Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken
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Simple prep with zero fuss! Restaurant-quality butter chicken made so easily in the crockpot. Serve with rice and naan.
I’m sure some of you have already put away your crockpot for the season. Up in one of those high cupboards so you don’t have to see your slow cooker until the Fall hits.
But seeing as to how we moved to Chiberia and it’s still the dead of winter here, my slow cooker has been on full blast, especially with this butter chicken.
I mean, I have seriously made this at least four times in the last 6 weeks.
Mainly because it’s so stinking easy.
Prep work is minimal and you can throw everything right into the crockpot. And while your chicken cooks low and slow to that tender, melt-in-your-mouth goodness, you can cook your basmati rice and warm your garlic naan.
And here’s a big secret I’ll let you in on: be sure to hoard all the sauce you possibly can for naan dipping purposes.
Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
- ½ sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
Instructions
- In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together chicken stock, tomato paste, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt and pepper.
- Place chicken, onion, garlic and ginger into a 4-qt slow cooker. Stir in chicken stock mixture.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours. Stir in heavy cream, lime juice and brown sugar; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately with rice.
Equipment
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Hi! I have added heavy cream to crockpot recipes before at the end of the cooking and it was lumpy and ended up curdling! I’m worried about it happening with this recipe as well. Does it mix smoothly? I didn’t see any comments saying it got lumpy so maybe I’m paranoid lol
Such an easy and delicious dish! I used chicken breast instead of thighs and it was super good, not too dry. No need to double the sauce as others have commented. I followed the recipe as written and it was super saucey! Will definitely repeat this one.
LOVE this recipe! No adjustments are needed at all. It’s a really easy meal to prepare in the crockpot during the week. I pre-cut the chicken and onions and lay out the rest of ingredients the night before, and during my lunch, it takes about 10 minutes to get it all in the crockpot and it’s ready when I get home!
Very good dish with yummy sauce. I used chicken breasts instead of thighs. For some reason I tend to dry chicken out when i cook it, even in this dish. Any recommendations to prevent this? The family loved the awesome flavors!
This was a winner at our house. We added a southern twist and served it over cornbread. AMAZING! I wish it would get cold, cause I’m gonna make this one a staple cold weather dish. 🙂
Lovely recipe that is clearly inspired by a traditional Murgh Makhani, but more of a chicken curry. Typically, we do not use onions and would grind spices after toasting them. Ghee is required, and fenugreek is an essential ingredient as well. But it is nice to see how much this traditional dish of India has taken off throughout the world:). It is also great to a have a version in the slow cooker. As a chef and recipe developer myself, I am always looking for new twists on classic dishes.
Great recipe. I didn’t make any changes other than to use heaping spoons when measuring the spices. My husband just tried Indian food recently, so I wasn’t sure if he would like it… he ate 3 helpings! A great slow cooker recipe!
This is my go-to slowcooker recipe when we have guests over. Easy and tasty.
It’s not ~technically~ butter chicken (that would require butter/ghee), more of a curried chicken.
BUT it’s still one of my favorite things to eat after finding the recipe 4 years ago! Everyone I make it for can’t get enough, & I cook it at least once a month for my household.
I also make a lactose-free & vegan version for my friends with dietary restrictions by substituting vegan chicken for chicken thighs, vegetable broth for chicken stock, & coconut cream for heavy cream.
And I always serve it over basmati rice with garlic/cilantro-buttered naan on the side.
Tasty recipe. I doubled the whole recipe because I wanted leftovers. I only had bone-in chicken thighs but cooked them whole and shredded the chicken and discarded the bones once cooked. I thought the flavors worked well. Tasted like what I get at a restaurant. Thanks for the recipe.
Wow, I didn’t expect it to be so good! So so so delicious!!!
Excellent Recipe! Delicious
I love this recipe and make this all the time, it’s great. I double the sauce though. I double the dry spices including brown sugar, double the broth, and instead of heavy cream I add a can of coconut milk. You get a whole lot of sauce this way. Cilantro is not in the recipe but it’s a great addition.
Tip: use McCormack garam masala. I used some other good ones and they were too clovey tasting. If you like that then great but I do not.
Incredible flavor and perfect for the whole family! Love how easy it is too. Definitely double the sauce and I don’t chop the chicken- I just throw it in the crock pot and shred it afterward.
This was really really good! Feels fancy, but comes together easily. I went ahead and doubled the sauce like everyone else suggested. Also, I sautéed the onion and garlic in butter before adding it in. I added about a half a cup of frozen peas to the rice immediately after it was done cooking and it paired really nicely with the other flavors. Thank you again for another fantastic recipe!
Loved it!
I have made this recipe OVER and OVER again. It is so comforting and easy – and perfect for winter weeknight meals.
Love love love this recipe…I also wanted more sauce so I doubled the spices, added a can of coconut milk and half cup of water. Got tons of sauce and added a cornstarch slurry at the very end. Easy recipe, chicken was perfectly cooked and I am in love. It’s not butter chicken but if you love curry as much as I do this one you will be making regularly.
Looks easy and tasty. looking at the comments has made me salivate. Wondering what needs to be changed if I am using cooked chicken
This recipe is seasoned well and makes the chicken so tender. This is a comfort dish for sure!
I love this recipe and have made it several times! Quick question for the author (or commenters). Planning to make today but my store didn’t have heavy whipping cream. I got coconut milk instead, would the measurements remain the same? Thanks!!
I know your comment is a year old at this point but as far as I’ve found, coconut cream is the perfect substitute for heavy cream! Coconut milk makes the sauce a little too thin for my liking.