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Fast fix, budget-friendly, family-style recipes made from scratch at home

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Recipe Index » Course » Main Dish » Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Published by Meaghan on March 20, 2023 | last updated on March 19, 2023.

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Slow cooker butter chicken is an easy at home version of your favorite Indian dish. Perfectly spiced, you’ll never know this fall apart chicken didn’t come from the local Indian restaurant.

slow cooker butter chicken over a bed of steamed white rice on a white plate

I tell you all the time how expensive ordering in gets for our family.

When you have so many hungry boys one takeout meal is basically the cost of a utility bill.

Ok, maybe not that bad, but still, my wallet disapproves.

So I love to make takeout style dishes for us right at home like this slow cooker butter chicken.

What is butter chicken?

Butter chicken is a type of chicken curry from New Delhi, India.

It features chicken with a rich, spiced tomato and butter sauce, sort of similar to chicken tikka masala but creamier.

Is butter chicken sweet or spicy?

Butter chicken is mildly spicy, but boldly flavorful, with its blend of aromatic spices.

It’s also got a hint of sweetness from the coconut milk and brown sugar.

slow cooker butter chicken over a bed of steamed white rice on a white plate

Ingredients

To make this you’ll need:

  • Butter
  • Onion– Diced yellow onion
  • Spices– Minced garlic, ginger paste, garam marsala, turmeric, salt and pepper
  • Tomato paste– To give it that rich tomato flavor
  • Sugar– Brown sugar for that sweet background flavor
  • Coconut milk– Canned, full fat coconut milk. You can find this in the Asian section or the Mexican section of the grocery store.
  • Lime juice– You could sub lemon juice if needed.
  • Chicken– Roughly chopped boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • For serving– White rice and naan bread
  • For garnish– Cilantro leaves

easy butter chicken in the black bowl of a crockpot

How to Make

This butter chicken recipe is very easy.

To do it, melt the butter in a hot skillet set it over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, sauté the onion until it begins to soften, stirring often.

Once the onion starts to soften, stir in the ginger and garlic.

Cook for another couple minutes, just until the spices release their fragrance.

Transfer this mixture to the bottom of the bowl of your slow cooker.

Stir the tomato paste, seasonings, and sugar together in a mixing bowl until evenly combined.

Then whisk in the coconut milk, broth, and lime juice.

Add the chicken to the slow cooker, and pour the sauce evenly out overtop.

Stir to combine.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.

Serve the butter chicken over steamed white rice, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Enjoy!

a wooden spoon in a slow cooker filled with easy butter chicken

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

crockpot butter chicken over white rice on a white plate

Tips and Tricks

  • You can substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you want.
  • Don’t use reduced fat coconut milk. You want the extra creaminess from the fat for this dish.
  • Can’t find ginger paste? Grate some fresh ginger in its place.
  • Want a little heat? Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes.

a silver fork resting on a white plate filled with crockpot butter chicken over rice

Other Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

Slow cooker butter chicken tastes exactly like the version of this dish you’d order at your favorite Indian restaurant.

Make it today and enjoy!

Looking for other slow cooker chicken recipes?

Try these:

  • Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
  • Slow Cooker Jerk Chicken Chili
  • Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken
  • Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken

If you’ve tried this SLOW COOKER BUTTER CHICKEN, or any other recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!

slow cooker butter chicken over a bed of steamed white rice on a white plate

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Slow cooker butter chicken is an easy at home version of your favorite Indian dish. Perfectly spiced, you'll never know this fall apart chicken didn't come from the local Indian restaurant.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours hours
Total Time: 6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 430kcal
Author: Meaghan @ 4 Sons R Us
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Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp ginger paste
  • 8 oz tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp garam marsala
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp lime juice can sub lemon juice
  • 2 - 2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs roughly chopped
  • steamed white rice for serving
  • naan bread for serving
  • cilantro leaves for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add the butter to a hot skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring often, just until they've begun to soften.
  • Stir in the ginger & garlic, cooking another couple minutes. Transfer this mixture to the bottom of the bowl of your slow cooker.
  • In a mixing bowl add the tomato paste, seasonings, and sugar. Stir together until evenly combined. Add the milk, broth, and lime juice- whisk together just until evenly combined.
  • Add the chicken to the slow cooker, and pour the sauce evenly out overtop. Stir to combine.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
  • Serve the butter chicken over steamed white rice, and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves.

Notes

  • You can substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs if you want.
  • Don't use reduced fat coconut milk. You want the extra creaminess from the fat for this dish.
  • Can't find ginger paste? Grate some fresh ginger in its place.
  • Want a little heat? Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes.

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 185mg | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 1035mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 682IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 5mg
Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @4sonsrus or tag #4sonsrus!

 

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Hi! I’m Meaghan

Welcome to my kitchen. Pull up a chair and get ready to dig into family friendly, easy recipes and meal ideas. I’m a self proclaimed, proud pickle snob and cheese lover. Aside from that, I’m also the mom to 4 busy boys, elementary school through college aged. My boys keep my husband and I busy, and boy, do they like to eat. A lot. Read more...

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Welcome to 4 Sons ‘R’ Us

Hi! I’m Meaghan. Welcome to my kitchen. Pull up a chair and get ready to dig into family friendly, easy recipes and meal ideas.

I’m a self proclaimed, proud pickle snob and cheese lover. Aside from that, I’m also the mom to 4 busy boys, elementary school through college aged. My boys keep my husband and I busy, and boy, do they like to eat. A lot.

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