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 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.