Slow Cooker Chicken Peanut Noodles Recipe
This Slow Cooker Chicken Peanut Noodles recipe combines tender, slow-cooked chicken with a rich and creamy peanut sauce, fresh vegetables, and linguine pasta for an easy, flavorful meal. The sauce is a perfect blend of peanut butter, salsa, soy sauce, and a hint of lime, offering a delightful balance of savory, tangy, and slightly spicy notes. Ideal for a hands-off dinner, this dish is comforting, nutritious, and can be garnished with fresh herbs and peanuts for added texture and brightness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Ingredients
Scale
Protein & Vegetables
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup julienned carrots
Sauce
- ¾ cup salsa (mild or hot)
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons Sambal oelek (optional, adjust to taste)
Carbohydrates
- 8 ounces linguine
Garnishes (optional)
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Chopped green onion
- Crushed peanuts
Instructions
- Sauté Onion: In a small skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent browning.
- Prepare Slow Cooker Base: Transfer the softened onions to the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts on top of the onions in an even layer.
- Mix Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together salsa, creamy peanut butter, chicken broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, fresh lime juice, and Sambal oelek if using. Pour this sauce mixture evenly over the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Add Vegetables and Cook: Top the chicken and sauce with the sliced red bell pepper and julienned carrots. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 ½ to 4 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the slow cooker and shred them with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker along with any accumulated juices.
- Cook Linguine: While the chicken cooks, prepare the linguine according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
- Combine Pasta and Chicken: Add the cooked linguine to the slow cooker with the shredded chicken. Stir well to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency. Cover and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes inside the slow cooker to allow the sauce to thicken and flavors to meld.
- Garnish and Serve: Serve the noodles garnished with chopped fresh cilantro, green onions, and crushed peanuts if desired, to add freshness and crunch.
Notes
- You can adjust the Sambal oelek quantity to control the spiciness of the dish.
- Use mild salsa if you prefer less heat, or hot salsa for a spicier flavor.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute linguine with gluten-free pasta and use gluten-free soy sauce.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently with a splash of water or broth.
- If you do not have a slow cooker, the chicken and sauce can be simmered on the stovetop in a covered pan until chicken is cooked through, approximately 25-30 minutes.
Keywords: slow cooker chicken, peanut noodles, chicken peanut sauce, easy dinner recipe, slow cooker dinner, creamy peanut noodles, one pot pasta
