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Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup

Heidi Larsenby Updated: Nov 21, 2024

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This easy crock pot recipe is easily adaptable when it comes to the veggies. Sub in or add carrots, potatoes or leeks. Or for a purely veg version change up the chicken broth for vegetable broth and leave out the chicken | @Heidi | FoodieCrush foodiecrush.com

This slow cooker Thai soup with chicken is packed with flavor thanks to the combination of curry paste, coconut milk, fresh ginger, and lime.

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup | FoodieCrush.com

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup Recipe

Here’s the thing about cooking with slow cookers. It’s convenient. But only if you’re creating a recipe where you don’t have to dirty more than the slow cooker. Like this slow cooker Thai chicken soup.

I’m all about time management. I eat breakfast while I do the dishes, I brush my teeth while I tie on my running shoes. In other words, I’m a multi-tasker who isn’t terribly efficient at getting much of any of my laundry list of daily to-dos completed because my mind thinks I have to do more than six things at at time. Why? Oh why?

So these days, unless its a lazy day weekend, my to-do list doesn’t always necessitate spending an hour and a half making dinner. I don’t mean letting it cook, I mean MAKING dinner.

Enter the genius invention that has been on every wedding registry since 1973: The slow cooker. And this slow cooker Thai coconut chicken soup. If I’m going to use a slow cooker, I want to make a recipe where I don’t have to brown this, sauté that, and dirty one single other pan to make my dream dinner come true.

Prepare yourself, you will need to dirty a cutting board and a knife to make this Thai coconut chicken soup. And maybe a whisk or big spoon. But other than that? You can put that fancy dish washing scrubbie away my friend, this is a one stop shop recipe I’m happy to make. Just so long as someone else does the dishes dish.

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup | FoodieCrush.com

What’s in This Thai Soup?

In the spirit of no-fuss cooking, I tried to keep the ingredients list for this Thai coconut chicken soup as minimal as the prep work. Here’s what I used in this Thai chicken soup:

  • Red curry paste
  • Coconut milk
  • Chicken Broth
  • Fish sauce
  • Brown sugar
  • Peanut butter
  • Chicken breasts
  • Red bell pepper
  • Onion
  • Fresh ginger
  • Frozen peas
  • Lime juice
  • Cooked white rice
  • Fresh cilantro

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup | FoodieCrush.com

How to Make Slow Cooker Thai Soup

Add all the ingredients but the lime juice, cilantro, rice, and peas to your slow cooker. Pop the lid on, turn the slow cooker to High, and let the Thai soup cook for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, stir in the peas and let the crockpot chicken soup cook for another 30 minutes.

I like serving this Thai coconut chicken soup over white rice with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro on top.

Can I Omit the Fish Sauce?

Technically, yes. But that small amount of fish sauce adds so much umami flavor to this Thai soup. There’s really no substitute for fish sauce, so I highly recommend using it in this recipe. You should be able to find it in the Asian section of your grocery store or online.

Can I Make Thai Soup in an Instant Pot?

You likely can. However, I’ve only ever made this Thai coconut curry soup in a regular slow cooker so I can’t give any tips on adapting this recipe for the Instant Pot.

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup | FoodieCrush.com

Tips for Making Slow Cooker Thai Soup

This Thai chicken soup recipe is easily adaptable when it comes to the veggies. Sub in or add carrots, potatoes, or leeks. Or for a purely veg version, change up the chicken broth for vegetable broth and omit the chicken. Just be sure to keep the lime and the peanut buttery taste to complement the spiciness of the curry and you’re in business.

For the best flavor, I recommend using freshly grated ginger and freshly squeezed lime juice. Ground ginger won’t give you the same flavor as fresh, and pre-bottled lime juice doesn’t compare to freshly squeezed limes.

A few readers have said their soup has split near the end of the cook time. That’s just the coconut milk and broth separating from each other — your Thai soup hasn’t gone bad. Just give the soup a stir to bring everything back together. To avoid this separation, I recommend using full-fat coconut milk in this recipe.

More Crockpot Soups to Try

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.



