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Slow Cooker 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!
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 slow cooker. 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!
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken Thighs, boneless and skinless
- Chicken Broth
- Cream
- Greek Yogurt
- Butter
- White Wine Vinegar
- Tomato Paste
- Diced Tomatoes, canned
- Cashews, raw
- Curry Powder
- Fennel Seeds
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Cinnamon Stick
- Cardamon Seeds
- Cayenne Pepper
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Cilantro, for garnish
How to Make Slow cooker 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.
- Combine cashews, fennel and curry in a pan 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 powdered mixture with tomato paste, yogurt, vinegar, garlic and ginger.Â
- Place chicken thighs into a bowl or zipper bag, cover with mixture and refrigerate overnight or for at least three hours.
- Place the chicken/sauce mixture into your slow cooker.
- 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 the slow cooker.
- Cook for 3 hours on low or 5 hours on high.
- Add 1/3 c of whipping cream and stir to combine.
- Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro and cashews if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
What chicken should I use for butter chicken?
I prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs but you could use breast meat if you prefer. Breast meat will give you a slightly different texture. Trim off any excess fat from the thigh meat.
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
Be sure and follow me over on YouTube for weekly cooking demos.
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Recipe
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.
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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.