Description
A rich and creamy butter chicken recipe made effortlessly in a slow cooker, delivering tender chicken and a luscious sauce with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 7 oz)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 ½ cups canned tomato sauce
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Optional: splash of lemon juice, pinch of smoked paprika
Instructions
- Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized chunks.
- In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and slightly golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
- Transfer the sautéed mixture to your crockpot. Add the chicken pieces, tomato sauce, garam masala, cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well to coat the chicken evenly with the spices.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Avoid opening the lid during cooking to retain moisture and flavor.
- About 15 minutes before serving, stir in the heavy cream, Greek yogurt, and the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Mix gently to combine and let it warm through. Taste and adjust salt or chili powder as needed.
- Serve the butter chicken over basmati rice or with warm naan. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and drizzle extra butter if desired.
Notes
Brown the aromatics first to intensify flavor. Use chicken thighs for juiciness. Add cream and yogurt at the end to prevent curdling. Adjust chili powder to taste. Leftovers taste better after resting overnight. Reheat gently with a splash of cream or milk.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Approximately 1 cup
- Calories: 460
- Sodium: 480
- Fat: 33
- Saturated Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 8
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 32
Keywords: butter chicken, crockpot recipe, slow cooker, easy dinner, creamy chicken, Indian comfort food, garam masala, chicken thighs