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May 9, 2016

Slow Cooker Spicy Coconut Chicken Drumsticks

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I’m in love with this recipe for spicy coconut chicken drumsticks made in the crockpot! Seriously, we all loved the slight spiciness of the thai chili paste and the creamy sauce made from coconut milk. This chicken and sauce goes perfectly with some oven baked brown rice and a salad. Serve it up for dinner this week at your house! And BONUS this recipe can easily be made into a slow cooker freezer meal.

slow cooker recipe coconut chicken drumsticks

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I got this recipe idea from my friend, Jen. The past couple of months I’ve been part of a freezer meal group. Each member of the group makes 5 freezer meals (all the same, so like 5 lasagnas). Then we all meet one evening and exchange our freezer meals. You come home with 5 different freezer meals ready to be made any time during the next month. These meals come in handy for those days when you just don’t have the groceries to make dinner or the days when you’re too tired to make dinner or the days when it’s just too busy! In the next few weeks I’ll share some of the recipes that we’ve tried. It’s been fun to try other people’s recipes and dinners that we don’t normally make.

slow cooker spicy coconut chicken drumsticks

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Jen made a version of this recipe with chicken breasts and a few other changes from my recipe. My whole family loved it and I decided to turn it into a slow cooker recipe. If you prefer you can use boneless chicken instead of the chicken legs like I used. Just remember that chicken breasts cook a lot quicker in the slow cooker than chicken on the bone or boneless, skinless chicken thighs.

spicy coconut chicken drumsticks recipe in the crockpot

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You’ll start the recipe by mixing up a quick sauce with coconut milk and spices and cilantro. Then you’ll pull the skin off the chicken legs. This is really easy with a paper towel. It helps you to grip the skin and get it off in no time. Add those chicken drummies to the sauce in the crockpot and let it braise in there for about 6 to 8 hours and you’re done! Like I said this recipe was perfect with rice because the sauce is so delicious and the rice just soaks it up.

And if you really want to be healthy you could serve this slow cooker coconut chicken and the sauce with cauliflower rice. I have yet to try cauliflower rice, but I’m definitely intrigued by the idea. I also think a nice broccoli side dish would go great with this dinner.


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instant pot spicy coconut chicken drumsticks

Slow Cooker Spicy Coconut Chicken Drumsticks


★★★★★

4.3 from 6 reviews

  • Author: 365 Days of Slow Cooking
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 5 1x
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Description

A slightly spicy and creamy coconut chicken and sauce that braises for hours in the slow cooker while you’re getting a million other things done!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 2 Tbsp Sriracha
  • 1 Tbsp garlic thai chili paste
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 cup diced onions (I used a yellow onion)
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for serving
  • 3–4 lbs of chicken drumsticks (I put 10 in my slow cooker)

Instructions

  1. Combine basil, coconut milk, Sriracha, garlic thai chili paste, soy sauce, onion and cilantro in the slow cooker. Stir.
  2. Using a double layer of paper towels pull the skin off of the chicken legs. Add the now skinless chicken legs into the slow cooker. Nestle them into the sauce.
  3. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, Chicken will be very tender.
  4. Serve the chicken and sauce over rice and top with extra cilantro.

Notes

I used my 6 quart slow cooker for this recipe.

If you want you can make this into a slow cooker freezer meal! Just place all the ingredients into a freezer size gallon zipper bag (I like the Hefty slider bags). Then freeze. When you’re ready to cook drop everything from the bag into the slow cooker and cook on LOW for about 8-10 hours, if still frozen and 6-8 hours if thawed.

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slow cooker coconut chicken drumsticks with cilantro

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54 Comments Filed Under: 6 or More Hours, All Recipes, Chicken, Slow Cooker Tagged With: 5 stars, freezer meals

Recommendations

Comments

  1. Emi says

    March 22, 2022 at 3:09 pm

    Just like other reviewer, mine came out thin red , almost brown sauce. I don’t understand how not only the white color but flavor of coconut milk disappeared completely…. ????? I even omitted sriracha and of course I used Thai Kitchen regular unsweetened coconut milk…

    ★★★

    Reply
  2. Stephanie says

    July 12, 2021 at 4:13 pm

    I made this tonight and also found it to be just a bit bland. Like another commenter suggested, I added 2 T of the Thai Garlic Chili Paste. 🙁 maybe some lime juice or red curry paste or something next time to add a layer of flavor?

