Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Rich, creamy, and full of bold Indian spices, this slow cooker butter chicken is a cozy dinner classic. Just marinate, sauté, and let the crock pot do the rest!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus marinating time)
- Cook Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner / Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker / Crock Pot
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
For Cooking:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 tablespoon sugar
14 oz tomato sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken: In a bowl or large ziplock bag, combine chicken with all marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Sauté the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook marinated chicken in batches, 3–5 minutes per side until browned. Set aside.
Cook Aromatics: In the same skillet, melt butter. Add onion, garlic, and ginger; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in cumin, garam masala, red chili powder, sugar, and paprika; cook for 1 more minute.
Transfer to Slow Cooker: Add cooked aromatics and chicken to the crock pot. Stir in tomato sauce, evaporated milk, and 1 1/4 tsp salt.
Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6–7 hours or high for 3–4 hours.
Finish with Cream: 30 minutes before serving, stir in the heavy cream.
Serve: Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice or naan.
Notes
Marinating overnight deepens the flavor.
Use evaporated milk instead of regular milk to avoid curdling.
Can substitute coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
Pairs well with jasmine rice or garlic naan.
Find it online: https://allrecipesmade.com/slow-cooker-butter-chicken/
