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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Loved the taste and the smell in the house as it was cooking. Would love to increase the spiciness, since this was mild. What spice and how much to add to make it a 4 out of 10 level spicy.
thanks
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.