Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Restaurant quality healthy butter chicken with simple ingredients you have on hand right now.
Crockpot butter chicken – an ultimate Indian comfort food made light, healthy and in slow cooker for added convenience. And despite the name, this dish contains not a teaspoon of butter. Not that there is anything wrong with a bit of butter in your diet.
I don’t love all Indian food but I love butter chicken! And this healthy butter chicken delivered – creamy, rich and a tad sweet.
Healthy Simple Ingredients
I’m a strong believer that anyone can make authentic slow cooker Indian butter chicken at home. The problem with many ethnic recipes on the web are specialty ingredients no average cook has on hand. This healthy butter chicken recipe calls for chicken, coconut milk, tomato paste, curry powder and garam masala.
Tip: You can replace garam masala with with 1 part cumin + 1/4 part allspice or any combination of coriander, cumin, black peppercorns, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg.
How to Make Crockpot Butter Chicken
- Saute garlic, onion and ginger root for 30 seconds. Use separate skillet or slow cooker with Saute option.
- Add garam masala, curry powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, tomato paste, coconut milk, flour and whisk to combine. Cover and let cook for 3 – 4 minutes or until thickened.
- Transfer to a slow cooker, add chicken and stir. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours.
As for serving suggestions, I would recommend some basmati brown rice (you have to try making brown rice in Instant Pot or quinoa ASAP) to go with this crockpot butter chicken. I also suggest some fresh cilantro and/or scallions for garnish. It adds some fresh zest to a rich and creamy sauce.
Is It Spicy?
You can taste a hint of ginger and traditional Indian spices: garam masala and curry powder. Quality fresh spices is everything! Coconut milk prevails over the tomato sauce which makes this slow cooker butter chicken taste truly creamy without heavy cream.
In case you are wondering how spicy this crockpot Indian butter chicken is – it’s not. I would say it’s mild. My kids ate it and that was the point. You can definitely spice things up with some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
Make Ahead? Freezer Meal?
Butter chicken can be frozen and prepared in advance. You can refrigerate butter chicken leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. It can also be a freezer meal and make ahead recipe.
To make ahead: Do Step 1 and 2, refrigerate in a container for up to 3 days. When ready to cook, start with Step 3 and cook as per further instructions.
Freezer meal: Follow the recipe up to final cooking step and freeze uncooked. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking. Cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours.
More Healthy Indian Copycat Recipes:
- Instant Pot butter chicken – same recipe but in 30 minutes. Rave reviews!
- Slow cooker chicken tikka masala – very good. Enough said.:)
- Green lentil curry recipe – on stovetop, slow cooker, Instant Pot or a freezer meal.
Crockpot Butter Chicken
Restaurant quality butter chicken made healthy with coconut milk, tomato sauce and simple spices in your slow cooker.
- Prep Time: 7 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 4 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 11 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- 3 – 3.5 lbs boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2” pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger root, minced
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 14 oz can coconut milk, full fat
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup cilantro/scallions, chopped (for garnish)
- Cooking spray (I use Misto)
Instructions
- Preheat medium skillet on medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add garlic, onion and ginger root. Stir frequently for 30 seconds.
- Add garam masala, curry powder, chili powder, maple syrup, salt, pepper, tomato paste, coconut milk, flour and whisk to combine. Cover and let cook for 3 – 4 minutes or until thickened.
- Transfer to a slow cooker, add chicken and stir. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours or on Low for 6 hours.
- Serve hot on a bed of brown rice or quinoa, garnished with cilantro/scallions.
Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead: Do Step 1 and 2, refrigerate in a container for up to 3 days. When ready to cook, start with Step 3 and cook as per further instructions.
Freezer Meal: Follow the recipe up to final cooking step and freeze uncooked. Thaw in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking. Cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
