Tender shredded chicken in a creamy Thai-inspired peanut sauce, wrapped in crisp lettuce for a fresh, flavor-packed dinner—straight from your slow cooker.

A few years ago, I hit a point where I was so tired of the same old chicken dinners. Baked chicken, grilled chicken, stir-fried chicken—blah. I needed something bold. Something that tasted like takeout but didn’t leave me bloated or reaching for stretchy pants.

That’s when these Crockpot Thai Peanut Chicken Lettuce Cups came to the rescue.

I tossed a few ingredients into my slow cooker before work, and by dinnertime, the kitchen smelled like a cozy Thai restaurant. The chicken shredded effortlessly, and the sauce—oh the sauce—was creamy, nutty, slightly sweet with just the right hint of spice.

Wrapped in fresh lettuce and topped with crunchy peanuts and shredded carrots, this dish feels light and energizing, yet totally satisfying. And yes, the kids asked for seconds.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

• ½ cup natural peanut butter (creamy or chunky)

• ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos

• 2 tbsp rice vinegar

• 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground)

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

• ¼ cup water

• For serving: Bibb or romaine lettuce leaves, shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, cilantro, lime wedges

Instructions

1. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, lime juice, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and water until smooth.

2. Add to slow cooker: Place chicken in the crockpot and pour sauce over the top. Toss to coat.

3. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or HIGH for 2.5–3 hours, until chicken is tender and shreds easily.

4. Shred the chicken: Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Return it to the sauce in the slow cooker and stir to coat well.

5. Assemble lettuce cups: Spoon warm chicken into crisp lettuce leaves. Top with shredded carrots, chopped peanuts, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.

Tips & Substitutions

• Nut-free option: Swap peanut butter for sunflower seed butter and peanuts for toasted pumpkin seeds.

• No lettuce? Serve the chicken over brown rice, quinoa, or in wraps.

• Make it spicy: Add a drizzle of sriracha or a few chopped Thai chilis.

• Leftovers: Store the chicken separately from the toppings—it reheats beautifully and makes great meal prep bowls.

Why I Love This Recipe

It’s everything I want in a dinner—creamy, crunchy, savory-sweet, and fresh.
Plus, it takes all of five minutes to prep in the morning. I come home to a delicious, healthy meal that feels anything but boring. It’s one of those recipes that reminds me dinner doesn’t have to be complicated to be really good.

Nutrition (per 2 lettuce cups with toppings)

Serves 4

• Calories: 370

• Protein: 33g

• Carbs: 15g

• Fat: 22g

• Fiber: 3g

• Sugar: 7g