Slow Cooker Chicken Coconut Soup combines favourite Thai flavours like ginger, garlic, fish sauce, lime, sugar and chili paste while slow cooking all day.
Slow Cooker Chicken Coconut Soup
While many of us have been cooking from our crockpots for decades, there are still many recipes that can be made in the slow cooker, like soup. It really makes busy days more enjoyable when you come home to the smell of a home cooked meal requiring very little intervention.
We lightly sweat chili paste, ginger, garlic and shallots in a sauce pan, give our chicken a quick sear to add flavour, mix with coconut milk, broth, lemongrass, cilantro and carrots and let it go low and slow.
Thai Curries
There are three flavours of Thai curry available. You can make your own, I’ve watched cooking shows on how to do this, or buy it at the store. I currently have all three in my refrigerator and depending on my mood, that’s the curry I use.
- Yellow is the mildest of the bunch as it uses less chili and is loaded with all kinds of spices.
- Green is made using cilantro, kaffir lime leaves and green chili’s.
- Red is bright and quite spicy thanks to red chili.
For this dish we used the yellow curry to keep it milder. You can add more than the recipe calls to intensify the flavour.
Inspiration
If you read through my blog you will find in some recipes I talk about the inspiration for my recipes. Every year for Christmas Eve we go sledding with friends and have a fondue-palooza. Everyone brings food to contribute. My friend Angela has brought a variation of this soup a couple of times and admittedly was always on my mind.
She tosses ingredients into a slow cooker and let’s it do it’s thing. We’ve made this soup quite a few times and really do love the flavour.
If you are ready to make this soup, here’s a few tips to help you on your way.
PRO TIPS
- Make this vegetarian by adding eggplant when you add the mushrooms. And more mushrooms.
- You could add cooked rice noodles to your serving dish.
- Use whatever Thai curry paste you want.
- If you can’t find kaffir lime leaves, try Thai basil leaves. Or leave them out.
- If you want more spice garnish with sliced red chili or jalapeno pepper.
- If your coconut milk is mostly thick and creamy, pour into a large bowl and mix it up before pouring in.
Looking for more slow cooker recipes, check these out!
- Slow Cooker Beer Pulled Pork
- Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Stew
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Casserole
- Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup
- Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs
If you made this recipe tag Wanda Baker on Instagram and hashtag it #bakersbeans or #wandabaker
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tsp Thai curry paste red, green, yellow
- salt and pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 lemongrass stalks, peeled and trimmed into large chunks
- 2 medium carrots, or one large, peeled and sliced
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cans coconut milk
- 1 tbsp coconut or palm sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 sprigs cilantro plus 2 tbsp chopped for garnish
- 2-3 kaffir lime leaves
- 6-10 shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced thick
- 2 green onions, sliced thin
- 2 limes, sliced into wedges for serving
Instructions
- In a sauce pan over medium high heat add a drizzle of olive oil and shallots cooking for a few minutes until shallots start to soften. Stir in garlic, ginger and curry paste cooking for another 1-2 minutes then scrape into slow cooker. Put sauce pan back on heat.
- Turn heat up to high. Add another drizzle of olive oil if necessary. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken and add to sauce pan. Quickly sear each side of the chicken and add to slow cooker.
- Drop carrots and lemon grass into slow cooker.
- In a large bowl mix together broth, one can of coconut milk, sugar and fish sauce. Pour over chicken, carrots and lemon grass.
- Toss in cilantro sprigs and kaffir lime leaves. Cook on high 3-4 hours.
- One hour before soup is ready add one can of coconut milk and sliced mushrooms.
- When ready to serve remove cilantro sprigs, lemongrass, lime leaves and chicken. Shred chicken with two forks or fingers. Return shredded chicken to slow cooker.
- Scoop into serving bowls and garnish with chopped cilantro, green onions and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Serve immediately.
Jersey Girl Cooks says
Such delicious flavors in this soup. I am enjoying winter soup season!
Courtney says
Love this recipe! It’s full of fresh flavour. Nothing beats having dinner at ready at the end of the day!
Bakersbeans says
So true!
Carrie Robinson says
Oh yum! I am loving everything about this soup! And I definitely love that you made in the slow cooker. 🙂
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
This soup has all the flavors we love. I like anything cooked in coconut milk and slow cooking makes it even more flavorful!
Bakersbeans says
Definitely flavourful!
Sharon says
Delicious! We like it a bit spicier so it was the red chili paste for us. 😉 It turned out awesome and I see a repeat batch in the future. Perfect for warming your bones during this time of the year!
Bakersbeans says
Soup is great for warming the bones!
Vijitha says
I always do at least one slow cooker meal every week, so I love trying different slow cooker recipes! Made this soup with Thai green curry paste this week and it turned out awesome – so full of flavour and easy to prepare! Thanks for this recipe 🙂
Bakersbeans says
I haven’t used green paste but I bet it’s delicious!
NANCY says
love coconut soups and this chicken soup is no exception! Can’t wait to make this! Pinned for later
Bakersbeans says
So flavourful and delicious to come home to.
Terri says
I have been looking for a slow cooker coconut soup and this one looks perfect! Even when I’m home I want to set it and forget it!
Bakersbeans says
I’m all about set it and forget it!
Nicole says
This sounds like a very delicious soup, saving it to try over the weekend!
Bakersbeans says
Hope you love it!