Crockpot Butter Chicken (Printable)
Tender chicken in rich, creamy tomato-butter sauce with aromatic Indian spices, made easy in the slow cooker.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
→ Marinade
02 - 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
04 - 1 tablespoon garam masala
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
06 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
07 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
09 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Sauce
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
12 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
14 - 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
15 - 2 teaspoons garam masala
16 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
17 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
18 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
19 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, adjust to taste)
20 - 1 cup heavy cream or coconut cream
21 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for finishing
22 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
23 - Fresh cilantro, for garnish
# How to Make It:
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 well combined. Add the chicken thigh pieces and toss to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or 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 golden, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, continuing to sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Transfer the sautéed onion mixture to the crockpot. Add the marinated chicken along with all of the marinade. Pour in the tomato sauce, then add the garam masala, smoked paprika, ground cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper if using. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
04 - Secure the lid on the crockpot. 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 - Approximately 20 minutes before serving, stir the heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into the crockpot. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Allow the mixture to gently heat through.
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 marinade does almost all the work for you, and your kitchen will smell like you spent hours standing over a stove when you barely stood for fifteen minutes.
- That moment when you stir in the cream at the end and the sauce transforms into something velvety and golden is genuinely thrilling every single time.
02 -
- Do not skip the marinating step even if you are in a rush, because fifteen minutes in that yogurt mixture still makes a meaningful difference in how tender the chicken turns out.
- Adding the cream at the very end rather than at the beginning prevents it from curdling during the long cooking time, a lesson I learned the hard way with a grainy, broken sauce.
03 -
- Pat the chicken pieces dry before adding them to the marinade because excess moisture dilutes the yogurt and weakens the flavor penetration.
- Toast the dry spices in the empty skillet for thirty seconds before adding the butter and onions to bloom their essential oils and intensify the entire dish.