Shake things up with this healthy and unique crock pot Indonesian chicken recipe made with coconut milk and savory spices. Each serving is just 6 Points and goes great over brown rice, quinoa, or pasta.
I love that this Weight Watchers chicken recipe offers so many nutrients and flavors and yet is still so easy. Perfect for a busy weeknight. I also made some roasted red peppers and zucchini with the Indonesian chicken, and it was a perfect complement.
For some extra Points, you could also add some potatoes to the crock pot.
Enjoy!
Crock Pot Indonesian Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 medium sized chicken drumsticks - skin removed
- 1 large onion - thinly sliced
- 15 oz light coconut milk - 1 can
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp coriander
- Juice from 2 limes
- Zest from 1 lime
- ¼ cup cilantro - chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp salt, pepper, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, garlic, and lime zest. Rub over the chicken thoroughly and use it all. If you have any of this spice mixture left, add it to the crock pot with the coconut milk in the later step.
- Place chicken in a crock pot, and cover with onions.
- Pour in coconut milk, lime juice, and remaining salt.
- Cover and cook on low for about 5 hours.
26 Comments
I love this recipe and make it a lot! I buy skinless, boneless chicken thighs, which cuts down some of the prep work and avoids the need to fish the bones out of the finished dish. This recipe will easily cover 8-12 thighs. This is not your typical fast weekday crockpot recipe, due to all the prep work. So I do everything the night before (trim the fat off the chicken, zest and juice the lime, make and apply the rub, chop the onions) and then dump it all in the pot before I leave for work in the morning. Store the lime juice and coconut milk separate from the other ingredients and add them just before cooking. My crockpot doesn’t have a timer, so it cooks on low for 8-10 hours while I’m at work, and it comes out just fine. If you refrigerate the leftovers, the coconut milk will congeal, but just reheat and stir and you’re good. If anything, it gets more flavorful with each serving. The sauce is thin, so I serve the chicken and sauce in a bowl on top of Jasmine rice to catch the juices and top it with a heap of fresh cilantro. Cucumber salad makes a nice side dish.
I have made this a bunch of times and its a raving favorite at our house. Thanks!
Making this now. Where does the paprika go? Thanks!
Also wondering this- is it part of the rub, or garnish before serving?
Wondering too! I sprinkled it on top atvhe veginning if cook time since it wasn’t in the instructions I almost forgot!
Found this recipe via pinterest. Made it for my house and it was AMAZING!!! I just substituted a couple things because I didn’t have some ingredients (i.e ginger for all-spice and coriander for cumin). Will definitely make this again… probably this week.
My friend cooked this the other night and it was amazing!
Have you ever added vegetables to this recipe? Thanks!
I havn’t used a crockpot before but after reading this recipe I intend to. Can you tell me what size crockpot to buy
Great recipe, thanks! I served over couscous and it would be great over jasmine rice (just didn’t have time for that). I think I’ll use fresh ginger next time but otherwise I made the recipe exactly as written. It’s a keeper.
i did 8 boneless thighs instead of the drumsticks (could have done 10) So yummy! Even my picky husband liked this! Next time i will add veggies as suggested.
I saw this recipe and wanted to make it immediately and not have to wait for the crock pot. I browned some chicken breast, tossed in the onions, then the coconut milke. It was so good!! Thanks for the recipe.
How many chicken breasts would be equivalent to the 8 drumsticks?
Will the sauce become darker after cooking? Mine looks very white right now.
This was great! I used boneless, skinless breasts and think that next time I’ll add some cauliflower to the crockpot. I served over/with rice.
Is coriander ground? We have the beads of coriander. Also what do you think if I don’t have a lime…I have lime juice though
Yes, the coriander is ground. If you have the whole coriander, you can grind them using a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder.
This looks great but unfortunately my husband is allergic to coconut. I wonder if just using regular milk would be any good?
As a substitute for coconut milk, you can use fat free half and half instead. You may have to also add in some cornstarch to keep it thick.
I’m in the process of making this right now. (Easy peasy!) Judging from the photo, I take it the cilantro is just a garnish? Or can I throw it in there at some point when it’s cooking.. too much?? First time on site…looks great!
Thank you.
Yes, the cilantro is served on top, fresh. You can throw some in the crock pot too, if you really like cilantro, but just make sure to do it in the last 20 minutes of cooking so that it doesn’t cook out the flavor.
I added the cilantro in with the rub. And the remainder of the rub, I pit I the crockpot. Hope it turns out well. That’s alot of cilantro!
the sauce seems a little thin i am thinking of putting in some cornstarch to thicken. would a tsp increase points? It smells amazing!
Nope…1 tsp of cornstarch won’t affect the Points +. Go ahead and thicken it up!
I made this tonight, it is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! Iv made a lot of your dishes now , everyone turns out great! Thanks for all the great ideas and recipes! I love your blog and they keep my daily meals interesting and healthy!
delish– what a great crock pot meal!
This looks so yummy!