This Easy Crockpot Thai curry Coconut Chicken is Paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, and dairy-free. It makes an easy and delicious dinner for the whole family.
Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines with its layers of flavors and spices in every bite.
As much as I have been obsessed with going to a Thai restaurant, I never made any curry myself before Tom and I went to Thailand for our honeymoon.
Thai food just seemed so intimidating for me to master.
During our honeymoon in Thailand, Tom and I fell in love with Thai Coconut Curry. We pretty much had it every single day.
Our favorite is hands down yellow coconut curry chicken. The sweet, spicy, and creamy curry paired with chicken, seafood or any vegetables are the most magical thing ever.
How Spicy is Yellow Chicken Curry?
There are a few popular Thai Curry:
- Yellow Coconut Curry (The kind I am making here)
- Green Coconut Curry
- Red Curry
- Panang Curry
And more!
So is Yellow Curry super spicy?
The short answer is NO.
Yellow curry is usually mild to medium compare to the red curry.
However, you can always reduce or increase the amount of heat in your coconut curry by adjusting the amount of red chili pepper.
Easy Crockpot Thai Curry Chicken
After we got back home, I was determined to replicate this yellow curry recipe using my crockpot.
A crockpot or a slow cooker makes hearty and cozy recipes super easy to make.
A few of my favorite slow cooker chicken recipes:
- Masala Crockpot Pulled Chicken (Whole 30)
- White Bean Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Whole Chicken (Whole 30)
All you need is to simmer a few simple and accessible ingredients: chicken, sweet potato (optional), coconut milk, curry paste, turmeric, and curry powder in one pot.

“Chuck” all the ingredients in one pot, and simmer
The slow cooker is one of my favorites this winter. I literally have been using it 2 – 3 times a week.
It is the most convenient thing ever. One of my other obsessions in addition to this coconut curry recipe is my sweet potato Turkey Chili.
All you need is to throw all the ingredients in there and just leave it. Check out this 6-QT Crock-Pot I have (proud owner since 2013).
If you need one appliance this winter, this slow cooker will be it.
What does Thai Coconut Curry Taste Like
Before you get yourself into this recipe, you may wonder –
What is so good about Thai Coconut Curry? What does it taste like?
Thai Coconut Curry is a bit sweet, spicy, and incredibly flavorful from the curry paste.
Curry paste is traditionally made from lemongrass, ginger, shallots, garlic, and Thai chili pepper.
Yes, a lot of flavors.
Make your own Thai Curry Paste
Certainly, you can easily pick up a great curry paste in the store. Make sure you look at the ingredients to make sure there are no additives, preservatives, and all the other fillers.
But homemade Thai Curry Paste is so much fresher. Inspired by the Thai Cooking class Tom and I did, which by the way, was so much fun, I made my own authentic Thai Curry Paste.
Since I don’t have one of those fancy Pounding Stone (this is what it looks like), I made my “authentic” curry paste in a food processor. ( I will perfect this curry paste recipe and post it soon for you guys!)
Is Yellow Curry Healthy?
Besides the traditional ingredients a curry has, yellow curry contains turmeric. Hence, the reason it is yellow.
Turmeric has a lot of health benefits. One of the most known nutritional properties turmeric has is its anti-inflammatory effect.
You can read more here.
Therefore, this Yellow Thai Coconut Curry Chicken is packed with anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting ingredients:
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Garlic
I also talked a little more about the benefits of turmeric and other ways to incorporate it into your diet in this post.
What coconut milk is the best for Thai Curry?
I love using canned coconut milk or coconut cream.
You can scoop out the hard coconut “cream” on top. It will make this Thai coconut curry come out extra creamy. Save the milk part on the bottom for smoothies.
Coconut cream is much thicker and richer compare to coconut milk (such as the carton ones sold in-store). It is able to provide a much richer flavor and creamier texture.
Thai Coconut Chicken Curry in Instant Pot
Make Thai Coconut Curry Recipe Vegan
If you are vegetarian or vegan, a simple way to make this fit into your dietary restriction is to substitute the chicken with the legumes of your choice.
A couple of my favorites are lentil or chickpea curry. You will need 2 cans of drained chickpeas or 2 cups of lentils soaked overnight for this vegan curry recipe alternative.
What To Serve with Coconut Chicken Curry?
You can either serve this sweet, spicy, and hearty curry with jasmine rice or use cauliflower rice to make it a great Paleo, Whole 30 compliant option.
Save this Easy Crockpot Thai Curry Chicken on your favorite Pinterest board to share with your friends and family!