    ★★★

    Reply
  3. Almira says

    September 13, 2020 at 6:33 am

    So delicious! I omitted the sriracha, opting to serve it on the side and the recipe still had enough kick to it! I also made it with frozen chicken breasts and they were perfect – thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 14, 2020 at 12:41 pm

      Glad you liked it!!!

      Reply
  4. Pamela S. Newcomer says

    July 22, 2019 at 9:24 am

    Made this last night for our Sunday family meal. AMAZING! I had read a few of the comments and tweaked it a little. I used 1 large sweet onion, finely chopped, I used 2 T. of the chili garlic past, added 6 cloves minced garlic and a few grinds of salt and pepper. Definitely a keeper. The family loved it.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 22, 2019 at 12:23 pm

      Glad you liked it Pamela!

      Reply
  5. Barrett says

    January 20, 2019 at 3:28 pm

    does anyone know the nutritional values for this meal?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 28, 2019 at 6:44 pm

      I just updated the recipe with the nutritional values.

      Reply
  6. Aline says

    September 11, 2018 at 3:57 am

    We loved it so much that we cooked it 4 times in 10 days. Each time in a different combination. I filled it in volovent as a starter !!! Another tine in puff pastry as a snack for school !!! Twice with rice as a main course :)) the best recipe so far! Thank u

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 11, 2018 at 3:13 pm

      Haha! This is so great!!!!

      Reply
  7. Masya says

    March 21, 2018 at 9:31 am

    This smells and looks amazing and had a great spice however totally lacking in flavor. Added salt to the recipe at the table still it really needs something the make it worth a remake

    Reply
  8. Katie says

    December 5, 2017 at 7:15 am

    Do you think I could cook this on high for a shorter time ?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      December 12, 2017 at 1:55 pm

      yes you could. just halve the time.

      Reply
  9. Anna says

    November 7, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    Im making this right now with boneless skinless chicken thighs…do you think 4 hours on low is the right amount of time?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      November 7, 2017 at 2:23 pm

      yep that will work. you could leave it longer…up to 6 hours.

      Reply
  10. sylvia says

    October 26, 2017 at 5:35 pm

    Do you have to take out the chicken skin?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 31, 2017 at 10:12 am

      You don’t have to. But it will be soggy and not very appetizing. You can put under the broiler to crisp up the skin, if you’d like.

      Reply
  11. Jen says

    September 18, 2017 at 9:20 am

    I could not find canned coconut milk but have the coconut cream. Would the coconut cream work if i mix it with broth?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 18, 2017 at 10:58 am

      I am not totally sure on that. I haven’t ever used coconut cream myself. I bet it would work though!

      Reply
      • Carol says

        April 4, 2019 at 11:22 am

        Coconut Cream is what you use to make Pina Coladas and is sweet. This is not a good substitute. Look for canned Coconut Milk in the Asian section of most grocery stores

        Reply
  12. Carol H says

    August 28, 2017 at 11:09 am

    I put all ingredients in a ziplock bag and froze it, we had it in the crockpot while camping, it was amazing, thanks

    Reply
    • Karen says

      August 28, 2017 at 2:00 pm

      awesome idea!

      Reply
  13. Marie Laframboise says

    August 9, 2017 at 5:51 pm

    I followed the recipe but mine came out with a thin red sauce, not creamy white like the picture, I better add greek yogurt or sour cream. It is not very exciting.

    Reply
  14. Kay says

    April 28, 2017 at 11:43 am

    Could this fit in a 4 qt slow cooker?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 28, 2017 at 11:50 am

      yes!

      Reply
  15. Samantha says

    January 17, 2017 at 12:34 pm

    What type of chili paste did you use and/or recommend with this dish?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 18, 2017 at 10:19 am

      I used something like this: https://www.boxed.com/product/854/fresh-chili-garlic-sauce-18-oz.

      Reply
      • Samantha says

        January 18, 2017 at 12:30 pm

        Awesome!! Thank you so much, I’m really looking forward to trying this out!

