Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Recipe
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken with coconut milk has tender, moist chicken in a creamy, savory sauce that’s packed with authentic Indian flavor! Serve it up with rice or naan bread!
Dig into more mouthwatering yet easy-to-make Indian dishes such as this Chicken Tikka Masala or Madras Curry! Both recipes take just 10 minutes of hands-on prep!
The taste of authentic Indian flavor doesn’t get any easier than this Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Recipe! With the help of detailed step-by-step instructions, you’ll sauté a few ingredients, then mix and dump them all into the crock pot – all in just 15 minutes!
Though this recipe is packed with mouthwatering Indian flavor, I chose to use ingredients you could find at your local grocery store. This way, you get an authentic dish without having to hunt down ingredients all over town!
The easy-to-find ingredients, quick prep, and minimal hands-on time make this recipe an excellent choice for weeknights! After all, there’s no better mid-week pick-me-up than an easy meal that’s big on flavor!
What You’ll Love About This Crock Pot Butter Chicken
Taste: Ingredients such as minced garlic, turmeric, grated ginger, garam masala, and curry powder bring savory, earthy flavors to this dish! Whereas the tomato paste, light brown sugar, and coconut milk add a slight taste of sweet undertones.
Texture: The bed of this slow cooker butter chicken is a creamy, saucy base. It’s then filled with tender chunks of juicy and moist, perfectly cooked chicken! Giving you comfort food textures with big flavor!
The Secret To Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
If you’ve never had or made homemade slow cooker butter chicken, you may initially think that the recipe is made with lots of butter! However, there’s actually only 1 tablespoon of butter in this dish.
Instead, the chicken gets its rich flavor from full-fat coconut milk! When grabbing coconut milk for this recipe, note that it needs to be canned and not from a carton.
This is because carton coconut milk in a carton is often used as a dairy substitute. Whereas canned coconut milk is the go-to for rich, creamy recipes such as this one.
Crockpot Butter Chicken Ingredients
- Salted butter
- Diced yellow onion
- Minced garlic cloves
- Grated ginger
- Tomato paste
- Masala curry powder
- Light brown sugar
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Turmeric
- Canned coconut milk
- Chicken stock
- Lime juice
- Cubed boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Cilantro
Though this recipe is called Slow Cooker BUTTER chicken, there’s actually only 1 tablespoon of butter in this dish! Wondering how the chicken gets its rich flavor without loads of butter? Easy, coconut milk!
However, for this dish to reach peak flavor, it’s vital that you grab canned coconut milk and not a carton from the refrigerator section.
This is because carton coconut milk is often used as a dairy substitute and has minimal, if any, fat content, whereas a can of full-fat coconut milk is loaded with fat, making it a go-to when making creamy recipes such as this one!
How To Make Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Step 1: Prepare the ingredients by measuring them out and cutting up the boneless skinless chicken thighs into cubes.
Step 2: Add the minced garlic cloves and grated ginger to the skillet with the onion and cook.
Step 3: Transfer the mixture from the skillet into the slow cooker.
Step 4: Stir the tomato paste, garam masala curry powder, light brown sugar, salt, ground black pepper, and turmeric together in a bowl.
Step 5: Add the coconut milk, chicken stock, and lime juice into the bowl of tomato paste mixture.
Step 6: Whisk the butter chicken sauce together until there aren’t any lumps.
Step 7: Pour the thoroughly mixed sauce into the slow cooker over the sauteed onions, grated ginger, and garlic cloves.
Step 8: Add the cubed chicken breasts into the slow cooker and then stir them into the sauce to coat all of the pieces.
Step 9: Cook the butter chicken on low heat and then enjoy!
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Recipe Tips
- Choose Your Chicken – I like making this recipe with boneless skinless chicken thighs. However, feel free to use boneless skinless chicken breast if you have that on hand already.
- Vegetarian Option – You can replace the meat altogether in this recipe. Instead of chicken, use 2 1-pound packages of tofu chopped up for a delicious vegetarian option.
- Checking For Doneness – The cook time will depend on the thickness of your chicken. Therefore, make sure to use a kitchen thermometer to check the internal temperature. Insert it into the thickest part of the chicken; once the thermometer reads 165 degrees F, the chicken is safe to consume.