4.49 from 370 votes

Slow Cooker Chicken Thai Soup

This slow cooker Thai soup is packed with flavor thanks to the combination of curry paste, coconut milk, fresh ginger, and lime.
Print
Course Soup
Cuisine Thai
Keyword slow cooker
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 266kcal

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 2-12 ounce cans of coconut milk
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts , cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper , seeded and sliced into ¼ inch slices
  • 1 onion , thinly sliced
  • 1 heaping tablespoon fresh ginger , minced
  • 1 cup frozen peas , thawed
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • cilantro , (for garnish)
  • cooked white rice

Instructions

  • Mix the curry paste, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar and peanut butter in a 4-½ to 6-quart slow-cooker bowl. Then, place the chicken breast, red bell pepper, onion and ginger in the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.
  • Add in the peas and cook for 30 minutes longer.
  • Stir in lime juice and serve with cilantro and white rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 747mg | Potassium: 704mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1627IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

More Thai-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love

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    • Mike

      Yeah, I’ll be rockin the crock pot with this only I’ll substitute some big shrimp for the chicken and add a little heat from some chillies.

      Reply

  21. Kalyn

    Bookmarking immediately! (By which I mean pinning of course!)

    I do have to respectfully disagree about not pre-browning or other prep for the slow cooker though. I mean, yes of course it’s great when there is a recipe like this where it’s not needed. But SO many slow cooker recipes benefit from pre-browning the meat or other things that only take a minute. I’m all about getting BEST RESULTS from the slow cooker, and if that takes a few minutes longer, I don’t mind.

    Reply

    • Vanessa J.D.

      The thing about not browning the chicken is important for this recipe because the coconut milk keeps the chicken vey tender, so it doesn’t tend to dry out like boiled chicken can. I think if browning beforehand, we’d lose that tender quality.
      ****But my coconut milk separated after it became a steady boil, so next time I’m going to try cooking on LOW and timing it. Also I made it in three hours rather than 4 and it tasted great.
      ***** Also I added extra firm tofu at the ended and it cooked with it beautifully.

      Reply

    • Allison

      Does doing this help with the texture of the chicken? Because when I made this, by chicken turned out kind of dry, rubbery. It was still really delicious, but I am looking for a solution to that.

      Reply

    • Patricia A McLemore

      I have a slow cooker that has a metal insert that you can put on the stove top and brown in. Then put it in the slow cooker. No extra dished to clean. I love it and it comes out with the same results as my old cooker that does not let you brown. No I am not selling cookers just and old women (77 years old) that has learned as I go. Love this recipe and only have few dishes to put in dishwasher. Happy New Year for 2019————I made it.

      Reply

  23. Tieghan

    Heck yes! I could not agree more about the dirty of a dish when using the slow cooker, I mean I will do it, this is is so the way I would rather go! Plus, Thai soup is so my thing!

    Reply

  24. Robyn

    MMMmmmm….I’m all about one pot meals these days – beautiful! I’m sure the ingredients come together to create a flavourful, fragrant sumptuous meal. Thanks!

    Reply

    • MBL

      IT is delicious! I made it last week and ate off the leftovers for several days. It’s easy to make and wonderful to eat!!!

      Reply

      • Wendy Sommers

        I make this often and have changed it up each time. I always add cayenne as I like it hot. Not a fan of the peas so used green beans. This weekend I will also add mushrooms. Yummy and thanks for sharing your recipe.

        Reply

          • Allison

            Heidi, I absolutely love this recipe, but I am not completely satisfied with the way my chicken turns out in it. It seems a little dry and rubbery. Any suggestions?

        • Kristi

          Making this tomorrow using frozen edamame (I’m not a fan of peas either!) & substituting steamed cauliflower pearls for the rice. Excited for the result!!

          Reply

        • Brey

          This was great. I used green onions, mushrooms, carrots, peppers, a can of diced potatoes. Added chopped water chestnuts and peas at the end. Had a rotisserie chicken that I shredded and it was awesome in it. Used only one can of coconut milk at the end, it was more like a stew. I waited until lowering the temp before adding the milk, and it did not curdle. I would have liked more heat, so I added a diced jalapeño. Maybe wasn’t spicy enough because I accidentally bought green curry.

          Reply

        • Sandy

          Did you cook yours for less time since you didn’t have to cook the chicken? Thinking of making this for a work potluck, so I was wondering if it would lessen the cook time.

          Reply

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