Easy Coconut & Tomato Chicken and Chickpeas {Crockpot}
A super easy slow cooker dinner featuring a flavorful coconut milk and tomato sauce. Just a few simple ingredients bring this dish together for a high protein and fiber, well-balanced meal! It's the perfect recipe for busier weeknights and lazy weekends! {Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free}
Servings 4 servings
Calories 530kcal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce (I used Rao's marinara sauce)
- 1 13.5-once can of coconut milk
- 1-1.25 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (I used chicken thighs)
- 2 cups raw carrots, diced or about 5 large carrots
- 1 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large white or yellow onion, diced julienne
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon, or more per preference
- Dash of salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder
- 2 cups cooked rice or quinoa (sub with cauliflower rice for low carb option); about 1 cup uncooked
Instructions
Slow Cooker Directions
- Dice carrots and onions. I cut the carrots a little thicker, which took about 7-8 hours on low. If you prefer a shorter cooking time, dice the carrots thin.
- Layer the carrots and onions on the bottom of the slow cooker. Then, add the chicken on top.
- Combine the coconut milk, tomato sauce, minced garlic, a pinch of salt, pepper, and onion powder in a bowl. Give it a stir. Pour the mixture over the chicken.
- Cook on low for about 5-6 hours.
- Cook on low for about 5-6 hours. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and either shred with a fork or dice into bite-sized pieces. Then, add back into crockpot and add in the chickpeas and allow to cook for 1-2 more hours. For convenience, you can just shred the chicken with two forks in the crockpot, too! If you prefer a thicker sauce, add 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch. For a thinner sauce, add a little more tomato sauce or coconut milk after taste testing. The sauce will cook down the longer it cooks.
- Finish with a squeeze of half of a lemon. Serve over rice or preferred grain.
Stove Top 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 to the same pan. Let that cook until softened, about 6-7 minutes. Dice the chicken and add back to the pan with the coconut milk, tomato sauce, rinsed chickpeas 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.
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. Thinly slice carrots or use shredded carrots and cook on high for 4 hours.
- 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.
- 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.
- Taste test and adjust the salt, pepper and onion powder if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 530kcal