A super easy slow-cooker dinner featuring chicken, carrots and chickpeas in a flavorful coconut tomato sauce. Just a few simple ingredients come together to create a high protein, high fiber and well-balanced meal. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and lazy weekends! {Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free}.
I love the combination of convenience foods and fresh ingredients, especially for those nights where you just don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking.
This dish combines coconut milk and tomato sauce, resulting in a rich, slightly sweet and tangy sauce. Then, that creamy sauce is served over rice which soaks up all the flavor!
It has a curry-like feel but without all the traditional spices. I’m not really even sure what type of cuisine it would be – it’s just something I made up one day with pantry ingredients.
If you’re looking for a really easy meal with very little prep (I mean, who isn’t), give this one a try!
Why I Love This Recipe
Ingredients
This recipe makes 4 servings.
Crockpot Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1.25 lbs.) or chicken thighs. I prefer chicken thighs with this recipe but I have used both!
- Full-fat coconut milk (one 13.5 ounce can).
- Tomato sauce (3/4 cup). I used Rao’s Marinara Pasta Sauce.
- Garlic cloves (5-6, minced).
- Chickpeas (one 15.5 ounce can), drained and rinsed.
- 2 cups carrots, sliced into ½-inch rounds (about 5 large carrots). A thicker carrot will take about 6-8 hours to cook while a thinner one will cook in about 4 hours.
- Onion (one large), diced.
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt.
- 1 teaspoon onion powder.
- ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Juice of half a lemon, or more. This helps cut into the richness of the sauce.
To Serve
- Rice or quinoa (about 2 cups cooked or 1 cup uncooked). For shortcuts: use a bag of frozen cauliflower rice or leftover rice from the night before.
How to make Coconut Chicken and Chickpeas
I originally made this recipe on the stove one night and then decided to turn it into a crockpot meal. This is one of my favorite recipes I have created because of the ease and convenience – I know I will be making it again and again! I used chicken thighs and cooked it on low for 8 hours. I feel like the longer it cooks, the better it gets.
Carrots naturally add sweetness to the dish, which pairs well with the savory and acidic ingredients like tomato garlic, onions, and tomatoes.
Slow Cooker Directions
- Add the chicken, carrots, onion and chickpeas to the slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, tomato sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Pour the sauce over everything in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Shred or cut the chicken directly in the slow cooker and stir everything together. Finish with lemon juice and serve over rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice.
Stovetop Directions
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Start your rice on another burner and cook according to package directions.
- Dice carrots and onions.
- Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add raw chicken to the hot pan with one tablespoon of olive oil. Let it cook for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Remove the chicken from the pan. Add the carrots and onions. Let that cook until softened, about 6-7 minutes.
- Dice the chicken and add back to the pan with the coconut milk, tomato sauce, and minced garlic. Allow the sauce to thicken as it cooks down and the chicken to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Serve over rice and with a squeeze of lemon. Add more liquid if the sauce is too thick.
For leftovers or meal prep: store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Variation Ideas & Tips for Success
- Adjust the consistency and flavor. Taste test and add more tomato sauce for a thicker, richer sauce. Cornstarch can also be added about halfway if you prefer a thicker sauce.
- Cut Size Matters: Larger chunks of carrots hold up better to long cooking times (think 8 hours on low), while thin slices or shredded carrots will cook faster.
- Avoid Overcooking Chicken: If using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, they can dry out after 6–7 hours on low. Thighs hold up better for longer cooking times.
- Increase fiber: Add more chickpeas, sub rice with quinoa or add more veggies! Cauliflower or broccoli would work well with this recipe – but take less time to cook than carrots.
- Lower carbohydrates and calories: sub the rice with cauliflower rice, use lean chicken breasts.
More Healthy Recipe Ideas:
Easy Coconut & Tomato Chicken and Chickpeas {Crockpot}
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce (I used Rao's marinara sauce)
- 1 13.5-ounce can of coconut milk
- 1-1.25 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 cups raw carrots, diced or about 5 large carrots slice into ½-inch rounds
- 1 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large white or yellow onion, diced
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon, or more per preference
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or more
- 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa (sub with cauliflower rice for low carb option); about 1 cup uncooked
Method
- Add the chicken, carrots, onion and chickpeas to the slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, tomato sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Pour the sauce over everything in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Shred or cut the chicken directly in the slow cooker and stir everything together. Finish with lemon juice and serve over rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice.
Notes
- Cut Size Matters: Larger chunks of carrots hold up better to long cooking times (think 8 hours on low), while thin slices or shredded carrots will cook faster.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch and allow to cook for another hour if you prefer a thicker sauce. Adding more tomato sauce may help thicken as well.
Looking forward to making this! I have a question though. After cutting or shredding the chicken in step 5, do I return it to the Crock-Pot for the last 2 hours or set it aside? Thanks!
Well, what a great question! I will fix that. I usually just shred the chicken in the crockpot for convenience, honestly, but yes you would add it right back in! Sorry about that!