Crockpot Thai Curry Chicken

This Easy Crockpot Thai Coconut Chicken Curry is Paleo, Whole30, gluten-free and dairy-free. It makes an easy and delicious dinner for the whole family.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound chicken breast or thighs
- 1 can 14 oz coconut milk (full fat) or 1/2 can 13 oz coconut cream *
- 3 tbsp yellow curry paste
- 1 small sweet potato
- 3 medium carrots (Optional)
- 2 - 3 cloves garlic
- 1-inch ginger
- 1/4 cup chopped shallots
- pinches chili pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 bunch cilantro (for garnish)
- 2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 - 2 cups chicken broth **
- Salt to Taste
Instructions
- Chop the chicken into cubes. Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic cloves and ginger.
- Chop the sweet potato and carrots into cubes.
- Add all the ingredients into a crockpot. Stir well. If using coconut cream, add additional chicken stock.
Crockpot Instruction
- Cook on high for 4 hours
Instant Pot Instruction
Pressure cook (high) for 8 minutes. Release the pressure before opening the top.
Serve with Jasmin or Cauliflower rice (paleo). Garnish with cilantro
Notes
- * If using coconut cream, add additional 1 -2 cup chicken stock. If you are using coconut milk, use the whole 12 oz can.
- ** You can adjust the amount of broth depending on how thick you like your chicken curry to be.
Recommended Products
Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This does not result in any extra cost for you, but it does mean that I make a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 423Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 598mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 30g
The Nutrition Fact Below is specific to the ingredient I choose to use for this recipe, which may vary.
It looks like there are red bell peppers in the first picture but they are not on the ingredient list- can these be added?
Hi Morgan,
Yes absolutely! They are optional but I love adding peppers and green peas in this curry. Hope this helps.
Shuang
Hi, this looks so great! I’m craving something a little more on the spicy side. Would this work if I kept the recipe the same except substituted red curry paste in for the yellow? Or would I need to change some other things as well? Can’t wait to try this!
Hi Megan,
It will work! I love spicy too. I also sometimes add a dash of cayenne pepper to kick it up 😉 Hope you enjoy!
Shuang
Did you ever post your home made yellow curry paste recipe?
Hi Erin,
I emailed my favorite homemade version to ya 🙂
Shuang
😋😋😋
I am 4 hours in to cooking this in my crock pot on high and the sauce is very grainy, is that right? Have I done anything wrong? The flavor is amazing!
Hi hi,
Yes, sometimes the sauce may separate a little bit because of the coconut milk. Glad you love the flavor! Hope you enjoy 🙂
best,
Shuang
I’m making this now in my instant pot, but you haven’t added any liquid to the recipe for this option. Since it’s supposed to have at least half a cup of liquid, it should be noted in the recipe.
Hi there!
So glad you are trying this out! The coconut milk is the only liquid you will need (listed above). However, if you prefer soupy curry and have leftover broth to enjoy, You can add an additional 1 -2 cups of veggie or chicken broth. I hope this helps.
Shuang
Do you have to use curry paste? I don’t like anything spicy but I really want to make this recipe!
Is the paste that spicy? Or can I make it without it & will still taste good?
Hi there,
Yes, you will need a curry paste for the flavor. You can find milder store-bought curry paste.Even if they are not yellow curry, you can add 1 tbsp turmeric powder in the mix. I will also be posting a curry paste soon where you can customize the spiciness yourself.
Shuang
I like your work very much.!👍🌹
Thank you <3
THank you <3
Best,
Shuang Shuang
哇……So good!