What my latest retest taught me about slow cooker chicken curry

I first made this slow cooker chicken curry for my annual Christmas party over 10 years ago, and it’s been a family (and reader!) favorite ever since. One reader even told me, “I make this most weeks for my family.”

When I retested it this fall, two changes made a HUGE difference. Only one can of coconut milk goes in for the slow cook (the chicken releases plenty of liquid on its own) with the second stirred in at the end to keep the sauce creamy, and juicy chicken thighs replace the breasts for WAY better flavor.

The verdict? Our 14-month-old little guy ate it up, turmeric all over his face and the happiest grin!

And if you’d rather use your pressure cooker, my Instant Pot Chicken Curry is super similar and comes together even faster.

OMGOONESS this is seriously delicious. I made it for my family recently & each one of the just LOVED it. This will be on the menu at our house at least every couple of months since it is so tasty and so very simple to make. Thank you for sharing 🙂

– Lynda
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An easy chicken curry recipe with a yellow curry sauce that was made in the slow cooker and served with white rice and cilantro.

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.

Chicken, sweet potatoes, full-fat and lite canned coconut milk, butter, garlic, and curry seasoning for a slow cooker chicken curry recipe.
  • Curry spices: Curry powder, turmeric, coriander, and a little sugar make the whole seasoning mix, so there’s no need for a jar of curry paste. Stick with a mild curry powder for a family-friendly curry.
  • Chicken thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs are my pick for the best flavor. Chicken breasts work too, and there’s no need to pound them since the slow cooker does all the work.
  • Coconut milk: Grab the canned kind, since coconut milk from a carton is way too thin. If a can looks separated when you open it, blend it smooth before it goes in.
  • Sweet potatoes: Carrots or Yukon gold or red potatoes are a great equal swap if that’s what you have on hand.
  • Onion and garlic: I use a sweet onion, but yellow, white, or red all work, and garlic powder can stand in for fresh garlic.
  • Butter: Olive oil works just as well if you need to keep it dairy-free.
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Step-by-step Instructions

Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.

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Make the seasoning.

Whisk the curry powder, turmeric, coriander, salt, and sugar together in a small bowl.

Pro Tip: Skip the jar of curry paste. You can technically buy yellow curry paste at the store, but I much prefer blending up my own spice mix at home.

Homemade yellow curry seasoning blend with curry powder and turmeric.

Prep the potatoes.

Cutting the sweet potatoes to the right size makes a big difference. For softer potatoes, cut them into ½-inch cubes, and for firmer bites, go with 1-inch cubes.

Always peel them first so the skins don’t separate during cooking.

Sweet potatoes are peeled on a cutting board.
A peeled sweet potato is diced.

Can I make this on the stovetop?

Yes, and it’s ready in under an hour. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion until soft, then stir in the garlic and spice mix for about 30 seconds.

Add the first can of coconut milk, the chicken thighs, and the sweet potatoes, then cover and simmer on medium-low for 30-40 minutes, until the chicken shreds easily and the potatoes are tender. Shred the chicken, stir in the second can, and let it rest 10 minutes to thicken.

Add everything to the slow cooker.

Pour one can of coconut milk into the slow cooker and stir in the butter, garlic, and seasoning mix. Nestle the chicken thighs in so they’re fully covered by the liquid, then pile the sweet potatoes and onion on top.

Pro Tip: Save the second can for the end. The chicken releases plenty of liquid as it cooks, and holding the second can back keeps the sauce creamy instead of curdled.

Chicken and butter are added to the slow cooker bowl.
Sweet potatoes and seasoning are added to the slow cooker.

Want to add more veggies?

Add them in stages so nothing turns soggy while the chicken finishes cooking.

  • At the start: Carrots or Yukon gold or red potatoes (in place of the sweet potatoes).
  • Halfway through: Zucchini and peas.
  • Last 1-2 hours: Cauliflower florets.
  • Last 10-15 minutes: Spinach or kale, just until wilted.

Slow cook the curry.

Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours, until the chicken shreds easily. Shred it with two forks during the last 30 minutes, then stir in the second can of coconut milk.

Forks shred the cooked chicken in the curry.
Coconut milk is added to the curry mixture.
A lady holding a 6-quart Crockpot slow cooker.

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Get the CROCKPOT!

Serve the curry.

Let the curry rest for about 20 minutes so the sauce thickens up. Serve it over basmati or brown rice with fresh cilantro and naan (or cauliflower rice if you’re keeping it lower-carb).

A ladle scoops out a flavorful and healthy yellow chicken curry.

Oops! What did I do wrong?

My curry is too thin.

Let it rest for about 20 minutes after you stir in the second can, and shred the chicken really well, since both help it thicken up. If you added extra veggies like zucchini, they release water as they cook, so go a little lighter on them next time.

The coconut milk looks grainy.

Give it a good stir as you add the second can of full-fat coconut milk, which helps smooth the sauce back out. Next time, blend any separated can smooth before it goes in, and stick with one can for the slow cook.

My curry tastes a little mild.

