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Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

Slow cooker Indian butter chicken with a silky tomato-onion sauce and tender chicken thighs. Low-and-slow cooking makes the chicken very tender, then butter and heavy cream finish the sauce until rich and slightly thick.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 740
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and sauce base
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into chunks
  • 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup heavy cream reserve some for stirring in at the end
  • 1 large onion finely diced
  • 4 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
Spices and finishing
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 3 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
To serve
  • 1 fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 1 basmati rice for serving
  • 1 naan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Build the chicken and sauce
  1. Add the chicken thighs to the slow cooker in an even layer. Tip: leave some space between pieces so they cook tender throughout.
  2. Whisk together the crushed tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt, and sugar. Whisk until the spices look evenly distributed through the tomato mixture.
  3. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker. Make sure most of the chicken chunks are coated.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cook on low for 6–7 hours until the chicken is very tender. Visual cue: the chicken should give easily when pressed with a spoon.
  2. Alternatively, cook on high for 3–4 hours until the chicken is very tender. Visual cue: the edges should look soft and the sauce should be bubbling around the sides.
Finish the butter chicken
  1. Shred the chicken slightly or leave in chunks, then stir in the butter and heavy cream. Keep stirring until the sauce looks smooth and glossy.
  2. Cook on high for 20 minutes until the sauce is rich and slightly thickened. Visual cue: the sauce should cling to the chicken when you lift a spoon through it.
Serve
  1. Serve the butter chicken over basmati rice with naan. Visual cue: spoon extra sauce over the rice so it coats the grains.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro right before serving. Visual cue: scatter it on top so it stays bright green.

Notes

For best texture, shred only slightly so some chunks remain for contrast in every bite. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze in portions up to 3 months, then thaw overnight and reheat slowly to preserve the creamy sauce. For a dairy-reduced version, use half-and-half plus a smaller amount of butter, then finish with extra heavy-cream alternative only if needed for thickness.