Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Slow cooker butter chicken made with tomato sauce, warm spices, butter, and cream. Cook on HIGH or LOW until chicken reaches 165°F, then finish with cream and garnish.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?5 clovesgarlicminced
- ?2 tablespoonsfresh gingergrated
- ?16-oz 450 gtomato sauceor passata
- ?1 teaspoonground cumin
- ?2 teaspoonsgaram masalaclick for recipe
- ?1 teaspoonsmoked paprika
- ?1 teaspoonground turmeric
- ?1/2 teaspoonchili powder
- ?1 teaspoonsalt
- ?1/2 teaspoongranulated sugaror honey
- ?2 lb 900 gchicken thighs
- ?3 tablespoonsunsalted buttercut into small cubes
- ?1/2 cup 120 mlheavy whipping creamdouble cream in the UK
- ?2 tablespoonsfresh parsley mint, or cilantrofor garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- In the slow cooker bowl, add 5 cloves garlic (minced), 2 tablespoons fresh ginger (grated), 16 oz (450 g) tomato sauce or passata, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon granulated sugar or honey. Stir the mixture until evenly combined.
- Add 2 lb (900 g) chicken thighs to the slow cooker. Turn the thighs in the sauce so each piece is well coated.
- Scatter 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into small cubes) evenly over the top of the coated chicken.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 1.5–2 hours or on LOW for 4–6 hours, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F when checked with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of a thigh.
- When the chicken reaches 165°F, use tongs to remove the thighs from the slow cooker and place them on a cutting board. Let them cool until they can be handled safely (a few minutes).
- While the chicken cools, stir ½ cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream into the sauce in the slow cooker. Whisk or stir vigorously until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
- Cut the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces on the cutting board.
- Return the cut chicken pieces to the slow cooker and stir gently to coat them in the creamy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with the reserved salt if needed (use the 1 teaspoon already added only if more is desired).
- Serve the butter chicken over basmati rice and with naan if desired. Garnish with 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, mint, or cilantro.
Equipment
- 4-quart Slow Cookeror larger
Notes
I used a 4-quart Crockpot for this recipe. It’s a cheap Crockpot that I use when I make smaller amounts of food. If I was to make a whole chicken or large meat in the slow cooker, I’d use my 6-quart Crockpot instead.
Do not add water, the chicken will produce enough liquid for the sauce. Adding liquid will make the sauce too thin.
Tomato sauce can be substituted with Passata, or a can of plain tomatoes that are blended and sieved.
Traditionally, a little bit of sugar is added to the sauce to make it sweeter. I personally don’t add any sugar to my butter chicken, and it tastes great (could be the tomato sauce that I use being not acidic). But feel free to add 1 teaspoon of granulated or brown sugar to the sauce before cooking.
If you don’t have fresh ginger available, you can use ½ teaspoon of ground ginger instead.
This dish is medium spicy (heat), so if you’re feeding children then I recommend that you leave the chili powder out.
You can make your owngaram masalamix at home. I havethe recipeon my website. Making your homemade seasonings at home is much cheaper, and healthier as store-bought seasonings usually contain added sugar. If you can’t make it at home, you can buy garam masala from Amazon.
You can substitute heavy cream with half and half, or coconut milk for anon-dairy option. Keep in mind that the sauce won’t be as creamy as if you use heavy cream.
Do not add the cream before cooking as it might separate.
If you double the ingredients, do not adjust the cooking time.
Garnish with fresh herbs before serving. The recommended herbs for garnish are fresh cilantro, mint leaves, and parsley.
Serve withInstant Pot basmatiorbrown rice, and/orfresh naan.
For a vegan version of this dish, check out myvegan cauliflower butter chicken recipe.
You can make this in the Instant Pot if you like, find myInstant Pot butter chicken recipe here. It’s a very popular recipe with hundreds of great reviews!
Do not add water, the chicken will produce enough liquid for the sauce. Adding liquid will make the sauce too thin.
Tomato sauce can be substituted with Passata, or a can of plain tomatoes that are blended and sieved.
Traditionally, a little bit of sugar is added to the sauce to make it sweeter. I personally don’t add any sugar to my butter chicken, and it tastes great (could be the tomato sauce that I use being not acidic). But feel free to add 1 teaspoon of granulated or brown sugar to the sauce before cooking.
If you don’t have fresh ginger available, you can use ½ teaspoon of ground ginger instead.
This dish is medium spicy (heat), so if you’re feeding children then I recommend that you leave the chili powder out.
You can make your owngaram masalamix at home. I havethe recipeon my website. Making your homemade seasonings at home is much cheaper, and healthier as store-bought seasonings usually contain added sugar. If you can’t make it at home, you can buy garam masala from Amazon.
You can substitute heavy cream with half and half, or coconut milk for anon-dairy option. Keep in mind that the sauce won’t be as creamy as if you use heavy cream.
Do not add the cream before cooking as it might separate.
If you double the ingredients, do not adjust the cooking time.
Garnish with fresh herbs before serving. The recommended herbs for garnish are fresh cilantro, mint leaves, and parsley.
Serve withInstant Pot basmatiorbrown rice, and/orfresh naan.
For a vegan version of this dish, check out myvegan cauliflower butter chicken recipe.
You can make this in the Instant Pot if you like, find myInstant Pot butter chicken recipe here. It’s a very popular recipe with hundreds of great reviews!