Butter Chicken Slow Cooker

Your whole family will enjoy this slow cooker butter chicken recipe, which is full of rich spiced flavors and tender chicken.

Jump to Recipe

One of my new favorite dishes is this slow cooker butter chicken recipe. This dish has a blend of warm spices and flavors combined with cream and tomato to create a flavorful sauce; it’s hard to believe something so simple can be so tasty. 

What Is Crockpot Butter Chicken?

Don't want to lose this recipe? Get it emailed to you directly! Enter your email below. Plus you'll get a free e-cookbook and amazing recipes sent to you daily.

Email *

Save This Recipe

Crockpot butter chicken is made with aromatic Indian spices in a rich and creamy curry sauce that is simmered slowly in your slow cooker.

Crockpot Butter Chicken Ingredients

Substitutions And Additions

RICE: I used jasmine rice for this easy recipe; however, any long-grain rice (like Basmati rice) will be just as delicious. Just cook your rice according to its package directions.

CREAM: As a dairy alternative to heavy cream, you can use full-fat coconut milk from the can for the cream sauce in this traditional butter chicken recipe. Make sure to give the can a good shake before opening it.

You DO NOT want to use the coconut milk you find in the cooler section of your grocery store that is used as a drinking version. It is much too thin and watery.

CHICKEN: I like to use boneless skinless chicken breast meat for this recipe, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs if your family prefers dark meat.

You may have to cook the dark meat a little longer than you would the white meat.

How To Make Crockpot Butter Chicken

STEP ONE: In a saute pan on medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, chili powder, garam masala, cumin, and salt.

Saute for two to three minutes or until the onions are tender and the spices are fragrant.

STEP TWO: In the container of a blender, add the cooked onions and spices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and ¾ cup heavy cream. Blend until smooth. 

STEP THREE: In the insert of a slow cooker, add the raw chicken. Cover with the blended sauce and cook on high for 2½ to 3 hours.

STEP FOUR: Once the chicken is cooked, remove the pieces from the slow cooker and cut them into bite-sized, 1-inch pieces. 

STEP FIVE: In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup heavy cream and cornstarch. Stir to create a slurry. This will thicken up the sauce.

Add the slurry to the sauce that is inside the slow cooker and stir to combine, and allow the sauce to thicken.

STEP SIX: Place the bite-sized chicken pieces back into the slow cooker and stir them around in your sauce, being careful not to break up your chicken pieces too much.

Turn off the slow cooker once the chicken pieces are coated in butter chicken sauce and ready to serve.

STEP SEVEN: In a bowl, place ¾ cup of rice (keeping most of it to one side), then spoon the slow cooker butter chicken next to the rice in the bowl.

Garnish the finished dish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

How To Serve

Enjoy this authentic Indian butter chicken beside or on top of your cooked rice. Don’t forget to spoon any rich sauce from the bottom of the slow cooker on top of the chicken and rice.

I like to add a couple of pieces of naan bread to my meal to mop up all the creamy sauce.

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES

Chicken Dinner Ideas

Homemade Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Dinner Ideas

Tuscan Chicken

For more slow cooker recipes, try our crockpot chicken and dumplings and crockpot orange chicken.

Storing This Authentic Butter Chicken

IN THE FRIDGE: This slow cooker butter chicken recipe can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

I do suggest storing your cooked rice separate from your butter chicken if not served immediately.

REHEATING: You can reheat individual servings of the chicken in the microwave, in 30-second intervals, until the desired temperature.

My favorite Indian food dish is a classic butter chicken, and this sure hits the spot. I love how it only requires a few simple ingredients to make such a delicious dish.

The creamy sauce flavors the juicy chicken in such a complex and flavorful way, and the slow cooker does all the work instead of having to slave over the stove.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Chicken Marsala
• Chicken Casserole
• Chicken Cacciatore
• Lemon Chicken
• Slow Cooker Beef Tips
• Chili Recipe
• Bacon Wrapped Chicken
• Chili Dog
• Spanish Rice
• Chicken Pot Pie with Tater Tots
• Crockpot Meatloaf
• Beer Marinade for Chicken
• Peanut Butter Chicken
• One Pot Chicken Pasta
• Popcorn Chicken
• 3 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Breast Recipes
• Coca Cola Chicken Recipe
• Slow Cooker Coca Cola Chicken
• Paprika Chicken
• Honey Glazed Recipe for Chicken
• Chicken Crescent Rolls
• Marry Me Chicken
• Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups
• Coconut Lime Chicken
• Air Fryer Garlic Bread
• Chicken Pot Pie Bake
• Bourbon Chicken Recipe
• Fireball Chicken

Get Recipes on Pinterest

Follow Us

Butter Chicken Recipe Crockpot

5 from 17 votes

Your whole family will enjoy this slow cooker butter chicken recipe, which is full of rich spiced flavors and tender chicken.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Print RecipePin RecipeReview Recipe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup onion, diced (1 small onion)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2½ teaspoons curry powder
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1¼ cups heavy cream, room temperature and divided
• 6 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 pounds large boneless-skinless chicken breasts, (5 to 6)
• 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, according to package directions
• fresh cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

 

• In a saute pan on medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, chili powder, garam masala, cumin and salt. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions are tender and the spices are fragrant.
• In the container of a blender, add the cooked onions and spices, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and ¾ cup heavy cream. Blend until smooth.
• In the insert of a slow cooker (crockpot), add the chicken. Cover with the blended sauce and cook on high for 2½ to 3 hours.
• Once the chicken is cooked, remove the pieces from the slow cooker and cut them into bite-sized, 1-inch pieces.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup heavy cream and cornstarch. Stir to create a slurry. This will thicken up your sauce. Add the slurry to your sauce that is inside your slow cooker and stir to combine and allow your sauce to thicken.
• Place your bite-sized chicken pieces back into the slow cooker and stir them around in your sauce, being careful not to break up your chicken pieces too much. Turn off your slow cooker once the chicken pieces are all coated in sauce and ready to serve.
• In a bowl, place ¾ cup of rice (keeping most of it to one side), then spoon the slow cooker butter chicken next to the rice in the bowl. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Notes

• For the best results in this recipe, use full-fat ingredients rather than low-fat. It gives the sauce the creamiest texture.
• Make sure to wait to cut the chicken until it has cooked. The small pieces will fall apart if you cut the chicken before cooking, and you want pieces of chicken rather than shredded chicken for the final result in this recipe.
• This slow cooker butter chicken dish should be served warm and can be kept, on the warm setting, in your slow cooker for up to one hour. 

Nutrition

Calories: 688kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 233mg | Sodium: 831mg | Potassium: 1291mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1660IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 3mg

Have You Tried This Recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @spaceshipslb

Get Recipes on Facebook

Follow Us