Spicy Slow-Cooker Chicken with Lime, Basil & Mint

5.0

(2)

2 Reviews

Busy week coming up? Cook up these easy poached chicken breasts infused with flavor from fish sauce, Thai chiles and lime zest in your slow cooker on Sunday. Then enjoy the leftover chicken three different ways over the days to come—ladled with the broth over rice noodles, layered with vegetables on a sandwich and mixed with mayo to make a creamy chicken salad.

Stacy Fraser

Updated on March 28, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD

Tested by

EatingWell Test Kitchen

Active Time:

30 mins

Additional Time:

3 hrs

Total Time:

3 hrs 30 mins

Servings:

Yield:

12 servings

Nutrition Profile:

Low-Carb Nut-Free Dairy-Free Low-Fat Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free Low-Calorie

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Ingredients

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 shallots, very thinly sliced
¼ cup fish sauce (see Tips)
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2-4 Thai chiles, very thinly sliced, or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons lime zest
4 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
2 cups julienned or grated carrots
½ cup lime juice
⅓ cup sliced fresh mint
⅓ cup sliced fresh basil

Directions

Combine broth, shallots, fish sauce, brown sugar, chiles (or crushed red pepper) and lime zest in a 6-quart slow cooker. Nestle chicken meat-side down in the broth. Cook on High for 3 hours or Low for 6 hours.
Remove the chicken to a clean cutting board. Discard the skin and shred the meat. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir in carrots, lime juice, mint and basil.

Equipment

6-quart slow cooker

To make ahead

Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Tip

Look for pungent fish sauce, made from salted fermented fish, with other Asian ingredients. We use Thai Kitchen fish sauce in our nutritional analyses—it's widely available and lower in sodium than other brands.

Originally appeared: EatingWell Magazine, July/August 2017; updated October 2022

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

157	Calories
3g	Fat
8g	Carbs
24g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 12
Serving Size 1 cup
Calories 157
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 8g	3%
Dietary Fiber 1g	3%
Total Sugars 4g
Added Sugars 2g	4%
Protein 24g	49%
Total Fat 3g	4%
Saturated Fat 1g	4%
Cholesterol 60mg	20%
Vitamin A 3317IU	66%
Vitamin C 6mg	7%
Folate 13mcg	3%
Sodium 482mg	21%
Calcium 32mg	2%
Iron 1mg	8%
Magnesium 28mg	7%
Potassium 342mg	7%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.