Stir in a pinch more salt and a little more curry powder, then let it simmer another 10 minutes before tasting again. (A squeeze of fresh lime juice brightens it up too!)

FAQs

What if my curry isn’t done in time?

If it’s already been in the slow cooker a few hours and dinner is closing in, pour everything into a Dutch oven and bring it to a rapid simmer on the stove for about 10 minutes. It’s ready once the chicken shreds easily and the potatoes are fork-tender. (I did exactly this during my retest when we only had about 3 hours!)

Can I use frozen chicken?

I don’t recommend it, since frozen chicken takes a lot longer to thaw and cook, and everything else ends up overcooked by the time it’s done. Thaw it first (here’s how to thaw chicken fast).

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4.83 from 39 votes

Crockpot Curry Chicken Recipe

By: London Lea
This Crockpot Chicken Curry is the dump-and-go dinner I first made for my Christmas party over 10 years ago, and my latest retest made it even better. You just add juicy chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, a few pantry spices, and creamy coconut milk to the slow cooker, and dinner basically cooks itself.
This Crockpot Chicken Curry is the dump-and-go dinner I first made for my Christmas party over 10 years ago, and my latest retest made it even better. You just add juicy chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, a few pantry spices, and creamy coconut milk to the slow cooker, and dinner basically cooks itself.
Yield 6 servings
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 4 hours
Total 4 hours 20 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
  • 3 tablespoons curry powder mild
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk full-fat or lite, for slow cooking
  • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 4 cups sweet potatoes peeled, cut into ½ to 1-inch cubes
  • 1 medium sweet onion finely diced
  • 1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk for finishing

For Serving

  • Rice cooked
  • Cilantro optional

Instructions 

  • Whisk together the curry powder, turmeric, coriander, salt, and sugar in a small bowl.
    3 tablespoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Pour 1 can of coconut milk into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the butter, garlic, and seasoning mix, and stir to combine.
    1 (15-ounce) can coconut milk, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 cloves garlic
  • Place the chicken thighs in the slow cooker, making sure they’re fully submerged in the liquid (the chicken releases more liquid as it cooks). Add the sweet potatoes and onion on top and stir to combine.
    1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, 4 cups sweet potatoes, 1 medium sweet onion
  • Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours or Low for 6-8 hours, until the chicken shreds easily and the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Check on the curry during the last hour and stir if it’s starting to stick to the sides.
  • Shred the chicken using two forks during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Stir in the second can of full-fat coconut milk.
    1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
  • Turn off the slow cooker and let the curry rest for at least 20 minutes to thicken. Serve over rice with fresh cilantro, if desired.
    Rice, Cilantro
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Tap stars to rate!

4.83 from 39 votes

Video

Notes

Coconut milk: Only one can goes in for the slow cook so the sauce stays creamy instead of curdling, and the second gets stirred in at the end. Use two cans of full-fat, or one lite for cooking and one full-fat for finishing. (Skip the carton kind, since it’s way too thin.)
Chicken: Thighs are my pick for flavor, but boneless skinless breasts work too and cook a little faster.
Veggie swaps and add-ins: Carrots or Yukon gold or red potatoes are a great equal swap for sweet potatoes. Add cauliflower during the last 1-2 hours, zucchini and peas halfway through, and spinach or kale in the last 10-15 minutes so nothing turns soggy.
Short on time: If it’s been in the slow cooker a few hours and dinner is closing in, move everything to a Dutch oven and give it a rapid 10-minute simmer. (For a start-to-finish stovetop version, see the post!)
Storage: Leftovers hang out in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It freezes for up to 4-6 months, though the sweet potatoes get a little softer after thawing.
Nutrition: Nutrition info doesn’t include rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 59mg, Sodium: 932mg, Potassium: 758mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 12822IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 77mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Made this recipe?Leave a comment below!

What to serve with it?

You just can’t beat a big scoop of this on a bed of rice. Try any of these recipes when you’re ready to dig in.

Stick with classic rice dishes like Basmati Rice or Jasmine Rice. Or, add some flavor with Coconut Rice or Mango Coconut Rice.

Keep it simple with Instant Pot White Rice or Instant Pot Basmati Rice.

Cauliflower Rice is the best when you’re going low-carb.

Other Easy Curry Recipes

You might also enjoy these other tasty curry recipes:

More Easy Crockpot Dinners

Want more set-it-and-forget-it dinners? These slow cooker favorites are worth a spot in your rotation.

Wondering what's for dinner?
These 7 Simple Skillet Dinners make cooking on busy weeknights a delicious breeze! 😋
4.83 from 39 votes

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Comments

    1. Hi Jody! Absolutely! You can swap the butter for an equal amount of olive oil, avocado oil, or a dairy-free butter substitute. I’d probably go with a dairy-free butter for the closest flavor, but any of those options should work well. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

  2. Hi. Thought I should comment how yummy and easy this is! I’ve used the recipe so many times !! I use Coconut cream and add tinned chickpeas and some kale add the end ! Love it !! Thanks so much !! x

    Reply