Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

This easy slow cooker butter chicken is made from scratch with chicken thighs, tomato paste and Indian spices before being finished with Greek yogurt and butter instead of heavy cream. It's designed to hold its flavour and texture after storing and reheating, making it a practical crockpot curry for busy weeks.

Note - ingredients can be approximate

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 15

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings

Calories 723 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

1.2 kg (2 ⅔ lb) chicken thighs, approx. 8
6 carrots
1 onion
6 cloves garlic, fresh recommended
2 tablespoon ginger, fresh recommended
1 cup tomato paste, see note 1
¼ cup garam masala
2 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoon ground coriander seeds
2 tablespoon paprika, see note 2
1 tablespoon turmeric
500 g (4 cups) frozen cauliflower, see note 3
2 cup Greek yogurt, subs note 4
¼ cup butter, see note 5
2.5 cups basmati rice, yields approx. 8 cups cooked

Instructions

Preparing

Dice the6 carrots and 1 onion, then mince the 6 cloves garlic and 2 tbsp ginger.

Cooking

Heat a searing slow cooker on sauté, or place a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for approximately 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the 1.2 kg (2 ⅔ lb) chicken thighs and brown for approximately 2 minutes on each side.
Note - They do not need to cook through. If using a separate frying pan, transfer everything to the slow cooker.
Add the 1 cup tomato paste, ¼ cup garam masala, 2 tbsp cumin, 2 tbsp ground coriander seeds, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp turmeric Stir well until the chicken and vegetables are thoroughly coated.
Note The mixture will look very thick at this stage, but avoid adding extra liquid as the chicken and vegetables will release moisture while cooking.
Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 3 hours or LOW for approximately 5 hours, until the chicken is very tender and breaks apart easily with a spoon or fork. The centre of the chicken should reach at least 74°C/165°F.
During the final 30 minutes, stir through the 500 g (4 cups) frozen cauliflower, ¼ cup butter and 2 cup Greek yogurt. Mix until the butter has melted and the yogurt is evenly incorporated into the sauce.
Note - If using fresh cauliflower, add in the last hour.
Note: If the sauce is too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your preferred consistency. If the flavour is too intense, add a small amount of milk to mellow the sauce instead.
If the sauce is too thin, leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes.
During the final 30 minutes, prepare the 2.5 cups basmati rice (or as much as you're going to have with fresh servings) according to your preferred method or follow some of my tips and tricks.
Taste the butter chicken, adjust the seasoning if needed, then serve with the basmati rice.

Notes

Note 1 - Tomato paste

The 1 cup tomato paste is intentional and gives the slow cooker sauce a more concentrated flavour than diced tomatoes or passata.

Note 2 - Paprika

Paprika is an easy-to-find substitute for Kashmiri chilli powder; use Kashmiri chilli powder instead if you want a more traditional mild chilli flavour and deeper red colour.

Note 3 - Frozen cauliflower

Add the frozen cauliflower towards the end so it doesn't become overly soft during the longer slow cooker time.

If using fresh, this can be added at the beginning.

Note 4 - Greek yogurt

The Greek yogurt replaces heavy cream for a creamy sauce that reheats well; heavy cream can be substituted if preferred.

Note 5 - Butter

Use proper butter for the best richness and flavour, as oil-based butter substitutes won't give quite the same finish.

Serve with

I've got this served with rice, but we also had it with some naan bread in addition or instead of.

Storage

Store the butter chicken and basmati rice in airtight containers in the fridge for 3–4 days, keeping the rice beside the curry where possible.

Reheating

Microwave for approximately 2–3 minutes until piping hot, adding a small splash of water to the curry first as the sauce will thicken in the fridge.

Freezing

Freeze the butter chicken for up to 3 months, preferably separately from the basmati rice for the best texture and more flexibility when serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 723kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 38gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 499mgPotassium: 1253mgFiber: 7gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 9320IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 162mgIron: 5mg

Keyword comfort food, one-pot, slow cooker, spicy

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