Nutty Chicken Breast

Slow Cooker Peanut-Stuffed Chicken With Soy-Honey Sauce

The peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger combination here is the unmistakable backbone of Thai chicken and Indonesian satay flavors, but the technique is pure American slow cooker. Spread the seasoned peanut filling inside butterflied chicken breasts, fold and pin them, drop into the crockpot with a soy-honey-broth sauce, and walk away for the afternoon.

The slow cook breaks down the chicken into fork-tender pieces while the peanut butter melts into the sauce, thickening it naturally and infusing the broth with that nutty, savory depth peanut sauce is known for. A final cornstarch slurry on high heat tightens everything into a glossy gravy you can spoon over rice.

A dash of hot pepper sauce in the filling brings just enough heat to balance the honey’s sweetness without setting your mouth on fire.

Pro Tips

• Pound the chicken breasts to even thickness before butterflying. Uneven breasts give you some pieces that overcook while others stay underdone.
• Use creamy peanut butter, not natural. The added stabilizers help the filling stay emulsified through the long cook.
• Skewer or toothpick each breast in two places, not just one. The filling tries to escape during cooking and a single pin won’t hold it.
• Don’t lift the lid mid-cook. Each peek adds 15 to 20 minutes to the cook time as the slow cooker recovers temperature.
• Skim any rendered fat off the surface before making the slurry. It results in a cleaner, glossier sauce.

Variations

• Stir 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1 teaspoon fish sauce into the cooking liquid for a more authentic Thai flavor.
• Use chicken thighs instead of breasts for richer flavor and even more tender meat.
• Top with chopped fresh cilantro, sliced scallions, and an extra sprinkle of crushed peanuts before serving.