*Cue happy dance to Back in Black here*
Did you miss me? Probably not. But, I deeply missed you! #OneSidedRelationship #I’llBeFine
What have you guys been up to?! If you are a blogger, I know what you have been up to – creating tasty, fall inspired recipes that have been the cause of many-a-drool-sesh over here in the office at SuBourbon Country Cottage.
As for me, most of my plans were scrapped by the monsoon that has been unrelentingly down pouring daily since I decided to take my culinary creativity sabbatical. I kid you not, it has been overcast, muggy and rainy for almost 2 straight weeks. So much for taking time to get inspired! All I have been inspired to do is stay in my pajamas and crawl back into my bed, which is now adorned with fancy new linens. The new bed set is courtesy of one of the shopping trips I took with my MIL while on “leave”. Aside from shopping for house décor, I spent most of my time ‘pleasure cooking’ for myself and boy. But, I did also test and develop recipes for you guys!
Today’s recipe is the first one I started working on after I bid you all a short adieu – Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Tacos with Bean Sprout Slaw & Peanut Sauce.
Since I was exhausted, like most of you mothers out there are on the regular, I wanted to create something quick, relatively easy, but seriously tasty and comforting. And I wanted tacos. Because… tacos. (<– Self-explanatory) These Thai Chicken Tacos ticked off all the boxes, in all the right places, and then some.
The cubed, slow cooked chicken breast is super tender, savory and perfectly juicy. The chicken stays moist from the well-seasoned cooking liquid comprised of stock, coconut milk, some thinly sliced veggies and other Thai flavored nom noms. However, if chicken thighs are more your thing (they are mine, but Boy prefers white meat), definitely feel free to substitute boneless skinless thigh meat for the chicken breast!
Now, I won’t lie to you. At first, I was eating the slow cooked Thai chicken straight from the slow cooker with a shovel fork. And you can totally just serve this, as is, over some rice or noodles. Shoot, you could even throw the noodles into the slow cooker when there is about 45 minutes left and let them cook in there! The recipe, as written below, contains enough sauce to easily cook about 8 ounces of noodles… if you simply just want a Thai chicken and noodle bowl.
ButButBut, then you would miss out on some seriously stellar, tasta-riffic, tacos. And that, my friend, would be a shame. The bean sprout and carrot slaw adorning these Thai tacos is spicy, sweet, herbaceous, refreshingly crisp and perfectly crunchy. It pairs with the Thai flavored chicken magnificently. And when wrapped together in a slightly toasted (optional), warm tortilla? A heavenly explosion of unexpected, epic flavor.
However, there is more! I know – say whaaaa?? Yes. MORE.
The peanut sauce, and garnishes, are all completely optional. There is enough sauce from the chicken to use for your tacos. But, it is a cooking liquid sauce… so it isn’t as rich, thick, creamy and dreamy as the peanut sauce I have included below. The peanut sauce AND a generous sprinkling of crushed peanuts, pungent cilantro and fresh lime juice combined WITH the Thai chicken-bean sprout slaw taco = Taco Thai Fusion Magic. Aka- Your taste buds WILL be jumping right outta your face from the explosion of flavor.
So Do this. In case you need a reason, because you must be cray-cray, tomorrow is Taco Tuesday. These Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Tacos belong on your table, so they can be stuffed into your belly. Both you and your family deserve it. Until next time, Cheers – To taco-tastic-face-stuffing-adventures.
-Xoxo-
Cheyanne
P.S. It’s SO good to be back!
- Thai Chicken:
- 2 Pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (can substitute Thighs) – Cubed into 1 ½’’ pieces
- 1 large White Onion – thinly sliced
- 1 Green Bell Pepper – stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper – stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 (14 oz) can Light Coconut Milk
- 1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Stock
- ¼ Cup Peanut Butter (creamy or crunchy)
- 3 TBS Red Curry paste
- 2 TBS Fish Sauce
- 2 TBS Low Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 TBS Light Brown Sugar
- 2 TBS Ginger – minced
- 2 large Cloves of Garlic – minced
- ¼ tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- ¾ tsp Salt, or more to taste
- ¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper, or more to taste
- 1 Lime – juiced (1 TBS + 1 tsp)
- ¼ Cup Peanuts – roughly chopped
- ¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves
- 4 Scallions – thinly sliced
- Bean Sprout Slaw:
- 5 oz. Mung Bean Sprouts
- 2 Scallions – thinly sliced
- 1 large Carrots – shredded (about ½ cup)
- 2 TBS Fresh Cilantro Leaves – roughly chopped
- 1 Jalapeno – seeded, ribbed and minced
- 2 tsp Sriracha Hot Sauce
- 1 tsp Fish Sauce
- 1 TBS Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
- ½ tsp Ginger – grated
- 1 TBS Sesame Oil
- Juice of ½ a lime (about 2 tsp)
- Thai Peanut Sauce:
- ¼ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
- ¾ Cup Light Coconut Milk
- 1 TBS Fish Sauce
- 1 TBS Soy Sauce
- 2 TBS Thai Red Curry Paste
- 1 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 TBS Light Brown Sugar
- 2 TBS Peanuts – crushed
- Salt to taste
- Tacos:
- Flour Tortillas
- Lime Wedges (optional)
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
- For the Thai Chicken: In a medium mixing bowl combine: coconut milk, chicken stock, peanut butter, curry paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Scatter the onions and both peppers in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add the chicken cubes on top. Pour the sauce evenly over the top. Cover and cook on high for 3 ½ -4 hours or low for 6-8 hours, stirring at the 2 hour mark. Remove top and stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and top with scallions, peanuts and cilantro.
- Meanwhile, Make the Bean Sprout Slaw: Place sprouts, scallions, carrots, cilantro and jalapeno in a large mixing bowl. Toss mix together. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the Sriracha, fish sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce, ginger, sesame oil and lime juice. Pour sauce over salad ingredients and toss to combine. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
- And, Make the Peanut Sauce: Place all ingredients, except for the peanuts, into a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to stir. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. As soon as a simmer is reached, remove from heat and stir in crushed peanuts. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Set aside until ready to use.
- To Serve: Place a heaping spoonful of Thai Chicken in the center of each tortilla, top with slaw, squeeze on a bit of lime juice and sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
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