Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Easy Slow Cooker Butter Chicken is tender shredded chicken cooked low and slow in a rich, mildly spiced tomato and coconut milk sauce. It's a family friendly, hands-off dinner that's perfect for busy weeknights, especially with warm naan for scooping.
Quick Look: Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Ready In: 3 to 4 hours on high, 6-7 hours on low
Serves: 4 to 6
Calories: 650 Calories
Main Ingredients: boneless skinless chicken thighs, coconut milk, tomato paste, butter, garam masala
Why You'll Love It: this Slow Cooker Butter Chicken is easy to make, mild enough for kids, full of warm spices, and perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
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This is an easy, weeknight version of butter chicken, not a traditional one (more on that in the FAQs below). The spices and the buttery tomato sauce are all there, but coconut milk stands in for the cream and the chicken gets shredded right into the sauce.
My kids (surprisingly?) loved this dish. It isn't too spicy, and they really enjoyed all the flavors, especially when they could scoop it up with naan. All it takes is a few minutes to sauté an onion and stir together the sauce, and then the slow cooker does the rest of the work.
If your family likes chicken in the crock pot, try my Slow Cooker Creamy Lemon Herb Chicken next. And when you want a cozy bowl of soup instead, Crock-Pot Chicken Rice Soup, Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup, and Slow Cooker Meatball Tortellini Soup are just as easy.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy - sauté one onion, stir the sauce together, and let the slow cooker do the rest.
Family Friendly - it's mild, not spicy, and my kids loved it. This is a fun dish to test their tastebuds with new flavors!
Great for Busy Weeknights - the cooking is hands-off, so dinner is ready when you are.
Pantry Friendly - the sauce comes mostly from canned coconut milk, tomato paste, and spices you may already have.
Key Ingredients
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs - thighs stay juicy and tender over a long cook time and shred easily at the end.
White Onion - sautéed in olive oil first to soften it and bring out its sweetness before it goes into the sauce.
Coconut Milk - stands in for the heavy cream used in traditional butter chicken and makes the sauce rich and creamy.
Tomato Paste - gives the sauce its deep tomato flavor and that classic orange color.
Fresh Ginger and Garlic - fresh aromatics add a ton of flavor. The ginger can be grated or minced, whichever is easier for you.
Curry Powder and Garam Masala - warm Indian spices that give butter chicken its signature flavor.
Chili Powder - add warmth and depth. There's just enough chili powder for flavor without making it spicy.
Butter - goes right on top of the chicken before cooking and melts into the sauce as it cooks.
Substitutions and Variations
Chicken Breasts - you can definitely use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but check them at the early end of the cook time, since breasts can dry out faster than thighs.
Heavy Cream - for a version closer to traditional butter chicken, use heavy cream in place of the coconut milk.
More Heat - adults who like it spicy can add a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to their own bowls.
Ghee - swap the butter for ghee, which is common in Indian cooking.
Kasuri Methi - a sprinkle of dried fenugreek leaves stirred in at the end gives it a more traditional flavor.
How to Make Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Step 1.
Optional: sauté the onions in olive oil in a slow cooker with a sauté function, or on the stovetop. Add the onion, tomato paste, coconut milk, and spices to the slow cooker and mix to combine. Add the chicken, tucking it into the sauce and then top with butter.
Step 2.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Shred the chicken and serve with rice and naan. Top with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Serving Suggestions - naan is our favorite for scooping up every bit of the sauce. Rice is great too, and you can serve with both.
Stir Well - the butter melts on top as it cooks, so give the sauce a good stir when you add the shredded chicken back in.
Spice Level - as written, this is mild. We didn't find it spicy at all and it was very kid friendly. If your family likes more heat, add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste.
Storage - store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheating - reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened in the fridge.
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Recipe FAQs
Not exactly. Traditional butter chicken (murgh makhani) starts with chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, which is cooked and then simmered in a tomato sauce finished with butter and cream. This version keeps the warm spices and buttery tomato sauce, uses coconut milk instead of cream, and lets the slow cooker do the work. It's an easy weeknight take on the dish.
No, it's mild. My kids loved it and didn't think it was too spicy. You can always add more heat to individual bowls.
Yes. Let it cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop, stirring well, since coconut milk sauces can separate a little after freezing.
Other Chicken Recipes to Consider
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 white onion diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 15 ounce can coconut milk
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated or minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- rice and naan for serving
- chopped cilantro for topping
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet or a slow cooker with a sauté function. Note: this step is optional. You can add the onion in raw and omit the olive oil in the recipe.
- Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix the coconut milk, tomato paste, ginger, garlic, curry powder, garam masala, chili powder, and salt.
- Place the chicken thighs and onion in the slow cooker and pour the sauce over the top.
- Top the chicken with the butter.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 7 hours.
- Remove the chicken, shred it, and stir it back into the sauce.
- Serve with naan and/or rice. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro .Enjoy!
