Creamy Crockpot Butter Chicken (Printable View)
Tender chicken in creamy tomato-butter sauce with Indian spices, slow-cooked to perfection in your crockpot.
# 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 tbsp lemon juice
04 - 1 tbsp garam masala
05 - 1 tsp ground cumin
06 - 1 tsp ground coriander
07 - 1/2 tsp chili powder
08 - 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
09 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Sauce
10 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
11 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
12 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
13 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
14 - 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
15 - 2 tsp garam masala
16 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
17 - 1 tsp ground cumin
18 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
19 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)
20 - 1 cup heavy cream or coconut cream
21 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter (to finish)
22 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
23 - Fresh cilantro, for garnish
# Cooking Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, ground turmeric, and salt. Add the chicken thigh pieces and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Sauté for approximately 5 minutes until the onion is soft and golden brown.
03 - Transfer the sautéed onion mixture to the crockpot. Add the marinated chicken along with all of the marinade, tomato sauce, garam masala, smoked paprika, ground cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper if using. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
04 - Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the chicken is fork-tender and cooked through.
05 - Approximately 20 minutes before serving, stir in the heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
06 - Ladle into serving bowls and garnish generously with fresh cilantro. Serve hot alongside steamed basmati rice or warm naan bread.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crockpot does almost all the work while you go about your day, and the flavors develop far beyond what a quick stovetop version can achieve.
- It tastes genuinely like something from a restaurant, but you controlled every single ingredient that went into it.
02 -
- Do not skip the sauté step because raw onion dumped straight into the crockpot will never soften properly and will leave crunchy unwelcome bits in your sauce.
- Adding the cream at the very end rather than at the beginning prevents it from curdling during the long cook time and keeps the texture perfectly smooth.
03 -
- Pat the chicken dry before marinating so the yogurt mixture adheres properly instead of sliding off wet surfaces.
- Toast the dry spices in the empty skillet for thirty seconds before adding the butter and aromatics to wake up their essential oils and intensify the flavor dramatically.