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Crockpot Butter Chicken is full of amazing flavor and easy to make in your slow cooker. Creamy and full of flavor, you will be glad there are leftovers!
I love creating my own Indian inspired food in the slow cooker. This Slow Cooker Beef Curry is one you will want to add your your dinner rotation. This Slow Cooker Chicken Curry with Potatoes is another! We love chicken curry so much I have another version of Chicken Curry here.
What is Butter Chicken?
Butter Chicken originates from India and is chicken that has been marinaded in a curry mixture and served in a mildly spiced tomato sauce that includes butter..
I have made Butter Chicken before, but had never done it in the crockpot. My friend Sara shared this recipe with me and she even included some cardamon seeds with the recipe. This is one spice you may need to purchase for this recipe as well as fennel seed. Be assured this recipe is worth the extra effort!
How to Make Crockpot Butter Chicken
There is a little prep work to the recipe but it is well worth it. You may want to do this the day before you plan on cooking it or at least several hours before.
- The first step is too make a cashew/fennel/curry mixture. On a pan on the stove, combine all three ingredients and dry sauté until it is nice and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes.
- Place mixture into a blender and blend until they form a powder.
- Combine this powdered mixture with tomato paste, yogurt, vinegar, garlic and ginger. Place chicken thighs into a bowl or zipper bag, cover with mixture and refrigerate overnight or for at least three hours.
- I always use boneless, skinless chicken thighs but you could use breast meat if you prefer but breast meat will give you a slightly different texture. Trim off any excess fat from the thigh meat.
- When you are ready to cook your chicken, place the chicken/sauce mixture into your crockpot.
- Sauté onions in butter along with a cinnamon stick and cardamon seeds. Add in cayenne, diced tomatoes and chicken broth.
- Pour tomato mixture over chicken in crock pot.
- Cook for 3 hours on low or 5 hours on high.
- Before serving add 1/3 c of whipping cream and stir to combine. I often leave this out and it is still delicious, just not as creamy.
-  I served it over rice along with some naan bread. The bread is great for soaking up all the yummy sauce that the recipe makes. The flavor of this is amazing!
- Garnish it with a little cilantro and additional cashews.
Crock Pot Indian Butter Chicken might not be the prettiest meal I have ever made but it sure was a delicious one!
For all of my other favorite kitchen products and tools visit my Amazon Store.Â
Did you know I wrote a cookbook? Check out the Holiday Slow Cooker Cookbook for 100 delicious recipes.
Make sure to check out these quick and easy crockpot meals:
- Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
- Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
- Balsamic Honey Pork Sliders
- Crock Pot Brown and Maple Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Butter Chicken Recipe
Crockpot Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 C. cashews raw unsalted
- 1/4 c. curry powder
- 1 Tbsp. fennel seeds
- 2/3 c. greek yogurt not fat free
- 1/4 c. tomato paste
- 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. fresh ginger grated
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless, chicken thighs, cut into one inch pieces
- 1/4 c. butter
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tsp. cardamon seeds
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 1 can diced tomatoes plus juice
- 2/3 c. chicken broth.
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/3 c. cream
- cilantro garnish
Instructions
- Cook cashews, curry and fennel seeds in a dry skillet for two minutes stirring until fragrant.
- Put into a blender and process until finely ground.
- Put yogurt in a bowl along with. tomato paste, white wine vinegar, garlic and grated fresh ginger. Stir together and add cashew mixture and mix well.
- In a large bowl combine two pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in one inch pieces with
- the yogurt cashew sauce. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or for several hours.
- When you are ready to cook, put butter in a large skillet and melt over medium heat.
- Add onion, cinnamon stick, cardamon.
- Stir fry until onions are tender.
- Then add cayenne, diced tomatoes plus juice and chicken broth.
- Bring to a boil and cook for three minutes.
- Put chicken and sauce into a large crock pot.
- Add the tomato mixture and stir well.
- Add salt and black pepper.
- Cover crock pot and cook on high for three hours or five-six hours
- on low.
- Add in cream to the pot and stir well. Cover and cook on low for ten minutes.
- Serve over rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
Nutrition Facts:
Originally posted May 3, 2013
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Jen says
Should this be 1/2 or 2 tsp. Cayenne?
Leigh Anne says
Oops – somehow the 1 got lost. It is 1/2 tsp cayenne.
Jen says
What kind of curry powder did you use? There are many types.
Leigh Anne says
Just the yellow powdered curry
Ida Ewing says
Should this be 1/4 cup curry powder or 1/4 tsp.?
Leigh Anne says
No, it really is 1/4 C curry powder.