Make Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Tonight
Kitchn’s Delicious Links column highlights recipes we’re excited about from the bloggers we love. Follow along every weekday as we post our favorites.
What’s the best way to cook big-flavor dishes with minimal hands-on effort? If you’re thinking about the slow cooker (our readers’ favorite gadget), then you’re on the money.
According to the recipe author (who is in no way biased), this recipe is “one of the best chicken curries I’ve ever had!” You can either take her word for it or make it yourself to find out if she’s telling the truth. I believe her and I’m making this, so I am the real MVP.
If you hear the word curry and immediately think “too spicy,” you haven’t tried this slow cooker chicken with coconut curry sauce yet. This sauce has jalapeño in it, but the spice is balanced out with creamy coconut milk.
The reason the chicken in this recipe is so juicy is because it calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, which are quickly seared on the stove before slow cooking. This step ensures that they have a caramelized skin (something that can’t exactly happen in the slow cooker). If you don’t want to use dark meat, you can swap in chicken breasts, but be warned that they won’t be as juicy or flavorful.
The rest of this recipe is a cinch. Combine coconut milk, basil, salt, pepper, yellow curry, chili powder, red onions, garlic, and jalapeños in the slow cooker and then add in the browned chicken. Cook on high for four to five hours or low for six to eight. When the waiting is over, remove the chicken and de-bone/shred the thighs. Combine cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and add to the contents of the slow cooker — this will thicken the sauce. Return the meat to the slow cooker and wait just 10 more minutes. Stir in fresh cilantro and serve with rice or naan.
→ Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce from The Food Charlatan