Slow Cooker Butter Chicken is a delicious and easy meal perfect for busy days. This recipe combines tender chicken in a rich, creamy sauce with warm spices, making it a family favorite. Just set it and forget it, and enjoy a comforting homemade meal without much effort.
We love making creamy butter chicken at home, and it’s a big hit with everyone, making it an ideal family meal. This dish offers restaurant-quality dinner right at home, even better than the local Indian takeout. We serve it over basmati rice and with naan, and it reheats well too.
With our lives being so busy, I love prepping this the night before or in the morning, then setting it and leaving for work to come back to a warm dinner waiting for us. For more family friendly slow-cooked recipes, check out our Slow Cooker Cajun Chicken Alfredo, Slow Cooker Ritz Chicken, Slow Cooker Jambalaya Pasta, and Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup.
Key Ingredients
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
- Chicken: Depending on whether you prefer white or dark meat, you can use chicken breasts or tenderloins and cut them into pieces. Boneless and skinless chicken thighs can also be used for juicier chicken, just dice it into bite-sized pieces.
- Onion, Garlic, Ginger, and Tomato Paste: Do not skip any of these, as that’s what makes your butter chicken sauce delicious along with Indian Garam Masala spice that you can find at most supermarkets. If you don’t have tomato paste, tomato sauce can be used instead.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: I either use heavy whipping cream or heavy cream to make the sauce creamy. I heard about people having success with Greek yogurt, but I haven’t tried that myself.
- Butter: I use a small knob of butter because this is a butter chicken recipe and it needs butter!
How To Make Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Recipe Sucess Tips
- Marinate for Extra Flavor: For a deeper flavor, marinate the chicken in the spices overnight before slow cooking.
- Chicken Breast: This recipe uses chicken breast, but you can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for juicier meat if you prefer dark meat.
- Cut Uniform Pieces: Cut the chicken into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Stir Occasionally: If you’re home, stir the sauce occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
- Fresh Ingredients: Use fresh garlic and ginger for the best flavor.
- Cream Addition: Don’t skip the heavy cream at the end to keep the sauce rich and creamy.
- Serve Options: Serve with basmati rice or naan to soak up the delicious sauce.
- Garnish Well: Garnish with fresh cilantro for a burst of color and freshness.
- Reheats Well: This dish reheats beautifully; simply store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until warmed through.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating Tips
- Storing: Transfer leftover butter chicken to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep it covered to maintain its flavor and texture.
- Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the butter chicken in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Portion it out into individual servings for easy thawing.
- Reheating: To reheat, thaw frozen butter chicken in the refrigerator overnight. Warm it gently on the stove over low heat or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until heated through. Add a splash of water or extra cream if the sauce has thickened too much.
Give this Slow Cooker Butter Chicken a try and experience a restaurant-quality meal right at home! It’s easy to prepare, full of flavor, and perfect for busy days. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you – drop a comment and let me know what you think. Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later so you can enjoy it whenever you like!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast or thighs cut into bite size pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- ½ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- Cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a 6-quart slow cooker, add the chicken pieces, diced onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, garam masala, tomato paste, chicken broth, and butter. Stir to ensure all ingredients are well combined and the chicken is evenly coated with the spices and tomato paste.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on the low setting for 6 hours or on the high setting for 4 hours. This allows the chicken to become tender.
- About 15 minutes before the cooking time is complete, remove the lid and stir in the heavy cream. Make sure the cream is thoroughly mixed into the sauce, creating a rich and creamy consistency.
- Replace the lid and let the mixture heat through for the remaining cooking time.
- Once the cooking time is up, give the butter chicken a final stir to ensure everything is well combined.
- Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro for a burst of color and added freshness.
- Serve the butter chicken over a bed of hot cooked rice or with warm naan bread on the side.
Notes
- Marinate Chicken: For enhanced flavor, marinate chicken in spices overnight before cooking.
- Chicken Choice: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast as directed or thighs for juicier meat.
- Cream Timing: Add heavy cream 15 minutes before serving for a creamy texture.
- Reheating: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently and add a splash of water or cream if needed.
- Nutrition values are per serving based on 4 servings of the recipe, excluding rice and naan. These figures are approximate and calculated using an online nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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