Slow Cooker Chicken and Vegetable Curry
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I have been putting my slow cooker to good use ever since I pulled it out of the lower shelf of the corner kitchen cabinet. It does get a little busy in the morning preparing the ingredients but once everything is in the slow cooker, it pretty much takes care of itself. It is comforting to know that dinner is cooking, not to mention the wonderful aroma coming from the pot while I go about the rest of my chores. In the evening closer to dinner time, I just need to cook a pot of rice and dinner is ready. Gotta love that! 
Generally, pork and beef require longer cooking times but chicken cooks fairly quickly. I had thawed out the chicken thighs in the fridge the night before and so they were ready to go. As it has been so cold lately, I thought of a one-pot curry dish to warm up the belly and soul. I partially cooked the chicken by browning it but this step can certainly be omitted if you prefer. It would definitely simplify your preparation but you may have to leave the chicken in the slow cooker for a tad longer.
This chicken curry is a simplified and adapted version of the one my Mom and I cook regularly. Traditionally, chicken curry consists only of chicken and potatoes but I wanted a complete one-pot meal. I added the carrots and peas for that purpose. Leave it out if you prefer not to have them in there. I use a lighter coconut milk and not coconut cream because of the longer cooking time in the slow cooker. If you are using the thicker coconut cream from the can, you may want to dilute it. For a thicker consistency in the gravy, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch to the coconut milk.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3½ lbs (1.6 kg) chicken thighs, trimmed
- Salt and pepper
- 3 small potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks (optional)
- 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp (25g) curry powder
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1¼ cup (300ml) coconut milk*
- 1 cup (150g) frozen green peas (optional)
Instructions
Lightly sprinkle salt and pepper over chicken thighs. In a large pan, heat vegetable oil. Brown chicken thighs. Transfer to slow cooker insert. **
Add potatoes and carrots to slow cooker insert.
Remove excess oil, leaving about 2 tablespoon in the pan. Fry onions for about 2 minutes. Add curry powder and cinnamon stick. Continue to fry until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Pour coconut milk into pan. Add salt to taste. Turn off heat.
Pour sauce over chicken, potatoes, and carrots in slow cooker insert. Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours.
After 2 hours, add frozen green peas and continue to let it cook for another hour.
Notes
* A tablespoon of cornstarch may be mixed into the coconut milk for a thick consistency in the sauce.
**Browning chicken thighs is optional. If preferred, raw chicken thighs may simply be placed in the slow cooker insert.
Traditionally, chicken curry consists only of chicken and potatoes. Carrots and green peas may be omitted, if preferred.
In my books, this is a relatively mild curry with no additional spices included in the mix even though it looks hot and spicy. Both Ro-Taro and Ro-Jiro can eat this comfortably without breaking into a sweat. Serve it with lots of steamed white rice.
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 
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Tags: curry, green peas, main dish, Malaysian
You are magical lady!
This is perfect for a quick no fuss curry fix! It looks beautiful.
Thanks Nicole for the kind words!
Looks amazing Biren!!! I’m making this for dinner-love crockpot meals…just like coming home to ‘mom’ making a special meal just for you
So true Patty! I am beginning to like the slow cooker more and more. So nice to have the main dish all ready and waiting in the evening.
Looks like a perfect one pot meal.
Thanks Ramona!
wow, this looks like the perfect home cooked meal
Thanks Jessica!
What a gorgeous meal! Love the colors of the vegetables and the chicken looks great! I don’t have a slow cooker, but I do braise chicken quite often and browning is a must. I don’t like the color of the chicken otherwise. This looks like a great recipe!
I love braised dishes and they usually come out delicious. I do it a lot too when I am at home but the slow cooker is great when you are out and about. It takes away the need to “watch” the dish cooking on the stove.
That does look like a soul warming pot of goodness
It also reminds me of Japanese curry somehow. Sounds like both a winner and a fantastic time saver!
It does look like Japanese curry but it is still a little spicier. It makes a wonderful one-pot meal especially on cold evenings.
Hi Biren,
I just had my curry fix for the past 2 days but I still feel like eating yours! It looks gorgeously delicious! Yum!
Chris
Thanks Chris! I hear ya. I also need my curry fix every now and then.