Crock Pot Chicken Curry

This delicious Indian-inspired crockpot coconut curry chicken recipe is full of flavor with a creamy coconut milk curry sauce, tender chicken thighs, sweet potatoes, and sweet bell pepper. Serve over hot cooked rice with cilantro and green onion for the perfect meal idea!

A white bowl served with colorful chicken curry with orange sweet potatoes and red bell peppers.

You will love this Chicken Curry Crock Pot Recipe!

All in One Pot. This slow cooker chicken curry recipe is loaded with tender, flavorful chicken, sweet potatoes, and a creamy coconut milk curry sauce. Serve as is, or I love to make fluffy rice and smother this coconut chicken curry on top to serve--definitely a repeat recipe in our house!

Traditional Indian Inspired Flavors. Curry is a traditional Indian spice that is used in Indian dishes like this coconut yellow chicken curry; other traditional dishes are chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, or yellow curry.

Quick and Easy! This slow cooker chicken curry recipe tastes like you slaved over, making it all day! Sear your chicken, then cook your onion, garlic, curry, and garlic to release the oils for the best flavor to add to your crockpot. Add the rest and let the slow cooker to the rest. It is that easy!

Crockpot Curry Chicken Ingredients

Ingredients needed for making crockpot chicken curry.

Here's what you'll need to make this delicious slow cooker chicken curry recipe:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: my preference is to use chicken thighs in crockpot recipes as they do have slightly higher fat content and stay juicier and more tender when slow-cooked. They also add a richer taste to the dish. Chicken breasts may be substituted.
Salt
Ground Black Pepper
Coconut Oil: use your preferred cooking oil, such as olive oil or avocado oil.
Onion: use your onion preference, such as yellow, white, or red.
Fresh Ginger: grate fresh ginger for the best flavor. If you cannot find fresh ginger, you can use minced or crushed garlic, normally found in the fresh produce section of your grocery store.
Garlic: mince fresh garlic or use store-bought pre-minced garlic.
Curry Powder: there are a variety of heat levels of curry powder, so choose your preference from mild to hot.
Chicken Broth: use low sodium or low fat if preferred.
Canned Unsweetened Coconut Milk: be sure to buy the canned full fat coconut milk variety. There are normally two places in a grocery store to look for this - the baking aisle or the imported food section, normally near the Mexican food if it is a smaller grocery store.
Sweet Potato: I was able to use one large sweet potato for how much I wanted; you may also choose to use 2 to 3 smaller ones for how much you would like.
Red Bell Pepper: you may substitute with green, yellow, or orange. Red, yellow, and orange have a sweeter flavor and pair nicely with this dish.
Fresh Chopped Cilantro
For Serving: sliced green onion and a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream.

For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!

Be sure to save this pin to Pinterest for later! 😉

Black and white text pinterest pin with a white bowl of chicken curry served over rice.

Substitutions and Variations

Substitute boneless chicken breasts for the chicken thighs. Chicken breasts tend to dry out quicker due to a lower fat content, so only cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Add other Indian spices such as garam masala, turmeric, cumin, or coriander.
Make it spicy by adding dried red chili peppers, Thai chili paste, cayenne pepper, or by using spicy curry powder.
Adjust any seasonings to taste.
Substitute any ingredients in this recipe for your preference. Some examples are the onions, bell pepper, and chicken stock.

How to Make Curry Chicken in a Crockpot

Sprinkling boneless skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

1. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.

Adding coconut oil and browning the chicken thighs in a black crockpot.

2. Brown chicken in a skillet, about 2 minutes each side. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Sauteeing the onions then adding the curry spices to the pot.

3. Add onions to the skillet and saute until soft. Add ginger, garlic, curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to the crockpot.

Pouring chicken broth over onions then adding the vegetables and chicken thighs to the slow cooker pot.

4. Add chicken broth, coconut milk, and vegetables to crockpot then arrange the chicken over the top.

Slow cooking the chicken thighs and vegetables in a black slow cooker.

5. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours or until the chicken is done and the sweet potatoes are tender.

Removing the vegetables from a black crockpot then thickening the golden sauce.

6. Remove chicken and vegetables, cover, and keep warm. Transfer the remaining liquid to a saucepan and bring to a simmer and let reduce until thickened, stirring frequently.

Fresh cilantro added into the creamy curry sauce in an oval black crockpot.

7. Add lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.

How to Serve this Curry Chicken Crock Pot Recipe

Serve over hot cooked jasmine rice with the sauce poured over the chicken and vegetables. To reduce carbs use cauliflower rice.
Garnish with crumbled feta or goat cheese, fresh chopped cilantro, or sliced green onion and a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream.
Serve with fresh warm naan bread.
Serve with extra lime wedges.

Two white bowls served with chicken curry over rice with sweet potatoes and red bell peppers.

How to Store Crockpot Chicken Curry

Store your rice separately in an air-tight container for up to 3 days for the best freshness.

Store the coconut curry mixture separately in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can freeze in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.

Chicken Curry Crock Pot FAQs

Can you put raw chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can! As long as your finished chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, you can start by using raw chicken. In this recipe, I sear the chicken to brown on all sides to add flavor and help keep the chicken tender.

How do you keep curry from getting watery in a slow cooker?

Minimize the amount of liquid used or don't worry about it and reduce and thicken the sauce at the end. This recipe reduces the liquid at the end for a thick and rich delicious sauce.

Why does crockpot chicken look pink?

Pigment in the bone marrow can permeate the surrounding tissue, especially in younger poultry. Pink does not always indicate doneness. Always cook chicken to a safe temperature of 165 degrees F.

Can I ask you a favor?

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