thai chicken and rice

this is based on a recipe i found on the website 365 days of slow cooking. i'm not sure how authentic it is to thai food, but it turned out pretty tasty and my family likes it a lot. you can find the original recipe here.

serves 6

1 1/2 lb chicken cut in bite-sized pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup carrots, cut in short strips
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2" piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 red bell pepper, cut in short strips
1/2 can of coconut milk*
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cornstarch

hot cooked rice
3/4 cup peanuts or cashews, chopped (i prefer cashews)
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped (i leave it out)

place the first 7 ingredients into a slow cooker. cook on low for 3 hours. mix cornstarch and lime juice. turn slow cooker to high. stir in peanut butter, cornstarch/lime slurry, coconut milk, and red bell pepper strips. cover and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour or until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through. place broccoli and 1/4 cup water in a microwave safe bowl. cover with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or until crisp-tender. drain the broccoli. serve the chicken and sauce over rice, add steamed broccoli to each serving, and sprinkle with nuts and cilantro.

*check out this recipe to see what to do with the leftover coconut milk.