This Slow Cooker Butter Chicken recipe feels a bit too good to be this easy. It has a rich, creamy sauce and tender chicken, but made in the slow cooker to suit busy households.
There are some easy steps to achieving the classic takeaway flavour you love, this really is an absolutely delicious dish!
If you’re using a crockpot, the method is exactly the same.
Getting that rich, creamy butter chicken flavour in a slow cooker
If everything goes straight into the slow cooker, the sauce can taste a bit flat. Taking a few minutes at the start makes a big difference.
Cooking the onion, garlic, spices and tomato paste first gives you a deeper, fuller flavour. It also takes away that slightly sharp tomato taste you can sometimes get if it goes in raw.
Halfway through cooking, the sauce can look thinner and a bit underwhelming. Don’t worry, that’s normal. It all comes together at the end.
If your sauce tastes a bit dull at the end
This is where a quick taste matters. A pinch of salt, a little sugar or a squeeze of lemon can lift everything. It’s often just a small tweak.
Do you need to brown or sauté spices and chicken first?
Sautéing the base ingredients gives you a richer flavour, but you can skip it if you want a true one-pot version.
Grilling the chicken before it goes in adds a little colour and depth. You don’t need to do all of it, even a few pieces makes a difference. You’re just adding a bit of caramelisation, not cooking it through.
If you skip both steps, it still works well, just a little lighter in flavour.
Keeping the chicken tender
Chicken thighs are the best choice here, they stay tender and suit the sauce really well. Chicken breast will work, but it’s leaner and can dry out more easily in a slow cooker.
If you do use chicken breasts, keep to the shorter cooking time and expect a slightly firmer texture.
Getting a smooth, creamy butter chicken sauce
Slow cookers create extra liquid, so the sauce will look thinner when you first open the lid.
Blending the sauce before adding the cream is what gives it a smooth, silky finish. It also helps avoid any slightly grainy texture, especially with the yoghurt in the marinade.
If it’s still thinner than you’d like, let it cook uncovered for a bit or use a quick cornflour slurry. You’re aiming the sauce to coat the chicken and sit nicely over rice.
Finishing touches that make the difference
Stirring through the cream, butter and sugar at the end gives you that smooth, rich finish. Adding them earlier can affect the texture, so it’s worth waiting.
Fenugreek leaves, if you have them, add that classic butter chicken flavour at the end.
Let the butter chicken sit for 5–10 minutes before serving. The sauce thickens slightly and settles, and it always tastes better after that short rest.
How to Make Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Step one Prepare the marinade and coat the chicken
Step two Sauté the onion, garlic, spices and tomato paste (optional)
Step three Grill the chicken briefly for colour (optional)
Step four Add everything to the slow cooker and cook until tender
Step five Blend the sauce until smooth
Step six Stir through cream, butter and finishing ingredients, then taste and adjust
If you enjoy this, you might also like these recipes:
- Slow Cooker Whole Roast Chicken
- Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Chicken Satay
- Slow Cooker Mushroom Risotto
A few tips before you start
Can I make this without cream?
Yes, you can use coconut cream or yoghurt, but the flavour and texture will change slightly.
Can I freeze butter chicken?
Yes. Freeze before adding the cream, then stir it through when reheating.
Why does my butter chicken taste too acidic?
It usually just needs balancing. Add a little cream, butter or a pinch of sugar.
Can I cook this on high instead of low?
Yes, but low gives a better texture and flavour.
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken with tender chicken and a rich, creamy sauce. Easy, flavourful and perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 800 grams once trimmed), cut into large chunks
Marinade
- ½ cup plain unsweetened yogurt
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter (or oil)
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 350 g passata
To finish
- 1 cup cream
- 1½ tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed (optional)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and mix well to coat. The marinade will be thick and creamy, this is normal. Set aside while you prepare the sauce, or cover and refrigerate for up to overnight.
- Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and lightly golden, this step builds the flavour base so don’t rush it.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute.
- Add the spices and cook briefly until fragrant. Stir through the tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes until it darkens slightly and smells rich.
- Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
- Place the chicken in a single layer on a paper lined tray. Grill on high until lightly coloured in places. Turn once and grill briefly on the second side. It does not need to be cooked through.
- This step adds extra flavour and colour, but you can skip it for a simpler one-pot version.
- One-pot option: Add the chicken straight to the slow cooker without browning.
- Add the chicken and any juices to the slow cooker. Pour in the passata and stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours or HIGH for 2½–3 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Blend the sauce until completely smooth using a stick blender or heatproof blender then pour the sauce back into the slow cooker.
- Stir in the cream, butter and sugar, then return the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add the crushed fenugreek leaves. Taste and season with salt as needed.
- Cook on HIGH for a further 10–15 minutes, uncovered or with the lid slightly ajar, until the sauce is hot, glossy and lightly thickened.
- Serve with rice and naan.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. For best texture, freeze before adding the cream, then stir it through when reheating.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot. Add a splash of water or cream if needed to loosen the sauce.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 194Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 229mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 9g
This nutrition calculation for Just Slow Cooker Recipes has been automated, please use your discretion with the calculation and use your own if unsure.
Thank you so much for stopping by to check out this recipe and the others here on my blog. I always love sharing these slow cooker favourites with you.
If you’re not already, be sure to follow me on Pinterest for more slow cooker inspiration and delicious recipes.
Happy cooking!
Anna xo
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