Lazy Thai-Peanut Chicken - tender chicken and veggies in a drool-worthy peanut sauce.

Looking down on a bowl of noodles and chicken topped with peanuts

"A slow cooker? I have one of those. Somewhere waaaay in the back of my cabinet. I have only used it once or twice". If only I had a dollar for each time I heard a sentence similar to that one.... I would be writing this post from a far off Caribbean beach somewhere!

This recipe is one of those that should convince you that slow cookers are useful for more than an annual pot of chili.

All ingredients in slow cooker prior to cooking

❓What is it?

Lazy Thai-Peanut Chicken is a take spin off of traditional Thai peanut chicken, containing a mouth watering mash up of of good, wholesome ingredients . It starts with plain chicken tenders and veggies. Add to that an easy-to-make sauce containing peanut butter, soy sauce, agave, vinegar and spices. Just toss all together and let your slow cooker work it's magic.

It is dairy free, sugar free and can be made kosher and gluten free.

Substitution options

To make this recipe gluten free, substitute soy sauce with Braggs Liquid Aminos. I find this to be a bit saltier than soy sauce. To compensate for this, I suggest using 2.5 tablespoons rather than 3, as instructed below.
I love this recipe over rice noodles, however, it is great with whole grain brown rice too!
In a pinch, apple cider vinegar works in place of rice vinegar.
I am (obviously) lazy and often opt for pre-cut frozen vegetables. This is purely for convenience purposes. Fresh veggies are always great!

😉Hacks and hints

I am a huge fan of slow cooker liners. They are always optional, of course. I buy my liners in bulk (which keeps the cost per item way down!)
Rice noodles are very easy to make by following the instructions on the package. However, I suggest making them just prior to serving. They will get soggier over time if they sit too long.
I always recommend using a meat thermometer - especially when making chicken. Chicken is safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. My favorite one is easy to use!
leftovers will store well in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
When finished cooking, if you feel the sauce isn’t as thick as you like it, make it thicker the lazy way - by adding instant potato flakes. Mix one tablespoon of potato flakes in and stir for a while to allow thickening to take place. If the sauce is still too thin, continue to add 1 additional tablespoon at a time until desired thickness is reached.