! So glad it was enjoyed! xx
Made this tonight! Crispy shallots are a game changer! Also, added a splash of coconut aminos and some honey to the crock pot. Overall, delish!
Hey Lori,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xx
This was terrific!
Hey Laura,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx
Made this tonight in the instant pot. It was Devine! Super easy and delicious. Thank you!!
Hey Holly,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx
Hi, what counts as 1 shallot? One brown cluster or one purple bulb?
Hey Lauren,
For this recipe, you will want to use 1 purple bulb. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Wanted something yummy and easy, so I made this without the oil. It is so easy and fabulous flavor! Served it over risotto 👌🏻
Hey Laura,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx
Delicious, I made it in Dutch oven stove top & added mushrooms , didn’t feel like rice so grilled scallion pancakes instead of Naan
I made this in my slow cooker and served it over brown rice. It was delicious! I did not make the oil (too lazy!) but I think it would be a great addition so I’m making it to go with leftovers. We will definitely be making this again!
Hey Elizabeth,
I appreciate you giving this dish a try, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Wednesday! xx
Hey Eithne,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx
Would I be able to substitute regular potatoes for the sweet potatoes? How would that affect cooking time?
Hey Molly,
You can follow the recipe as written using regular potatoes in place of the sweet potatoes. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Do you have any tips on how this curry would work with fish? Given the fish would cook quite quickly could you just add it later in the process?
Hey Kathleen,
Totally, I bet that would work well for you! Let me know if you give the fish a try, I hope you love it! xT
I made this in my Instant Pot and it was delicious! I love that you don’t cut up the chicken because it keeps it really tender. After the 10 minute cook time, the sauce was very watery, but after the 10 minutes sauté, the sweet potatoes fell apart and it thickened up perfectly. The shallot oil actually became more of a paste, but it was a delicious accompaniment along with the crispy shallots on top 🤤
Hey Debbie,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx