Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
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Skip the take-out and try this super easy, lightened-up creamy butter chicken right in the crockpot – it’s less calories and tastes a million times better!
I would always pick up two tikka masala bowls on my way home from work. But ever since I relocated out to the Bay Area, I haven’t had our Indian take-out fix in so long.
My cravings have taken over for weeks so I finally made this butter chicken right at home, and boy, am I glad I did because the homemade version is so much better, and healthier, than take-out!
If you’ve never had butter chicken, it’s a very popular Indian dish, and can be made mild or spicy to taste. I kept the recipe very mild but the heat seekers can certainly add more chili powder, to taste.
Now this is a super simple crockpot dish. There is a little bit of sauteeing but you’re pretty much throwing all the ingredients into a saucepan before throwing it into the slow cooker. Easy peasy, right?
From there, you can let that cook low and slow for 5 hours, leaving you to come home to the most fragrant, most flavorful and creamy butter chicken.
Best of all, it’s lightened up with coconut milk and whole wheat flour, saving you on a ton of calories this spring season!
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder, or more, to taste
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in coconut milk, tomato paste, flour, garam masala, curry powder, chili powder and ginger powder until well combined and slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker. Add sauce mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours.
- Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
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I made this last night and it is SO delicious and easy. I’ll be making this often.
Can you cook this on high for a shorter amount of time?
I wish there was some type of nutritional facts but other than that I love it!
SO delicious. We all loved it!
Is there a place where we can find the older version of this recipe? Thanks!
Why is it called butter chicken when there is no butter in the recipe? But I will still give it a try and see what it is like. Thanks!
I’ve only tasted so far. If you want more “kick” to it use Penzey’s Now Curry. It’s all I had in the way of curry and it will put some kick in the sauce
Looking forward to making this recipe. Thank You! As a diabetic person I wish the Nutritional info was included.
I made this recipe as written and it was very bland. It wasn’t spicy in the slightest. The butter chicken flavour was there in the background. Very disappointing. I won’t be making it again.
So good! I forgot to add the heavy cream and lemon juice but it still came out delicious. Would definitely have been better with the heavy cream because it was a little tart. Next time, my mistake!
I made this recipe last week and it was delicious. I shared it with my family and they loved it. I will definitely make this many times.
This is SO good and so easy!! It’s one of my favorite recipes to make in the slow cooker now. I like my food spicy, so I increase the spices and add in 1-2 tsp of crushed red pepper to give it a bit more kick. Love it!!
Looks wonderful
I want to make this, sounds yummy. Please tell me what garam marsala is. Thank you.
Hi Gigi! It’s an Indian curry spice. 🙂
This recipe sounds delicious. I’m the process of making it right now, however I don’t have curry powder what can I use in it place? Also, I have cut this recipe way down. There is only 2 of us.
Cecelia
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
This smelled amazing. It was very mild but delicious. I can’t wait to try the leftovers to see how it tastes the next day.
I see it! I’m sorry….thank you!
I haven’t made this but I’d like to. The recipe ingredients list flour but it is not referenced in the directions. At what stage do you add it? Is the chicken floured and browned before placing in the crock pot?
You add the flout with the number 1. Directions.
Wow…so good and easy, and the house smells great. Have my second batch in the slow cooker. Tastes even better as leftovers. This time I’m trying chicken thighs because the breast meat got a bit stringy. Other than that, the taste is amazing! Highly recommend, and I’m keeping this one in the rotation.
Will using thighs change the cook time?
Cooking time should stay relatively the same but as always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Have made this several times, in a slow cooker and also right on the stove, simmering in a pot. I leave out the flour and find that the sauce is still thick enough, go heavy on the spices, use regular coconut milk, and make it with 2 pounds of chicken, not 3. No one–not even a die-hard cream lover like myself–misses the dairy, and it’s great to serve to guests who must avoid milk products. Wonderful recipe!
Thank you for your feedback, Sarah!
what can I substitute the coconut milk with? absolutely hate anything that has to do with coconut.
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! 🙂
I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count! It is so good and so delicious!! It’s easy, too. I omit any flour, I find it still thickens enough. I also make it in the fraction of the time in my pressure cooker. Thanks for this recipe!!!
Amazing! We also have it as an Instant Pot recipe!
https://damndelicious.net/2018/03/10/instant-pot-butter-chicken/
Husband said “by far the best butter chicken” he has tasted that I have made or from any Indian restaurant in town. I guess we have a new butter chicken recipe to use from now on!
What a great compliment! Thanks Rebecca!
We made this the other evening. We followed the recipe exactly except for the cilantro since my wife doesn’t like that. The chicken was overcooked, dry, and tasteless. We were very disappointed by this recipe.
Looked great but it was extremely bland. Very disappointed. Can’t taste any of the spices or coconut milk. Not sure I want to try again and remedy this recipe. Also – chicken was done in 2 1/2 hours on low. Usually enjoy your recipes.
This was a great healthy recipe and not bad, but very bland and nothing like the butter chicken from restaurants. I am sure that isn’t possible while still being so healthy, but maybe more spices or something would make it a bit more flavorful????
I love food and butter chicken is my absolute favorite… Somehow i wasnt too happy with the strong coconut milk flavor that came out… I usually dont put coconut milk and i was wondering if you knew how could i compensate the flavor… i have made it and wont let it go waste but anything i can add?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
Hi I love all you posts and receipes but can’t seem to find the calorie count for each one! The butter chicken looks divine and my husband is on a strict calorie controlled diet so this would help lots x thanks x
Nutritional information is provided only for select recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe like this one, I recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information. Hope that helps, Cal!
This recipe is absolute perfection! The only thing I did different was use regular coconut milk instead of lite (it was what I had). Even before it cooked all day I could tell it was going to be amazing. The smell lingered in my sinuses all day while I was at work, driving me nuts! When I got home and the house smelled like an Indian restaurant I wanted to dive into the pot right away! I can’t imagine what went wrong for the people who didn’t like it. Either they did something wrong or they just don’t like Indian food! I will make this again and again and again!
Oh, I did add a couple tablespoons of butter too! Almost forgot. I really doubt it did much to change the flavor, just more for my own peace of mind! LOL
My husband loved this and requested it weekly! I used chicken thighs; they have more flavor. It’s not like butter chicken from the Indian restaurant but it is tasty.
This recipe is great! I always prepare this the night before so the sauce can soak in all the flavors all night and the chicken is marinated.Thank you so much..
This sounds yummy, and we loved your Bang Bang Chicken! What type of curry powder do you use for this recipe? The mild yellowish kind or a spicier type?
Either/or should work!
Is the sauce close to tiki masala sauce? Do you know the difference between butter chicken sauce and tiki masala sauce?
You can read more about their differences here:
https://www.chowhound.com/post/difference-butter-chicken-560146.
Hope that helps!
This recipe is great! I decided late in the day to try this so literally just put all the ingredients in the slow cooker (chicken breast was still frozen), turned it on high and 3 hours later it was done! I just shredded the chicken and the sauce was a great consistency (thick). Will be making this again for sure 🙂
My husband and I love this recipe! This taste exactlt like many butter chickens I have tried. Thank you!
Thanks for the recipe!! I’m going to try it this weekend, can’t wait 😀
Buuuuut, there really is no butter at all? o.o
What if I didn’t care about the calories and health , and wanted it more buttery? Do you know how much I need and if I put it together with the sauce/at the end?
Also, when you say curry spice, do you mean the normal curry spice we can find in the supermarket, or is it any special Indian curry that can be only found in specialized stores??
Thanks 🙂
You can add butter (as much or as little) as you’d like. And the curry spice is the “normal” one as you say! 🙂
Tastes fine, if a little flat, but please please please stop calling this butter chicken. This. Is. Not. Butter. Chicken. No way, no how. By definition it requires butter. This is some weak version of masala.
I have made this recipes several times and I love it and so does my family. I never change anything to the recipes on Damn Delicious snd they always turn out perfect.
I always prepare this the night before so the sauce can soak in all the flavors all night and the chicken is marinated.
I made this dish for my family last night. This is my first Indian inspired dish to make and it got a thumbs up from the hubby. Thanks!
I tried to read though the comments to see if someone already asked this… but would this still come out right if I didn’t cut the chicken into cubes and just left the chicken thighs as is? I didn’t feel like cutting the chicken so I just stuck the thighs and sauce all into the crock pot. Hopefully it comes out ok! Please advise 🙂
Yes!
I’m new to the world of slow cooking – this is the third recipe I’ve tried and I must say that I am in love with this with it! It is so gratifying to make simple, healthy, delicious meals like this. I followed the recipe exactly, except I did add a few drops of liquid smoke, just because I bought it and have been curious to try it in a recipe :-). This will definitely be a “go to” of mine, so thank you very much!!
Hello! I’ve made this before and loved it. I was hoping to make it tonight on the stovetop and just let the dish simmer awhile since it’s not put in the slowcooker. Do you think the recipe will work out on the stove top? Any suggestions?
Yes, that should work!
Hi – I just made the recipe (thank you!) and the sauce is REALLY think. It’s in the slow cooker now but I’m worried there is not enough liquid to last 5 hours. Is this normal and it will thin out upon cooking more…or would you recommend I add some water/stock? Thank you again
You can add water/stock as needed until the desired consistency is reached.
Since most of the comments on here are from people commenting on how good the recipe LOOKS, I thought I would add that yes, the recipe looks delicious. However, for those of you who are looking for an authentic Indian Butter Chicken taste, this is probably not the recipe for you. The flavor is mild, and not unpleasant, but also not like any Butter Chicken I’ve ever had. My husband likened it more to spaghettios – the sauce tastes very strongly of tomatoes, with not much of the savory spice coming through.
Ok. Thanks. Had your slow cooker stuffed peppers last night. Very good though I may have left them in a bit two long. Pulling your slow cooker honey garlic chicken and veggies out right after I write this. Let you know how they turn out.
What are your thoughts on using almond coconut milk in place of the coconut milk?
I have not personally tried this myself so I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
For the chili powder, is it a specific kind? Like the same chili powder I’d buy for my Mexican chili? The Indian grocery near me has a huge selection of chili powders and I don’t know which one!
I used McCormick’s Chili Powder. Hope that helps!
Do you have a favorite brand of curry powder?
I love Simply Organic.
Super damn delicious! Thanks for the easy recipe, I have made this several times and it’s fantastic!
What are some subsitutes for coconut milk? My husband does not like the taste..?
I usually use heavy whipping cream, but was hoping for something less “heavy” lol.
Dana, here is a great forum discussing possible substitutes. Hope that helps!
I added a can of garbanzo beans and used heavy whipping cream. Making it for the first time. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the recipe!
What can you use instead of tomato paste?
Leena, you can actually create tomato paste from tomato sauce! You can learn more about it here. Hope that helps!
Hi! I’m going to make this this week, but I was wondering if you had advice for me for slow cooker recipes in general. When I make chicken, even when I follow the recipe detail by detail, my chicken still comes out shredded. Do you think my slow cooker is getting too hot? I attempt all of these recipes where the chicken starts out in chunks such as this one, but when I pull it out of the slow cooker, it falls apart and becomes shredded. My slow cooker is quite old as it was gifted to us by my mother in law. It was hers from years ago and she no longer used it. It’s very frustrating and my husband has nearly given up on all slow cooker recipes saying they all just “turn to mush.” Maybe it’s time for a new one?
Maybe! Or perhaps the chicken is getting overcooked?
Thank you! This has become a family staple. All three of my kids love it… and that’s saying something!
I followed the recipe to a t and can homestly say it was extremely bland. I’m wondering if I should have added something or increased amounts of the spices? It was definitely lacking something…
Carolyn, I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined. I only post recipes that have been successfully tested in my own kitchen, and as you can see from the comments here, many of these readers have had great outcomes in the final dish as well. However, I understand that we all have different taste preferences, and I really appreciate your honest feedback.
Looks great, I’m preparing it tonight to cook tomorrow. Do you think I a can away with just putting all the ingredients in the slow cooker without cooking the sauce first?
Unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment.
I bought all of the ingredients but decided I don’t want to use the slow cooker, can I use the same recipe on the stove top?
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise on how to adapt this recipe without a slow cooker. However, here is an article worth checking out on a possible conversion guide. Hope that helps!
It’s probably mentioned here somewhere but I can’t see it on my phone. I just bought my very first slow cooker and would like to make this first! Mine is a small 1.5 quart so I was wondering what size crock pot this recipe requires?
I recommend using a 6-qt slow cooker.
Hi. Just wondering what the flour is for… Is it to thicken? Thanks.
Yes, that’s correct.
Made this tonight, Smelt amazing, but was a little on the bland side when eaten. Was it really only teaspoons of garam masala and curry powder?
Yes, the measurements are correct but as always, you can increase or decrease the amounts as needed to suit your preferences. Isn’t that the beauty of home cooking?
This is so being made this week!! Can’t wait and love love love this is made in the slow cooker! 🙂
AMAZING! I tried this today and it was delicious. I was skeptical of the lightened version but did not miss the butter or cream at all. Would definitely make again.
Our family is paleo – and this recipe is almost there minus the Whole Wheat Flour. Is there a good substitute flour I could use? Coconut or almond maybe? Thank you!
Katie, here is a great resource on possible flour substitutes. Hope that helps!
I have some chicken already cooked, could I just make the sauce and skip the slow cooker part? Or does it have to simmer for 5hrs for those spices and sauce to really be good?
J Braun, this sauce is specifically made to be cooked low and slow in a slow cooker to really help the flavors come together.
Chungah, this is the third recipe of yours I tried and the third I loved! I’ve never made any Indian-inspired dishes before, so I was a bit nervous. I did add about 1/4 tsp of red pepper flake, but otherwise thought the seasoning was spot-on. Thanks for all the great recipes!
What is the caloric and other nutritional information?
Nutritional information is provided only for select and new recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, it is best that you use free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”) to obtain such information.
I made this but as I didn’t have any chili or ginger I left it out, it does need a kick of some sort but without it It was a bit too much tomatoey (if that’s a real word) Although 3 out of 6 of us really enjoyed the not so spicy affect.
Thank you for sharing.
Oh my GOD! This recipe was absolutely perfect. Boyfriend told me that I absolutely have to make it again, and I definitely agree!!! My hand slipped when I was making the sauce and I poured quite a bit of salt in but honestly, it didn’t even ruin it. This was one of the best slow cooker recipes I’ve had in a while.
This is probably a silly question but about how many breasts is 3 lbs? I only cook for 2 right now, and I need to know by how much to cut the recipe down so that we’re not eating leftovers for two weeks.
Ellie, it really varies by size but 3-4 chicken breasts is typically equivalent to one pound.
I was excited to try this recipe, but the resulting dish was bland. I followed the recipe exactly and it smelled delicious, but we were disappointed by the lack of flavor in the sauce and the dry chicken.
Kellsey, I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined. I only post recipes that have been successfully tested in my own kitchen, and as you can see from the comments here, many of these readers have had great outcomes in the final dish as well. I really hope you get to try this dish again, adjusting the spices as needed to suit your taste preferences.
The sauce was excellent for this dish, but I found the chicken very dry. I cooked this just as the recipe stated in a cuisinart slow cooker. Does the chicken typically turn out dry for you? I would make this again, but on the stove top.
Corey, I worry that your chicken may have been diced too small, which may have resulted in a dry texture.
This recipe was a real winner at my house. I made it for my family tonight and my kids loved it. They all wanted the leftover butter chicken in their lunches the next day.
Can’t wait to try other recipes from your site!
I’ve had this recipe pinned for a while and found it when I ran into a bit of a dinner emergency tonight- I had nothing planned and no protein defrosted. I followed your recipe exactly, sauteing the onion and garlic and mixing the other ingredients, but left out the four and used whole, frozen boneless/ skinless chicken breast in my PRESSURE COOKER! I cooked at pressure for 12 minutes, then released the pressure right away. It was AMAZING. You totally saved dinner and I went from no clue to serving the meal in less than an hour. Really, really good- thanks so much for the idea!
I tried this dish last night with my newly bought slow cooker and everything worked out great!!! The taste was very good and I even threw some tofu in there so that there was a mix of chicken and tofu. I am very satisfied! Thanks for posting this one!
I love authentic Indian food. I have a friend who makes this for me. So I have been looking for a great recipe. When I started this recipe it smelled exactly like butter chicken. But when I tasted it, it was bland. Sorry! But I reheated it, I put the chicken which already had the sauce on it and put the left over rice and I added the seasoning again. It was great. I will make this again but double all the seasoning. Maybe I like it really strong but wow it tasted great with lots of seasoning.
Hi, thanks for the recipe! I made it last night because it looks SO incredible! It turned out looking just as amazing as your photos, but unfortunately it was rather tasteless :(. As far as I can tell I followed your recipe exactly… To me it seems like there should have been double the spices. Any suggestions for my second attempt?
I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined. I only post recipes that have been successfully tested in my own kitchen, and as you can see from the comments here, many of these readers have had great outcomes in the final dish as well. But I understand that we all have different taste preferences. That being said, please feel free to add or double the spices as needed to suit your preferences.
I just popped this recipe into the crockpot! It smells amazing…I’m excited about dinner time, Thank you!
How long would this take to cook on high?
It may be best to cook on the high setting for 2-3 hrs.
Hello from Canada! I made this recipe today, and my apartment is smelling wonderful! The consistency of the sauce really is butter chicken! Thank you for this easy recipe, great for students like me. 🙂 Can’t wait to try out your other recipes!
– A
yellow curry powder or red?
Natalie, I used yellow curry powder.
I’ve made this once and loved it! I’m just curious what your thoughts on for freezing this once its cooked?I’m cooking for one ATM,and don’t exactly want to halve the recipe
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
We have frozen this dish in the past with no issues 🙂
Ever since I discovered your website, I’ve been madly cooking from your recipes. Just LOVE them. And finding this one for the slow cooker? Well that another love story all it’s own.
I made this for dinner last night… didn’t have chilli powder but substituted some cayenne and it worked just fine !!! I had it in for 4 hrs and it was just right. Great texture for the meat and the sauce pulled together nicely with the addition of the flour ! Thanks you, Chungah for all the super ideas!!! Cheers
It’s freezing here in FL (no seriously, like 32 lol) so this should warm us all right up. Do you think some chopped red and green peppers would be alright to throw in at the end?
That sounds like a great addition! I recommend adding them in about 30 min – 1 hr before the end of cooking time.
This recipe is a staple in my house. So much flavour and so easy to make. I have made with both carton coconut milk, and canned. Canned always turns out better. I use Indian chili spice, so I cut back on the amount quite a bit. This recipe is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Dude. DUDE. I will never make butter chicken any other way. I love this recipe, it made me fall in love with my slow cooker all over again. We’re eloping and getting hitched this weekend.
Made this and although it smelled great I gotta say it was super bland. My husband and I both love Indian food but this was very under seasoned. We tossed the left overs and hubby asked that I don’t make it again. That being said, I’ve never had butter chicken so maybe the mild flavor s how it’s supposed to taste. I’ll stick to my aloo gobhi next time
I’m sorry that this recipe did not turn out the way you had imagined. I only post recipes that have been successfully tested in my own kitchen, and as you can see from the comments here, many of these readers have had great outcomes in the final dish as well.
So I must ask – did you follow the recipe exactly as written without any substitutions?
I know this is a year late. However I had the exact same experience. Came back to see if it was just me. Followed the exact recipe. Smelled great but was just bland. 6qt slow cooker, chicken and sauce looked exactly as pictured. The only thing I can think of is that I used “jumbo” chicken breasts – which may have been pumped with water and throws off the taste? Ever run into this?
Is there a way to make this without a slow cooker? I don’t have one but this looks amazing!
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise on how to adapt this recipe without a slow cooker. However, here is an article worth checking out on a possible conversion guide from Williams-Sonoma: http://blog.williams-sonoma.com/slow-cooker-vs-dutch-oven-a-conversion-guide/.
Hi,
I was thinking of adding mushrooms or frozen peas to this recipe. Do you have a recommendation as to what point to add them in?
Thank you!
It may be best to add 30 minutes before the end of cooking time.
Hi! I will definitely be trying this recipe this week! Question for you: are you using american chili powder or Indian chili powder? I know american chili powder has more spices rather than being mostly ground chilis in the Indian version. Thanks for taking the time to help me out 😉
Lauren, I used American chili powder, not Indian.
Ha! I found the answer to my question 😉
Hi, Could you tell me what brand of chili powder you use? Is this chili powder like you would add to Tex-Mex chili, or chili powder you would find at an Indian grocery store? I have the latter, and I think it’s just ground up chilis, but I’m not really sure –it’s very different than McCormick’s chili powder though.
Thanks for your post!!
It is best to use something like McCormick’s chili powder, not something that you would purchase at an Indian grocery store.
I love the simplicity of the recipe. Esp with 2 kids to feed & the tediousness of trying to figure out what new dishes I can create to interest them at every meal! But, I have a question….Cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours? 5 hours on simmer? Is that a typo?
Merly, the recipe is correct. It is best to cook on low heat using a slow cooker. There is no simmer option for a Crock-Pot.
I can’t wait to try this but am gluten free so how would it turn out if I take away the flour??
Unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot say for sure how this will turn out if the flour is omitted. Please use your best judgment to use the appropriate substitutions to fit your dietary restrictions.
Do you think it is ok to use regular coconut milk and regular flour?
Yes, that should work just fine.
Thanks a bunch for this recipe!! We love butter chicken at our house….
Hi!
I don’t have time to make this in the slow cooker. Do you have any recommendations on doing this recipe on the stove top? I was thinking that I could cook up the sauce first and then put the chicken pieces in, cover and let cook/simmer on the stove (medium low) for 2 to 2.5 hours?
Let me know your thoughts!
Please understand that it is very difficult to give exact conversion information to translate a slow cooker recipe to be made on the stovetop without further recipe testing. I recommend using your best judgement to convert this recipe be made without a slow cooker.
Wanted to let you know that a friend of mine brought this dish into work the other day and I liked it so much I asked her for the recipe. She sent me your link and upon reading the instructions I noticed a small type-o that I thought you’d like to know about. In the Instructions you have “tomato pasta” and not “tomato paste” listed. Not that anyone would make this mistake and suddenly add pasta to this dish instead of tomato paste, lol. I thought you’d like to know regardless. Anyway, looking forward to making this for dinner this week!
Thank you for letting me know about the typo!
Slower cookers are useful for this recipe. I will use my slower cooker to have a try.
I am so happy I came across this recipie . I made this three times and it is absolutely amazing. I made my own gram masala mix. I just googled how to mix gram masala and It was very easy and I had all spices handy.
Tnx for sharing this recipie
can I put the chicken in the slow cooker frozen and then shred it before serving?
I recommend using thawed chicken.
I’m going to try this! FYI, garam masala isn’t a spice, it’s a mixture of a bunch of well-known spices. Google how to make your own. :). Also, Butter Chicken never originally had any butter in it. It was created in India by a man who just liked the name. True story!
I love Indian cuisine & this was very delicious. Thanks for sharing it! The second time I made this I tried to make it a spicy version by adding a little extra chili powder. It really wasn’t that much spicer. I used regular Mexican chili powder. What would you recommend to kick it up a bit without sacrificing the amazing flavor of your Butter Chicken?
You can try adding a little bit of crushed red pepper flakes for a kick of heat.
I just made this, and I’m in heaven! I’ve been using cream or milk in the past, but the consistency and taste were never as good as restaurants. UNTIL NOW! Who knew the secret was coconut milk! This is officially my most favorite butter chicken recipe EVER.
I also made an excess amount to use to make Paneer Makhani (Which is the vegetarian equivalent) and it worked fantastically. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
And just heads up to my fellow ‘novice’ cooks. I would suggest mixing all your dry ingredients together before dumping into the coconut milk. I had a ton of small flower balls floating around the sauce. I couldn’t wisk hard enough to dissolve them. Rather than risk it I put the sauce into my vitamix to smooth it out before putting over the chicken in the crock pot. But that sauce is TO DIE FOR!!! Can’t wait to share it with my husband tonight.
I have all the ingredients except the ginger powder. All I have on hand is Chinese ginger powder. Would that work or should I use fresh grated ginger?
Looking forward to this over some brown rice!
If a substitution must be made, I recommend using freshly grated ginger, not Chinese ginger powder.
Thanks!
Hi, I want to try this but only have a small slow cooker, 1.5 Qt….Should I just use less chicken? don’t know if it will all fit :-/
It is hard for me to estimate if it will fit in your slow cooker – perhaps you can halve the recipe?
I love your recipes and have made quite a few of them; however, I wanted to say that it would be REALLY helpful if you would tell us how many chicken breasts instead of how many pounds. I have no idea how many breasts are in 3 lbs. Thanks. 🙂
Scarlett, the weight of each chicken Breast can vary tremendously so even though I can say 1 chicken breast, you can be using twice as much chicken breast than what the recipe calls for. It its best for me to list them in weight to be as accurate as possible. Additionally, the weight should be listed on your package of chicken for your reference.
If you’re gluten free would it be better to substitute coconut flour or almond flour for the whole wheat flour?
Alexx, unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot advise on which ingredient is best to use. Please use your best judgment for this substitution.
I used an all purpose gluten free flour to be on the safe side.
Thw pics are mouth watering. I’m going to try the recipe today. Hopefully I can find the garam masala. There are several types of curry powder, which is best for this recipe?
I prefer to use McCormick curry powder.
ive made this recipe several times now, always a hit. For those who thought the sauce was bland, taste your sauce before adding it to the chicken. Season to taste. Also, I add crushed scotch bonnet pepper for a kick.
Would it be ok to use chicken thighs instead of boneless/skinless chicken breasts?
Yes, absolutely!
I used chicken thighs, and it made mine way too greasy. Hope yours came out better!
I made this recipe last night and even when I added more spice and salt, it just tasted like tomato sauce. I think 1 16oz can of tomato paste is way too much. Maybe go down to half? Or just 2 tbsp? Just a thought
Dani, did you use a 16-ounce can of tomato paste? The recipe calls for one 6-ounce can, not 16 ounces!
I would like to know what if anything can replace the coconut milk, my wife is allergic to coconut. thank you
Greg, you can try substituting milk or half and half.
Made this tonight with a side of spicy pineapple and an Indian-spiced cauliflower also found on Pinterest. WHOAH! What a great meal! Your chicken recipe has made my entire house smell amazing all day long. Recipe was very easy to put together and THE TASTE is just perfect. Thank you for sharing! It’s a keeper in our home. 🙂
Hi! Great recipe! Do you think I could use coconut flour instead of whole wheat flour? If so, do you know how much I should use that would be equivalent to the amount in your recipe?
You can certainly substitute coconut flour but I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish. It is always best to use the ingredients listed in the recipe to obtain the best results possible.
Gotcha! And thanks so much for the quick reply! On my way to the grocery store now 🙂
Looks amazing. When you say chili powder, do you mean the Indian kind or the regular chili powder used in chili/Mexican food?
I am referring to the chili powder commonly used in Mexican cuisine.
I’m assuming cornstarch would be ok in place of wheat flour (I’m gluten intolerant)? Wonder if you’ve ever tried it that way or know anyone who has… thanks!
Unfortunately, I have never tried using cornstarch in place of wheat flour. Please use your best judgment for substitutions as I cannot speak for how much this will change the overall taste/texture of the dish.
Just made this right now and we are about to eat it. I didn’t use the slow cooker but had it boil a bit then simmer. Can’t wait to devour it!
What can I replace the whole wheat flower with to make it gluten free?
Ada, there are gluten-free flours that can be used instead.
That butter chicken looks damn delicious haha!
I made this last night and it was wonderful! Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to enjoying the leftovers!
I know it is called butter chicken, but would it be possible to substitute lamb for chicken?
I’ve never tried it myself but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! You may have to adjust cooking time as needed though.
Can I use curry paste instead of powder?
Kayla, you can certainly substitute paste but unfortunately, I cannot speak for how much this will change the taste/texture of the overall dish. It is best to use the ingredients listed in the recipe to obtain the best results possible.
I added a Tblsp of salt, 2 Tblsp of chopped Cilantro and 1/4 block of Cream Cheese … and this made all the difference.
Sounds amazing! Will definitely have to try the cream cheese addition next time.
Can I just use regular flour, have everything else, don’t want to go to the store!
Yes, all-purpose flour will work just fine.
I’ve been looking for a butter chicken recipe, thank you!! The only thing is, I don’t have a slow cooker. Do you think it’s possible to make this in a cast iron pot and let it simmer with the closed lid for about an hour? That’s what I usually do with slow cooker recipes.
I’ve never tried that myself but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
Hi from Australia 🙂 had this for dinner, very delicious. I used a mix of chicken thighs & breasts cos i have them in the freezer. Also prepared the sauce the night before and marinade the chicken pieces with it & dump them into the slow cooker the next day. We like our butter chicken sweet so I added some sugar and it was perfect!! Thank you!
Hi There!
Is it possible to cook this for longer on low say about 8 hours, as my slow cooker doesn’t have a timer to shut off?
Thanks,
Lisa
Lisa, you can certainly cook it for longer but I worry that the chicken will be overcooked and result in a tough texture.
Thanks for the recipe. I did it today and for some reason I did not get a juicy meat. It is tender but did not take in the flavor of the sauce. I followed the recipe and sauce is very yummy but the meat is another story :-(. I am new to slow cooking so want to understand what went wrong. I used cut chicken breast and the slow cooker that I am using is Instant Pot. Any suggestions?
Thanks
The chicken breast should not be cut or diced into very small pieces – this will leave them to be overcooked.
Chung-Ah thanks for your response. I bought a whole chicken breasts and cut them to have a smaller pieces (like on your picture). What part of the chicken are you using?
Olga, I used chicken breast cut into 2-inch pieces. You can alternatively leave them to cook in less time, adjusting as necessary, until the desired texture is reached.
Thanks,
I will try it today. I also decided to marinade them a little before cooking in olive oil and onions
Thanks for this recipe! It’s probably my favorite Indian dish. Do you know if there is a measurement difference between curry powder and paste. I prefer paste and usually have it on hand. Also, what would I substitute to make it non lightened-up? Just the flour and coconut milk?
Unfortunately, as I have never used curry paste, I can’t tell you the measurement difference. As for the non lightened up version, yes, you should substitute both the flour and coconut milk milk.
I have made 3 of your recipes this week and they have all been keepers! When I turned off the slow cooker today I wasn’t impressed with the consistency or flavor of the chicken. Went to yoga and BAM, the chicken absorbed some of the sauce and the consistency is now perfect. Thanks!
Can I substitute whole wheat flour for GF plain flour?
Yes, absolutely.
Would this be a good dish to make ahead and freeze? How would you adapt it to do that?
Unfortunately, Millie, I cannot really answer this question with certainty as I have not frozen this myself. That being said, I don’t think there is a need to change anything in the recipe to freeze it. I do recommend freezing in individual servings, thawing overnight, and heating over stovetop. Hope that helps!
Hi!
I would love to make this during the week but don’t have a programmable crock pot. What do you think would happen if I cooked it on low for 8 hours? Would the meat get too tender?
Thanks!
Yes, the meat will be a bit too tender.
Hi. I recommend cutting the chicken a bit larger if you’re cooking longer to prevent it from being too tender and to use lean white meat to hold it’s shape while cooking low and slow. Hope this helps.
My schedule also didn’t work with cooking on low for 5 hours. Instead, I cooked it on high for 2.5 and it turned out great!
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I have this recipe in the crock pot as I write this. When I was putting the sauce together, I wondered if the chili powder you use in the recipe is actually cayenne pepper powder? Or is is the traditional spice labelled “Chili Powder” that is found at the local grocery store? I have some friends from India and they told me “Chili Powder” in India is actually “Cayenne.” I used American Chili Powder, but I wondered which you recommend? Thanks.
Sue, I used chili powder, not cayenne pepper.
I made this amazing and delicious dish tonight! The husb approved with a high five! Did add a little bit of a kick by adding a dash of cayenne and red pepper flakes!
Sounds so yummy! Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes, chicken thighs would be a great substitute.
I can’t wait to try it out, looks so yummy.
But, the Bay Area (particularly Fremont) has WONDERFUL indian places!
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Heeeey. Glad you enjoyed my recipe.:) Slow cooker comfort food made healthy is really the best, isn’t it?!
Yes! Thanks so much for the great recipe. We loved it!
Hi
I love your recipe, but I have a few questions.
1. The recipe came out a bit thinner I expected, is there anything I can do to make it thicker?
2. The chicken tasted a bit dry, is there anything I could do to make it less dry?
You can add a bit of cornstarch (mixed with water) until the desired consistency is reached. You can also reduce cooking time to prevent dryness. Hope that helps!
I made this for my family last night my daughter who goes out for Indian food kept saying I am impressed you cooked this. Now I do not have to go out for this. Thanks for posting
I am loving how simple this is and the flavor is right up my alley! Can’t wait to give this a taste 🙂
Love slow cooker recipes like this!
Have never tried butter chicken but this recipe sounds delicious – definitely trying this to shake up the normal rotation!
Am making it right now in my crock pot. It smells great. Looking forward to tonight’s dinner. By the way the jalapeño corn dip was a true success yesterday. We had an
early St. Paddy’s celebration and brough it to my friend’s home last night.
xxx Carmen
This seems so easy! I love cooking either in the slow cooker or my thermal pot. Just makes things a little less hectic and keeps me less frazzled. LOL. I’ll have to try it with thighs as I find them more flavourful. Lovely idea!
I need this in my life, love the flavors!
What is curry powder? I am Indian so I have garam masala, I’m just not sure what the curry powder refers to…turmeric? Thanks. Can’t wait to make this, my hubby loves butter chicken!
Curry powder, which is different from turmeric, is a spice mix of cumin, cardamom, coriander, turmeric, dry mustard and cayenne. It can be found at your local grocery store.
Since coming to London, butter chicken has been one of my favorites to order at Indian restaurants, and I’ve been worried about what I’m going to do when I crave it back home. Well…here’s the answer! Pinning this, and I know I’m going to be making it, and loving it!
Looks awesome! We are pretty much addicted to Indian food over here, absolutely love the no-fuss version.
