Slow Cooker Curry Chicken and Vegetables

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This easy slow cooker Chicken Curry is packed with the flavors of curry, coconut, and plenty of veggies. An easy, flavorful dinner you will make again and again.

286 CAL 18g CARBS 8g FAT 37g PROTEIN
2 Comments

Slow cooker recipes are always a-okay by me. Especially on a busy day. Or a cold day. Or a lazy day. Nothing is as good as coming home to the aroma of food cooking all day in your kitchen. I almost don't care what it is — just the mere thought of dinner already cooking and the smells filling the house makes me excited to eat it.

That being said, I have always had a fondness for curries and am constantly amazed by how much flavor is packed into both curry powder and curry paste. This version is made even easier by cooking everything in the slow cooker, although you could make it stove top as well. For this particular recipe, I decided to go with an Indian curry and used a Madras curry powder but you could also use a Thai curry paste if you would prefer a Thai-inspired curry.

Since curry powders and pastes can vary greatly in flavor, I suggest starting with two tablespoons and adjusting up from there. You can always add more. You can also add some cayenne pepper to the mix if you likes things extra spicy. Again, just add a little extra at a time since you can always add more but it's impossible to remove it.

Ingredients for crockpot chicken curry and vegetables including chicken breast, squash, broccoli, green beans, and curry paste.

What Is Curry?

Defining curry is nearly impossible. It can mean a lot of things, and is sometimes referred to — incorrectly — as just any ole ethnic food. However, curry or curries generally originated in the Indian subcontinent and uses a really complex variety of spices and herbs. Curries can contain any variety of meats or seafood with or without the addition of vegetables. However, a lot of curries are vegetarian due to religious considerations. You can find it at your grocery store as a paste, a powder, a roux cube, or as curry leaves.

Curry Paste

Curry paste is made with fresher ingredients and can often be found in cute little jars in the ethnic or international aisle of your grocery store. These curries are made by grinding together fresh ingredients (ginger, galangal, chiles, lemongrass, and other herbs) until they form a paste. I used green curry paste in this recipe for Slow Cooker Thai Green Curry Chicken.

Curry Powder

Curry powder is made using dry spices instead of fresh, but the ingredients are largely the same. You can find these in the spice aisle, though if you can make your own curry powder that will taste even better. I used curry powder instead of paste for this Slow Cooker Curry Chicken and Vegetables.

Curry Roux Cubes

Curry roux cubes are harder to find and are often used in Japanese cooking. They are like throwing a bouillon cube into your dish, except they are made with curry spices and not a condensed chicken or beef stock.

Curry Leaves

You may also come across curry leaves in your grocery store. These look like bay leaves but are green and shiny, and taste both bitter and sweet. They are not "curries" on their own per say — you'll need to add other spices to these to make the curry paste but I wanted you to know what they are in case you come across them.

Curry chicken with vegetables in a slow cooker with coconut curry sauce.

Can You Freeze this Dish?

Yes! In fact, this dish freezes quite well. You can freeze it one of two ways. The first way is to cook extra and freeze the leftovers. I like to double recipes often just for the sole purpose of having some to freeze (be careful, as not all slow cookers are big enough to hold a double batch). You can also prep it ahead of time and freeze it for cooking later. To do this, you should mix together the liquids and spices, and add it to a Ziploc bag with the raw chicken. I'd recommend cooking the veggies and onion first a bit to soften them (especially the broccoli and squash). Let them cool all the way before adding to the rest of the ingredients and freezing.

This will keep in a freezer for up to three months. Simply thaw and either reheat or cook in the slow cooker according to original directions.

Ways to Serve Slow Cooker Curry Chicken and Vegetables

I like to serve this dish over white or brown rice. But you can also serve it over another grain, like quinoa. A flat, wide egg noodle would work as a nice base as well. Or, put the dish in a bowl and serve with some nice crusty French bread or rolls and a side salad.

The Recipe
Slow cooker curry chicken and vegetables on a plate with sliced chicken breast and veggies in coconut curry sauce.

Slow Cooker Curry Chicken and Vegetables

286 CAL 18g CARBS 8g FAT 37g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 15 Min
COOK TIME: 4 Hours
TOTAL TIME: 4 Hours, 15 Min
2 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp. ginger, minced
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp. Madras curry powder (for Thai curry , use red or green Thai curry paste)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • 14 oz. light coconut milk
  • 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup snow peas
  • 2 cups broccoli
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 4 cups spinach
  • 2 limes

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Instructions

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1

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and onion. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the curry powder (or paste) and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the chicken broth and turn off heat. Stir in the coconut milk.

Curry coconut sauce in a pan with onions and and garlic.
2

Place the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. If you like your vegetables more tender crisp, wait and add the broccoli, snow peas, zucchini, and spinach during the last thirty minutes of cooking.

Chicken breast and vegetables in a slow cooker.
3

Pour the coconut curry mixture over top. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Chop or shred chicken. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve with fresh lime juice. Cooking time may vary based on your slow cooker.

Chicken curry and vegetables in a slow cooker with coconut curry sauce.
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 286
Calories from Fat 71
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8g
12%
Saturated Fat 4g
18%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 74mg
24%
Sodium 124mg
5%
Total Carbohydrate 18g
6%
Dietary Fiber 5g
20%
Sugars 5g
Protein 37g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
2 Comments
On Slow Cooker Curry Chicken and Vegetables
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Tammy Soweidy
August 19, 2016 - 10:02
Add a Rating:
5
I was uncertain of how I would like this recipe, especially the butternut squash, as it sometimes cooks too sweet, but it really soaked in the curry flavor! Everything works really well and is delicious! (I forgot the peas, and used (a healthy amount of ) coconut oil in place of the olive oil and made it with Thai green curry paste, my fave! :-)
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August 19, 2016 - 10:44
I haven't tried that before but I think it would work.
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