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!
Bring big flavor to the dinner table with this Slow Cooker Butter Chicken! And with ease since this recipe takes just 15 minutes to toss in the slow cooker before it takes it the rest of the way!
If making an authentic Indian dish seems intimidating, you have to try this one! It has just 4 steps and uses ingredients you can get right at your local grocery store.
All About This Slow Cooker 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!
Coconut Milk
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.
Helpful Tips When Making This Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
- 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.
Not only is this dinner recipe packed with flavor, but it takes just 15 minutes of hands-on prep time to throw together! Making it a great choice for busy weeknight meals!
For more 15-minute prep meals, check out this Homemade Shake and Bake Chicken or my Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese! Both are filled with more tender chicken, allowing you to use up the meat in the freezer!
Though if your taste buds are asking for takeout, my copycat recipes for Chick-fil-A Nuggets or Orange Chicken will do the trick! And again, just 15 minutes of prep!
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!
👋 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! And don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos or join our Busy Family Recipes Facebook Community and share them there!
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
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
- cilantro Optional garnish
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent.1 Tablespoon salted butter, 1 yellow onion
- Add the garlic and 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 the tomato paste, masala curry powder, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and 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 coconut milk, chicken stock, and lime juice until there are no lumps. Transfer to the slow cooker.12 ounces coconut milk, ½ cup chicken stock, 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- Add the chicken 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!
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