- Make It A Meal – To make this dish a hearty meal, serve it with naan bread, jasmine rice, basmati rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, or even quinoa.
How To Store Crockpot Butter Chicken
Once the slow-cooker butter chicken has cooled, transfer any leftovers into an airtight container. Afterward, store them in the fridge to enjoy for up to 4 days.
Making Crock Pot Butter Chicken In Advance
This can be made ahead of time and then frozen for up to 3 months. I would suggest freezing the butter chicken separately from the side dishes.
To enjoy, transfer it to the fridge the day before enjoying so it can thaw overnight. Reheat it on the stovetop!
Butter Chicken Slow Cooker Variations
Do I Have To Sauté The Onions?
No, if you don’t prefer sauteing the onions, that step can be skipped. I prefer the extra flavor and tenderness that it adds to the onions and overall dish.
What Can I Use Instead Of Ginger Paste?
If you don’t have ginger paste, a 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger can be used instead. To use it, stir it into the medium bowl of tomato paste mixture instead of adding it to the skillet.
You could also grate and use fresh ginger.
This Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken is another fantastic crockpot recipe to make for dinner!
Let’s Connect!
If you’ve tried this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. I love hearing from you!
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Butter Chicken (Crock Pot)
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Medium skillet
- Garlic press
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon garam masala curry powder
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 12 ounces coconut milk can not carton
- ½ cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cubed
- cilantro Optional garnish
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon salted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced 1 yellow onion and saute until soft and translucent.1 tablespoon salted butter, 1 yellow onion
- Add the minced 4 cloves garlic and 2 tablespoons grated ginger, cooking for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons grated ginger
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, stir together 6 ounces tomato paste, 1 tablespoon garam masala curry powder, 2 teaspoons light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, and ½ teaspoon turmeric.6 ounces tomato paste, 1 tablespoon garam masala curry powder, 2 teaspoons light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon turmeric
- Then whisk in the 12 ounces coconut milk , ½ cup chicken stock, and 1 tablespoon lime juice until there are no lumps. Transfer to the slow cooker.12 ounces coconut milk, ½ cup chicken stock, 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Cut the 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs into cubes and add the chicken to the crockpot and stir everything together.2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- Cook this on low heat for 5 hours. Garnish with cilantro before serving.cilantro
Notes
- How Do I Store Leftover Slow Cooker Butter Chicken? Once the slow-cooker butter chicken has cooled, transfer any leftovers into an airtight container. Afterward, store them in the fridge to enjoy for up to 4 days.
- Is Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Healthy? Compared to other butter chicken recipes made with lots of butter, this option is healthier! Instead of lots of butter, this healthy slow cooker Indian butter chicken is made with coconut milk. Coconut milk is a source of healthy fats, and chicken is loaded with protein; therefore, this is a good choice for a healthy meal!
- Do I Have To Sauté The Onions? No, if you don’t prefer sauteing the onions, that step can be skipped. I prefer the extra flavor and tenderness that it adds to the onions and overall dish.
- What Can I Use Instead Of Ginger Paste? If you don’t have ginger paste, a 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger can be used instead. To use it, stir it into the medium bowl of tomato paste mixture instead of adding it to the skillet. You could also grate and use fresh ginger.
- Is This Slow-Cooker Indian Butter Chicken Recipe A Good Make-Ahead And Freeze Meal? Yes, this can be made ahead of time and then frozen for up to 3 months. I would suggest freezing the butter chicken separately from the side dishes. To enjoy, transfer it to the fridge the day before enjoying so it can thaw overnight. Reheat it on the stovetop!
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Hi Rebecca, Happy New Year! I was actually hoping someone had already asked this question but I have bone-in, skin-on thighs in my freezer, would there be a difference in timing? I definitely want to make this recipe, it looks and sounds delicious!
Thank you so much!!
Usually butter chicken is made with chopped pieces of chicken, but I guess you could make it with bone-in thighs. You may need to add a bit more time, but once the chicken is 165 F it should be good to go. I do not recommend starting with frozen chicken, let it thaw first.