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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.
p.s. I forgot to mention that I made the stove top version and we poured over cauliflower rice. 🙂
Such a great idea! Thanks for sharing:)
I made this tonight for my family and we all agree this is the best dish I have ever made. And I have been cooking for several decades and thousands of recipes. 🙂 This is so flavorful and just the right spice. Absolutely delicious.
Hey Lora,
Happy Sunday!!🏈 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
I made this last night for dinner and just had a bowl of leftovers for lunch. When we had this for dinner it was kind of bland but let me tell you those leftovers tasted so good it was like a new dish! I think the meat just needed some more time to absorb the sauce after it was shredded instead of eating it right away. If I make it again I would let them meat sit back in the sauce for a few hours on a keep warm setting of the crockpot so all the flavors soak in better. I’d definitely make this again it was really good with that minor tweak.
Hey Tiara,
Happy Sunday!!🏈 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
I made this today via slow cooker. Followed recipe exactly as written and it is absolutely delicious. We all loved it!
Hey Megan,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a try! Have a great weekend! 🏈
Really looking forward to try this recipe. Just wonering how big the cans of full-fat coconut milk are that you use. As i’m living in the Netherlands i’m not sure our cans are the same. Would you be able to tell me the amout of ml in one can?
Hey Michelle,
The coconut milk is in 13.5 ounce cans. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Exceptional! Made it in the Instant Pot and the shallot basil oil was a delicious add.
Hey Anne,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend:)
Loved the Shallot Basil Oil-Any other ideas on other ways to use it? Other dishes it would be good on? It really add such flavor to an already yummy meal! Thank You
Hey Janice,
Happy Sunday!😃 Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, I am so glad it turned out well for you! You could really put it on anything you like, salad would be great! xx
This is now a family fave! Even our daughter Athena, the pickiest eater, LOVED it! We shredded the chicken as it cooked. The basil shallot oil was phenomenal…just WOW! Thank you!
Hey Amy,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
Delicious recipe! So easy and so satisfying on a cold winter night. Added bell peppers and a tbsp of better than boullion chicken base. The shallots, basil and oil sauce monocle it out of the park, don’t skip these! Will make again!
Hey Ashley,
Happy Wednesday!! ❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
This was AMAZING. It’s such a good feeling when a meal comes together perfectly – ‘the best home cooked meal I’ve ever had’ was the high praise from hubby. Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
Hey Chrissie,
Perfect!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for trying it out! xx
I loved this but I did add some chickpeas!
Hey Georgia,
Perfect!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and thanks so much for trying it out! xx
This was excellent! Thank you.
Hey Suzanne,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xT
Recipe is awesome but my sweet potatoes here in Saudi weren’t great and made the sauce split a little… any ideas what I could use as an alternative , vegetable??Also the basil oil mixture was quite thick… should I use more oil…. Love your recipes
Hi Eileen,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! You could use squash or regular potatoes instead of the sweet potatoes. xT
This recipe was delicious. I did the dutch oven method and it turned out really well. For the crispy shallot oil, I substituted green curry paste because I did not have red on hand. For the curry, I used chicken tenders and left them whole.
Hey Chelsea,
Awesome!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend:)
Do you cut the chicken or leave it whole and shred it?
Hey Nicole,
I just cut the chicken in half:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this turns out well for you! xx