Slow Cooker Thai Chicken and Noodles — The AP-Exam-Week Slow Cook

Cody is on day four hundred and seventy-three. AP exams are in two weeks. The Sonic shift-lead role has me running the Saturday closings without supervision now — Carlos has been on a vacation rotation since April fifteenth, and I have been the lead-in-charge on the eight-to-midnight Saturday shifts for three weeks. The kitchen runs. The closing checklist runs. The cash drawer reconciles. Carlos is going to come back from vacation in mid-May and confirm the promotion to full shift lead.

The recipe Sunday was slow cooker Thai chicken and noodles, the kind of fall-back-on-the-slow-cooker dinner the AP-prep week needed. Chicken thighs slow-cooked with coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, fresh ginger, garlic, and a touch of brown sugar, served over rice noodles. The slow cooker did the cooking while I studied at the kitchen table.

The math: chicken thighs $2.79, coconut milk $1.79, peanut butter $0.50 worth, soy sauce, fresh ginger and garlic, lime, brown sugar, rice noodles $1.49, fresh cilantro. Total: about $6.95 for three dinners.

The technique: combine all the sauce ingredients in the slow cooker. Add the chicken thighs. Cook on low six hours. Shred the chicken in the cooker. Cook the rice noodles separately. Toss together. Top with cilantro.

Mama said, when she ate this Sunday night, baby, this tastes like takeout in the best way. Two weeks to AP exams. Six weeks to the Tulsa Library writing program.

The recipe is below. The trick is the peanut butter going into the slow cooker at the start — the cook time melts it into the sauce.

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 8 hours (low) or 4 hours (high) | Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Cooked basmati rice, for serving
• Fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Season the chicken. In a bowl, toss the chicken thighs with garam masala, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
2. Layer the slow cooker. Place the diced onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Lay the seasoned chicken on top. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and crushed tomatoes. Drop in the butter.
3. Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the chicken is fall-apart tender.
4. Shred and finish the sauce. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Stir the heavy cream and honey into the sauce in the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine. Let it sit on warm for 5–10 minutes so the flavors meld.
5. Serve. Spoon the butter chicken over cooked basmati rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro if you have it.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 320 | Protein: 32g | Fat: 15g | Carbs: 14g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 580mg