Lemongrass Turmeric Slow Cooker Chicken is the perfect meal you can make anytime! It cooks in 2-3 hours so you can make it on a weeknight!
I was wanting an easy recipe that had turmeric in it and was comforting but also super flavorful. This fragrant dish will fill your house with mouth-watering smells coming from the kitchen. Plus, it’s a slow cooker recipe that cooks in 2-3 hours and not 4-8. Yeah, so you can totally do this after work hours.
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Lemongrass Turmeric Chicken
Slow cooker recipes often make me think of something I have to put together first thing in the morning if I want to make sure I have dinner that night. Sometimes, that is nice thing. But most mornings, I am just trying to get out the door. I love that chicken breasts cook so quickly in the slow cooker… sounds like an oxymoron haha. But that’s all to say that once you get home in the evening, you can throw all these ingredients into the slow cooker on high then do whatever it is you need to do. Like walk the dog, run an errand, workout, whatever. Then 2-3 hours later, dinner is served!
Bonus points: this also makes great leftovers! Yup, so even if you are cooking for one, this crock pot recipe is for you. I also happen to like my dinner served up with a nice glass of wine. Sometimes (like this time) I even whip out the fancy gold forks to eat with. Just makes it feel a little more like an occasion, don’t ya think? Even that just happens to be a Tuesday and celebrating the fact that the fall temps might dip below 90 degrees. Here’s to hoping!
Easy Lemongrass Turmeric Chicken Dinner
One of the things I love about this recipe is how versatile it is. I like the hands off approach of the slow cooker but this can be made in the oven and on the stove top!
To make in the oven, simply make the sauce then place the chicken into an oven-safe baking dish and pour sauce over it. Cover and bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
To make this recipe on the stove top, make the sauce and then place chicken into high-sided skillet. Pour sauce and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. You can cook this covered or uncovered but make sure it doesn’t get too hot or the sauce might split. If this happens, it is still completely fine to eat but might look curdled. To prevent this, only cook over medium heat or lower and check and stir the sauce frequently, only allowing it to come to a gentle simmer.
Pro Tip: If you want to speed up the cooking process, cut the chicken breast into cubes. Alternatively, you can butterfly the chicken breast, meaning slice it from the side so it opens up like a book, or a butterfly’s wings. This will make the chicken thinner and cook more quickly.
Lemongrass Turmeric Chicken Recipe
Speaking of versatile, there are some easy substitutions if you don’t have or don’t want to use a certain ingredient. I find that this sauce needs some sort of base to soak up all the goodness. Jasmine rice is what I prefer to use but quinoa, brown or black rice, or lentils would all be great substitutes for the rice.
If I am wanting to add more veggies, this recipe is perfect for that! I like to throw in red bell pepper and a few handfuls of baby spinach. Green beans, broccoli, mushrooms, chickpeas would also be great additions.
I love the way fish sauce brings out the flavors in this recipe. However, if you prefer not to use it, try replacing it with an equal amount of soy sauce or coconut aminos. Coconut milk is a great base and adds a lot of creaminess and flavor. You can substitute your favorite broth in place of it if you want.
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Lemongrass Turmeric Slow Cooker Chicken
Serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are!
Ingredients:
- 1 can lite coconut milk
- 1 pound of chicken breast
- ½ cup white rice
- 1 stalk of lemongrass
- 1 small shallot
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 small red chili (optional or sub 1 tablespoon of sriracha for heat)
- 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Directions:
- Wash, pat dry and do a rough chop of the lemongrass, garlic, chili, shallot and ginger.
- In a food processor, or high-powered blender, combine the lemongrass, garlic, chili, shallot and ginger with coconut milk until mostly smooth.
- In a slow cooker, or pot on the stove, stir together herbed coconut milk mixture with fish sauce, turmeric powder, sugar and butter.
- Place chicken into the same pot and cover with sauce.
- Let cook on high for 2-3 hours in the slow cooker or until chicken is cooked through.
- Cook rice according to package about 30 minutes before chicken is done.
- Using a fork, break chicken into smaller pieces, about 2 inches.
- Serve chicken with sauce over hot rice with cilantro for garnish. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Lemongrass Turmeric Slow Cooker Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 can lite coconut milk
- 1 pound of chicken breast
- ½ cup white rice
- 1 stalk of lemongrass
- 1 small shallot
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 small red chili optional or sub 1 tablespoon of sriracha for heat
- 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Wash, pat dry and do a rough chop of the lemongrass, garlic, chili, shallot and ginger.
- In a food processor, or high-powered blender, combine the lemongrass, garlic, chili, shallot and ginger with coconut milk until mostly smooth.
- In a slow cooker, or pot on the stove, stir together herbed coconut milk mixture with fish sauce, turmeric powder, sugar and butter.
- Place chicken into the same pot and cover with sauce.
- Let cook on high for 2-3 hours in the slow cooker or until chicken is cooked through.
- Cook rice according to package about 30 minutes before chicken is done.
- Using a fork, break chicken into smaller pieces, about 2 inches.
- Serve chicken with sauce over hot rice with cilantro for garnish. Add salt & pepper to taste.
linda
I’m losing my mind too!
kay
can you use chicken thighs for this receipe
Natalie Paramore
Yes but I’d make sure they’re skinless.