Creamy Crockpot Butter Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken simmered in creamy tomato-butter sauce with aromatic garam masala and warm Indian spices.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
→ Marinade
02 - 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
03 - 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
04 - 1 tbsp garam masala
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp ground coriander
07 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
08 - 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
09 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt
→ Sauce
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
12 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
14 - 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
15 - 2 tsp garam masala
16 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
17 - 1 tsp ground cumin
18 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
19 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
20 - 1 cup heavy cream
21 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, for finishing
22 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
23 - Fresh cilantro, for garnish
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, turmeric, and salt until smooth. Add the chicken thigh pieces and toss thoroughly to coat every piece evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for an additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Transfer the sautéed onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the marinated chicken along with all of the yogurt marinade. Pour in the tomato sauce, then add the garam masala, smoked paprika, ground cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Stir everything together until well combined.
04 - Secure the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on the LOW setting for 5 to 6 hours, or on the HIGH setting for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and cooked through.
05 - About 20 minutes before serving, remove the lid and stir in the heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Allow the sauce to gently meld and thicken during the remaining cook time. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle the butter chicken into serving bowls and garnish generously with fresh cilantro. Serve hot alongside steamed basmati rice or warm naan bread.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The yogurt marinade does most of the heavy lifting, so you get restaurant depth with almost zero technique required.
- Everything lands in the slow cooker after one quick sauté, meaning cleanup is surprisingly painless for something that tastes this luxurious.
02 -
- Skipping the sauté step and dumping everything raw into the crockpot leaves the sauce tasting flat because the onions and garlic need that direct heat to develop their sweetness.
- Adding the cream at the very end rather than at the start prevents it from curdling during the long cook and keeps the texture silky smooth.
03 -
- Cut the chicken into uniform bite size pieces so every forkful cooks at the same rate and you avoid the dreaded mix of tough and mushy.
- Toast the dry spices for about 30 seconds in the butter before adding the onion to wake up their essential oils and deepen the flavor from the very first layer.