2011-11-08

Crock Pot Curried Chicken


This easy meal was inspired by the recipe for 'Fragrant Chicken Curry' in Best Ever Recipes for Your Slow Cooker by Catherine Atkinson, which, truth be told, I picked off the clearance rack years ago and have never used.  The original recipe required several additional steps at the beginning, but if I'm using the crock pot, it means I'm out the door in the morning and am not going to mess with it again until I crawl back home.  So I've simplified it, as well as changed up the ingredients.

If you're not going to be able to give it the full 8 to 10 hours on low, bump the temperature up to medium, or else the lentils will not be cooked through.  Also be warned that a crock pot that is too small won't be able to accommodate the big pile of spinach that gets dumped in at the end.  (Mine is practically industrial size.)


Crock Pot Curried Chicken
(Click here for printable recipe.)

13.5 oz can coconut milk
1 C water
1 Tbs curry powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 C dried lentils
2 C baby carrots
1-2 Tbs olive oil
8 skinless chicken thighs (with or without bones)
8-10 oz bag pre-washed baby spinach leaves
1-2 C Jasmine or Basmati (white) rice

In a microwave safe bowl (or large measuring cup) combine coconut milk, water, curry powder, cumin, salt and garlic.  Whisk together, then microwave on high until bubbling, stopping to stir every minute.  Pour into crock pot with lentils and carrots.  Cover and cook on high while preparing the chicken.

Heat just enough oil to cover the bottom of a skillet over medium.  Brown both sides of chicken thighs, but do not cook all the way through.  Add chicken to crock pot, cover and reduce heat to low.  Allow to cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Half an hour before serving, add spinach to crock pot.  Gently mix spinach into liquid to coat as much as possible with sauce.  Replace lid and prepare 1-2 C rice according to package directions or as preferred while the spinach cooks.  (Brown rice will take a solid 45 minutes to cook, so if you prefer it, plan accordingly.)

Serve chicken curry over rice.

I'm submitting this post to:



Note: I've corrected the amount of water in the recipe from when I first posted it.  Also, if you are unable to consume the coconut milk, feel free to substitute chicken/vegetable stock for it.

4 comments:

danatan79 said...

that looks sooooooooo yummy! :D

Paula said...

This is the second post today I've read for chicken with coconut milk and basmati rice. Yours is the first using a crock pot. Your dish looks delicious and one I will try at some point. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Anonymous said...

Do you chop up the chicken before adding it to the crockpot or leave the thighs whole?

Libby said...

Nope, just leave the chicken thighs whole. If you use ones with bones, you will need to pull them out before eating. Hope you enjoy!