Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
A delicious dinner with simple prep and minimal dishes! Tender chicken thighs simmer all day in a savory, creamy, rich sauce. Serve with rice, naan, and your favorite veggies for a fun but fuss-free meal.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Tablespoons grated ginger preferably fresh
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice preferably fresh
- 3 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- rice, naan, cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Combine chicken broth, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, garam masala, cinnamon, cumin, sugar, turmeric, and salt in the bowl of your slow cooker. Stir well to mix into a thin paste.2/3 cup chicken broth or stock, 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste, 4 garlic cloves, 2 Tablespoons grated ginger, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 3 teaspoons garam masala, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add chicken and turn to coat, then cut the butter into pieces and dot on top of the chicken.2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 4 Tablespoons butter
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-7 hours.
- When the chicken is cooked through, turn the slow cooker to the keep warm setting, remove the lid, and stir in the cream. Let the cream warm through while you shred or cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then return to the pot.1/2 cup heavy cream
- Sample the sauce; if you want it a bit sweeter, add an extra teaspoon of sugar; tangier, an extra teaspoon of lemon juice; more flavorful in general, an extra 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Serve chicken and sauce over rice with naan, fresh cilantro, and veggies as desired.
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Notes
- Servings: This makes a pretty generous six servings for my family. We often can stretch it even a little further since the kids eat less and freeze some for quick-fix meals in the future.
- Chicken: Chicken breasts also work for this, but will cook more quickly and may be more prone to drying out, so take care with the cook time. Chicken breasts typically cook for 2-3 hours on high or for 4-6 hours on low.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger is ideal for this recipe. I usually use frozen ginger cubes, but since it’s a pretty major part of the flavor for the sauce in this recipe, it’s worth buying a knob of fresh ginger and grating it yourself if you can. It’s easier to grate if you freeze the knob first! Intimidated by peeling the ginger? I used to be, too, until I tried doing it gently with the edge of a regular table spoon. Try it: you’ll be surprised how well it works!
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 452 kcal, Carbohydrates: 10 g, Protein: 47 g, Fat: 25 g, Saturated Fat: 12 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g, Trans Fat: 0.3 g, Cholesterol: 258 mg, Sodium: 889 mg, Potassium: 933 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 6 g, Vitamin A: 1022 IU, Vitamin C: 9 mg, Calcium: 65 mg, Iron: 3 mg