Creamy Slow-Cooker Peanut Chicken and Broccoli
he slow cooker and stir-fry might seem to live in different worlds — one slow, the other flash-fast — but sometimes you want the lively flavors of stir-fry without the last-minute prep and cooking. With a little planning, you can easily create a dish that replicates the goodness of a stir-fry with the help of the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, preferably natural
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 pounds broccoli crowns, cut into bite-sized florets
For serving:
- Steamed rice or rice noodles
- Chopped roasted peanuts
- Chopped scallions
- Asian chili-garlic paste
- Combine the chicken, cornstarch, measured salt, and pepper in a large bowl and toss until the chicken is lightly coated; set aside.
- Heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the scallions, garlic, and ginger, season with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring until bright green and fragrant, about 1 minute. Scrape into a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Add the chicken broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, red curry paste, and sugar. Whisk together until smooth and well-combined. Add the chicken, scraping out any cornstarch stuck to the sides of the bowl, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on the LOW setting without stirring until the chicken is cooked through and tender, 4 to 6 hours.
- Add the broccoli, gently stir to combine, and cover and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 30 to 45 minutes more. Serve over rice, topped with chopped peanuts and scallions. Serve the chili-garlic paste on the side.