Butter Chicken is full of delicious Indian flavors and this easy And Crockpot Butter Chicken is an easy way to enjoy as often as you like.
Today’s recipe comes courtesy of my friend Sara. Last week she emailed me a recipe for Crockpot Butter Chicken. And then a few days latter she dropped off some cardamon seeds for me to use in the recipe. Everyone needs a friend like Sara!
I have made Butter Chicken before, but had never done it in the crockpot.
There are three things I especially loved about the recipe Sara sent me. First, it can be done in the crockpot. Second, it uses chicken thighs. Third, it tastes delicious!
How to Make Crockpot Butter Chicken
There is a little prep work to the recipe but it is well worth it. You may will 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. This is done in a pan on the stove. Dry sautéing them until it is nice and fragrant.
These are then ground up in the blender and combined with yogurt, tomato paste and a few other ingredients to form a paste like mixture into which you place your chicken thighs for several hours or overnight.
When you are ready to cook your chicken, place the chicken/sauce mixture into your crockpot. Then you will also sauté some onions in butter along with a cinnamon stick and cardamon seeds. Add into this cayenne, diced tomatoes and chicken broth and pour over mixture in the crock pot. Stir to combine.
Then it is ready to cook. It will take about 3 hours on high and 5 hours on low.
Before serving add a 1/3 c of whipping cream and stir to combine. 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!
I garnished it with a little cilantro to make it a little prettier. Crock Pot Indian Butter Chicken might not be the prettiest meal I have ever made but it sure was a delicious one!
Make sure to check out these quick and easy crockpot meals:
Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
Crock Pot Brown and Maple Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Crock Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
All of the delicious flavors of Butter Chicken with the ease of a crockpot.
- 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
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Cook cashews, curry and fennel seeds in a dry skillet for two minutes stirring until fragrant.
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Put into a blender and process until finely ground.
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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.
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In a large bowl combine two pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in one inch pieces with
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the yogurt cashew sauce. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or for several hours.
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When you are ready to cook, put butter in a large skillet and melt over medium heat.
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Add onion, cinnamon stick, cardamon.
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Stir fry until onions are tender.
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Then add cayenne, diced tomatoes plus juice and chicken broth.
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Bring to a boil and cook for three minutes.
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Put chicken and sauce into a large crock pot.
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Add the tomato mixture and stir well.
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Add salt and black pepper.
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Cover crock pot and cook on high for three hours or five-six hours
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on low.
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Add in cream to the pot and stir well. Cover and cook on low for ten minutes.
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Serve over rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
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I presume green yogurt means Greek yogurt and what size can of diced tomatoes
Yes – typo. I’ll correct it.
what size can of tomatoes did you use
Oooh….looks delish! I’m going to check your Instagram to see what your doing in Europe.
Hope your having the best time!
We are having a blast Valerie! Follow along!
We love Butter Chicken. I have never made it in the crockpot though!
This looks like an awesome recipe. I hope you will consider linking it up to the Pinworthy Projects Party over at my blog, Just Us Four.
Leigh Anne,
Have fun on your vacation, can’t wait to here about it.
This recipe sounds good, the picture is absolutely beautiful.
Hugs,
Wanda Ann @ Memories by the Mile
p.s. See you at next weeks link party.
Thanks Wanda – it is delicious too! Having a great vacation!!!
What kind of rice did you serve it over?
And do you leave the cinnamon stick in crockpot while cooking?
I serve over either jasmine or basmati rice and yes I leave the cinnamon stick in while cooking in the crock pot.
The only Greek yogurt they have at my store (we live in a northern rural community) is fat free. Will it still work for this recipe?
MAKING THIS FOR DINNER TONIGHT!
Oh yum!! This sounds and looks amazing!! Thank you for sharing Leigh Anne! My family and I are members of the same church as you! 🙂 What a small world! I will let you know how this recipe comes out for me after I make it! Thanks again!
My kids love butter chicken, I’ve been a little lazy & bought the mixture which is always a gamble because some don’t taste as yummy as the next. This recipe looks delicious, grabbing my slow cooker now! Thanks for sharing.
Did you use whole or ground cardamom seeds?
ground cardamon seeds
What kind of curry powder did you use? There are many types.
Just the yellow powdered curry
Should this be 1/4 cup curry powder or 1/4 tsp.?
No, it really is 1/4 C curry powder.
Should this be 1/2 or 2 tsp. Cayenne?
Oops – somehow the 1 got lost. It is 1/2 tsp cayenne.