        Reply
  16. Hannah Pino says

    November 14, 2016 at 1:33 pm

    Could I do this easily in an Instant Pot?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      November 15, 2016 at 11:43 am

      I’m sure you could. I’ve never used an instant pot but I know a lot of slow cooker recipes make for good instant pot recipes.

      Reply
      • Valerie says

        June 19, 2019 at 1:48 pm

        I made this in my Instant Pot and it turned out great! 2 packages of drumsticks from Trader Joe’s, cooked in 30 mins. It was falling off the bone and very tender.

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Karen says

          June 24, 2019 at 10:07 am

          So glad to hear!

          Reply
  17. Melissa says

    September 12, 2016 at 11:07 pm

    I made this and although it was delicious, it didn’t come out with creamy consistency I was expecting and what it looks like in your pictures. What kind of coconut milk do you recommend? Like I said, it was still delicious! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      September 13, 2016 at 12:46 pm

      I used full fat coconut milk and I think it was the Thai Kitchen brand! Hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
      • Angela says

        July 17, 2017 at 12:26 pm

        Same thing happened to me. Store only had lite coconut milk, wasn’t even thinking about the fact that the lite stuff would separate. Have to try again with the full fat one! It still came out good though. 🙂

        Reply
        • Karen says

          July 18, 2017 at 3:21 pm

          Good to know! Thanks for the comment 🙂

          Reply
          • Sam says

            July 22, 2017 at 2:47 am

            Just cooked it, somehow the coconut milk disappeared while cooking, which affected the sauce. It was probably the coconut milk I used, will try a different brand next time. My son still ate it which was good though:)

          • Karen says

            July 24, 2017 at 12:14 pm

            Maybe try adding the coconut milk at the end? did you use a full fat coconut milk?

          • Gillian says

            June 3, 2020 at 7:03 am

            Hi Karen
            I have hair the same as your hair. What hair products do you use?

          • Karen says

            June 3, 2020 at 1:37 pm

            Hi, I use deva curl conditioner and deva curl gel. I want to see a pic of your hair!

  18. Valerie says

    September 12, 2016 at 8:46 pm

    Im cooking it atm.
    I cut the ends of the legs off, I think they are then called lovely legs.
    Mortar and pestle coriander seeds, dry basil, fresh garlic, garlic powder, salt and sugar, vinegar and curry paste and slowly cooked with onion with lid on my stone pot for 2 minutes then added the coconut milk then the chicken legs. Now in the oven on 155 Celsius.
    Can’t wait looks great.

    Reply
  19. buy spices online says

    July 19, 2016 at 1:42 am

    Wonderful recipe. I tried and it came out well.. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 19, 2016 at 12:26 pm

      Thanks!!

      Reply
  20. DeniseinVA says

    May 21, 2016 at 5:54 pm

    Glad I saw this recipe. Looks absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing it.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 23, 2016 at 11:52 am

      You’re welcome!!

      Reply
  21. Heather Kinnaird says

    May 20, 2016 at 8:08 am

    I cannot wait to try this we love anything made with coconut milk

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 23, 2016 at 11:53 am

      me too! It’s the best 🙂

      Reply
  22. Amy says

    May 11, 2016 at 4:36 pm

    I tried this recipe tonight for dinner and really liked it! I omitted the chili paste because I know it’s too hot for my taste. I added a green pepper, fresh garlic and also a bit of chicken broth for good measure. I will definitely make this again! I served it over jasmine rice which I cooked in chicken broth with garlic and cilantro.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 13, 2016 at 10:00 am

      Yum that sounds fantastic, Amy!

      Reply
  23. Marit says

    May 10, 2016 at 11:17 am

    Looks great..Will definetly try this. Maybe with chicken breast? Not crazy about dark chicken meat..But I am sure that could work, right? Thanks for the inspiration <3

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 10, 2016 at 11:51 am

      yep you could try with chicken breasts. I would only cook for 4 hours on low with chicken breasts!

      Reply
  24. April Riley says

    May 10, 2016 at 8:30 am

    Looks great! I can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 10, 2016 at 10:47 am

      YAY!!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Karen. I know that dinner time can be less than relaxing. Busy schedules and cranky kids and a hundred other things can lead to weariness when it comes to putting dinner on the table. I can help! I make homemade, family-friendly slow cooker and Instant Pot dinners and share the recipes with you.

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