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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 rice with crispy shallot oil and fresh herbs. Looks fancy, but is so easy!
The very first recipe of 2023 and it’s such is a cozy one. Oh, how I love this curry. 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 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 lime 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 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. Enjoy the chicken and curry sauce over the rice with lots of chili oil and shallots. Oh, and be sure to find some naan or your favorite flatbread to really sop up all the sauce.
I always add fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime too. 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
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 472 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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.
Help!
I have everything to make this but only one can of coconut milk! Can I substitute with almond or oat milk?
Thanks!
Hi Leslie,
Sure, another milk that you enjoy will work just fine! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Is there a video for this recipe?
Hey Catarina,
Yes, I actually have a video available on my IG feed! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
An absolute keeper! Loved it and didn’t change a thing. We both work so just set it to low in the slow cooker all day for 10 hours and it was amazing. Cut the sweet potatoes big as another commenter said. Don’t skip the crispy shallots. Well done HBH!
Hey there,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
Tried this one tonight and it was so good! I’m not a huge fan of cilantro so I left it out and served it over some fried noodles and will definitely be making it again!
Hey Michelle,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
Delicious. Added a teaspoon of yellow curry powder and tablespoon of sugar. Whole family approved and will make it again!
Hey Mareli,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
I made this tonight for dinner. Here are a few things I added and everyone really liked: curry powder, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, and baby corn.
After reading everyone else’s comments, I did half the amount of turmeric that the recipe called for.
If I could do it again, I would add more sweet potato.
Hey Julia,
Thanks so much for sharing what worked well for you! So glad to hear this turned out delish! xx
Perfect amount of heat and sweetness! Loved the addition of the shallots to top!
Thanks so much Lily!! Love to hear that you enjoyed this dish and thanks for making it! xx
Oh, my! This was so delicious!! The crispy shallots and chili oil on top gilded the creamy lily. This is definitely going on the rotation list.
I made this in the Instant Pot. I used chicken thighs which I cut in large pieces. So yummy!!! Thank you, Tieghan. I don’t think there’s anything I’ve made from here that I haven’t loved.
Hey Shirley,
Amazing!! I appreciate you making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xT
This *might* be my favorite curry recipe I’ve ever made! I did the Dutch oven version, since I had to use rotisserie chicken. I added a few carrots and some spinach at the end, but the flavor was so comforting, and hearty, and perfect for leftovers. Served with basmati and naan, and it was a the perfect, pretty quick Monday night dinner!
Thanks so much Katie!! Love to hear that this dish was a hit, thanks for making it! xT
I made this in the crockpot tonight. I used jackfruit as a substitute for chicken- just from the can they sell at Trader Joe’s. When I took the lid off to thicken the sauce, I shredded it. Otherwise, the recipe was as written. It worked really well. Thanks for the great make ahead dinner!
Hey Diana,
Amazing!! I appreciate you making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! So great that the jackfruit worked well for you! xT
oh my goodness! I made this yesterday for my lunches this week and it is absolutely fantastic! super easy to make and delicious. I will definitely be making this again!
Hey Tricia,
Perfect!! So glad to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it! xT
Looks great! Is the chicken breast added whole or should it be cut into chunks?
Hey Michelle,
You can go ahead and cut the chicken into large chunks:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Chicken allergy! Could I sub shrimp?
Hey Jess,
Totally, shrimp would be delicious!! Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this turns out well for you! xx
I really enjoyed this. I cut my sweet potatoes into chunks that were slightly bigger than bite size, and I cooked everything for about 3.5 hours on high in my crockpot – the sweet potatoes came out perfect, not too mushy at all. I also used half curry powder half turmeric after reading some of the comments. And, although I’m sure the shallot oil is delish, I didn’t bother with it and the soup still turned out great.
Hey Helen,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx
A hit with the teen boys! Everyone is taking leftovers to school tomorrow! Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Erin,
Happy Monday!!☃️ Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was a winner! xx