Thai Crock Pot Chicken Thighs - iFoodReal.com (2024)

Thai Crock Pot Chicken Thighs Recipe will show you how to cook chicken thighs in slow cooker until they are tender. Coated in delicious Thai sweet chili sauce, this chicken recipe goes so well with rice and simple salad.

Other family favorites include Thai chicken salad, Thai chicken curry and Thai chicken butternut squash soup.

I love Thai sweet chili sauce. It’s sweet, tangy, spicy, and sticky. Perfect for using as a dipping sauce or today we are making delicious Thai crock pot chicken thighs with it.

First we sear the chicken until crispy skin appears. Then chicken thighs cook in slow cooker in flavorful Thai sauce until wonderfully tender and juicy. Perfect for serving up alongside rice or noodles.

Simple recipes like these slow cooker chicken thighs, Instant Pot Thai chicken soup, crockpot chicken and rice and crockpot butter chicken help to put quick and easy dinner on the table any day.

Ingredients and Notes

To make Thai chicken thighs in crock pot, you will need just a few simple ingredients. If you are really short on time, feel free to use store-bought sweet chili sauce.

• Chicken thighs: I use skin-on bone-in chicken thighs. If you would like to use boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts please see tips section below.
• Thai sweet chili sauce: I used homemade sweet chili sauce recipe that is made with maple syrup, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and cornstarch. It is a bit healthier than store-bought option, however I have to say its ingredients have improved over the years and you can use one in a pinch.
• Salt and pepper: To season chicken thighs when pan frying.
• Garnish: Green onions make for a great garnish to this crock pot chicken thighs recipe but it’s an optional ingredient.

How to Make Thai Chicken Thighs in Crock Pot

Here is a quick overview how to make chicken thighs in crock pot in 4 simple steps. I used my beloved 7 quart Crockpot but you can use any small crockpot or medium size crockpot.

• Make Thai sweet chili sauce: In a small pot, combine maple syrup, water, rice vinegar, cornstarch, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt. Whisk well, bring to a boil until sauce has thickened, just a few minutes. Set aside.
• Pan sear the chicken: Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides. Then sear in batches with a bit of oil on medium-high heat until skin becomes crispy and meat browned a bit. No need to cook chicken through.
• Slow cook chicken thighs in slow cooker: Transfer chicken thighs skin side up to the slow cooker and pour the sauce on top. No need for a single layer and you can stack them. Cover with a lid and cook crock pot chicken thighs on Low heat for 6 hours or on High heat for 3 hours.
• Finish and garnish: Now your chicken is ready! You can also let the sauce thicken a bit by removing the lid and let chicken thighs cook in slow cooker for another 20 minutes on High heat. Then spoon some sauce on top of chicken and garnish with green onions.

How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs in a Crock Pot?

How long to cook chicken thighs in crock pot depends on two factors:

• The age and size of your crock pot
• And whether you use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs or boneless chicken thighs.

My Crockpot is brand new and it took 3 hours on High heat or 6 hours on Low heat to cook these chicken thighs until tender. You know your slow cooker best! If it has tendency to run not as hot, cook these crock pot chicken thighs for 3.5-4 hours on High or 7 hours on Low.

I use 7 quart crock pot, so it is quite large. Be aware that if you’re using a smaller crockpot, chicken thighs will be more tightly packed and it will take longer to cook through. So just keep an eye on it and keep a meat thermometer handy, if you have one.

Bone-in thighs takes longer time to cook through. For boneless thighs, you can reduce the slow cooking time to 5 hours on Low or 2 hours on High.

Tips for Best Results

Here are my top tips for the best crock pot chicken thighs recipe in the world!

• For boneless skinless chicken thighs: You can reduce the cook time to 5 hours on Low or 2 hours on High. Also be sure to add 1/2 cup water to the crockpot as they release less juice.
• If using boneless skinless chicken breasts: Cook crock pot chicken breasts on Low heat for 3-4 hours or on High heat for 2 hours.
• For a thicker sauce to serve over the chicken: You can create a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Then add it to the slow cooker and simmer on High for 20-30 minutes. I recommend to remove chicken prior to thickening the sauce.
• For more crispy chicken results: First of all, don’t skip pan searing the chicken. Of course, skin on chicken thighs softens up during slow cooking. You can always place it under the broiler for a few minutes.

Variations

There are numerous ways to add fun flavors to your slow cooker chicken thighs and make it a one pot meal!

• Add vegetables at the end: After the chicken thighs are ready, remove them from the slow cooker. Add in vegetables like shredded or sliced carrots, bell peppers, and onion. You could also include snow peas, snap peas, green beans or broccoli. Stir, cover and cook on high for 20-30 minutes,or until the vegetables are tender to your liking.
• Pineapple: I recommend adding around 1 cup of chopped pineapple before cooking chicken thighs in crock pot.
• Sesame seeds: Use raw or toasted sesame seeds as a garnish.
• Fresh herbs: Fresh basil or fresh cilantro sprinkled over the Thai chicken will taste amazing!

What to Serve Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs With?

There are several ways that you can enjoy these crock pot chicken thighs:

• Grains: Serve chicken thighs alongside a portion of brown rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice.
• Noodles: Shred or slice chicken thighs and serve over your favorite noodles or spaghetti.
• Veggies: One of the easiest ways to add veggies with your crockpot chicken thighs recipe is to serve baked veggies on a side likeroasted asparagus recipe orroasted cauliflower.
• Salad: Pair it with a simple salad!

How to Store and Reheat

Store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Freeze: Allow slow cooker chicken thighs to cool completely. Then transfer to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw chicken overnight in the fridge before enjoying cold or reheating.

Reheat: You can reheat chicken thighs in a small pot by simmering on the stovetop on low heat.

FAQs

More Chicken Thighs Recipes to Try

• How to grill chicken thighs
• Roasted chicken thighs and potatoes
• Baked chicken thighs
• Oven baked boneless chicken thighs

You might also enjoy browsing through my entire collection ofhealthy chicken recipes.

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