Love the look of this – butter chicken is my fav but I hate not knowing what restaurants/take aways put in their recipes – this is WAY better than take out!
Add a bit of naan and you have your own indian restaurant at home 🙂
The Macadame. xx
http://www.creamstop.com
Love the look of this – butter chicken is my fav but I hate not knowing what restaurants/take aways put in their recipes – this is WAY better than take out!
Add a bit of naan and you have your own indian restaurant at home 🙂
This looks so fantastic!
Does canned coconut milk have the same taste as the type purchased in the refrigerator or in the box that can be stored on the shelf till opened?
I recommend using canned coconut milk – they have less preservatives than the carton ones.
Great recipe! I love Indian but almost never make it because I’m pretty intimidated. But this isn’t intimidating at all! I’ll have to give it a try!
This sounds amazing!! 🙂
Thank you for the nice recipe. Have a Happy Weekend!
How do you make everything look so incredibly delicious? This looks awesome!
Hmm, looks yummy. I have my own beloved recipe for slow cooker butter chicken and I even make my own garam masala. I don’t make it very often though. We recently (don’t tell) opened a jar of butter chicken sauce to use with leftover chicken and it was pretty good, too, for a shortcut recipe and, of course, it had a higher fat and sodium content than I like to use.
Hi!
I wanted to try this recipe originally but plans have changed for the day and I have two jars of butter chicken sauce on hand. Not a fan of all the extra sodium etc but it will save me some time. Did your jarred attempt turn out ok?
Yummy that sounds like a delicious recipe and looks good as well. Great job 🙂
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Were you reading my mind? Doing the same thing today; maybe not so lightened up but after I tried sesame chicken in the crockpot I can’t see why this wouldn’t be equally wonderful. Your photos are lovely and I want it NOW!!
Oh my goodness YES. I want to devour this right now!
Is there a substitute for the coconut milk?
Thank you
Stephanie, you can try substituting milk but I cannot speak for how much this will change the taste/texture of the dish.
You could try using yogurt instead of the coconut milk Stephanie.
Thanks, Barbara! I was actually thinking of yogurt too but I worry that it may curdle in the slow cooker.
Perhaps stirring the yogurt in just before eating will help. Creme fraiche is another option that wouldn’t curdle with cooking. 🙂
As an Indian myself you can always add sour cream, this will not curdle like yogurt.
I Ran out of coconut milk and had to make this with milk. The consistency was fine, but it did lack that yummy coconut flavor and sweetness that I think this dish needs. I added a big spoonful of coconut oil and a couple pinches of brown sugar, which really helped…but it still wasn’t quite the same. I would do it again in an ’emergency’, but otherwise recommend sticking to the coconut milk.
Plain soy milk is a great substitute.
My recipe calls for whipping cream or half and half and I have had people ask me what restaurant I got it from. Mine also has a couple more spices in it
sure you can use plain yogurt or even use whipping cream which makes it super creamy and rich
Yes, use cashew / almond paste and dried fenugreek leaves is the secret ingredient in the original butter chicken 🙂 This recipe is not authentic Indian. But a healthier version for sure.
Does it matter what size crockpot you use in your recipes? Mine is a large oval, maybe 6 to 8 quarts???
Your recipes are great!
Thanks and have a great day,
Conni
A 6-8 qt slow cooker would work just fine.
What is garam masala, and can it be replaced with something else?
Thanks, Jan
Garam masala is a spice. I do not recommend substituting this as it is a crucial ingredient in this dish.
garam masala is a blend of spices, so if you do not have it, just use curry powder or a good curry paste.
That would change the taste completely though… Garam masala is essential, and easily found in almost any regular super market.
You can get garam masala in bulk at Whole Foods super inexpensively. It’s probably available in bulk at most, if not all, health food stores. It’s also in the spice aisle at most grocery stores, but it’s more expensive.
Good to know!!
Garam masala is actually a blend of spices you may already have. I don’t know proportions – cinnamon, coriander, fennel seed, cumin, black pepper, cardamom, and clove.
These proportions work well. Use ground spices
1 tbl cumin
1-1/2 tsp coriander
1-1/2 tsp cardamom
1-1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 nutmeg
Garam masala can be made 2 ways- either whole or ground- The ingredients are the same, it just depends on how much you use- Ground can be very powerful, so use sparingly. My recipe for whole garam masala is 1 bay leaf, 3 cloves, 2 or 3 green cardamom pods and a 1/2 inch thin stick of cinnamon. If the cinnamon is thick, break it in half. Never tried it, but I suppose when ground this would suffice. Some people might use mace in this too, but I don’t. Hope this helps.
Looks good! Love slow cooker recipes… is there actually no butter in this recipe? Or does the lightened version just have no butter?
The lightened version is sans butter, and it still tastes amazing!
Oddly enough butter chicken typically has very little butter even when it’s the full blown version
I love chicken!
I love butter chicken and I always order it when I have indian. No more takeaways I’m making this and it’s healthy too is a perfect excuse for me make it more often, Pinned!