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Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken is made with tender chicken thighs simmered in a spiced tomato-onion sauce, then finished with butter and heavy cream for a rich, slightly thick texture. Serve it over basmati rice and naan for a classic restaurant-style comfort meal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
Sauce base
  • 1 can (15 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 large onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
Spices and seasoning
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 3 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp turmeric
  • 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
Finish
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Garnish and serving
  • 1 fresh cilantro for garnish
  • 1 basmati rice for serving
  • 1 naan for serving

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker

Method
 

Add chicken to slow cooker
  1. Place the chicken thigh chunks into the slow cooker in an even layer so they cook through uniformly.
Make the spiced sauce
  1. Whisk together crushed tomatoes, diced onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, garam masala, curry powder, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt, and sugar until the mixture is evenly combined and fragrant, about 1–2 minutes.
Cook until very tender
  1. Pour the sauce over the chicken so most pieces are covered, then cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours until the chicken is very tender.
Enrich with butter and cream
  1. Shred the chicken slightly or leave it in chunks, then stir in the butter and heavy cream until the sauce looks glossy and smooth.
  2. Cook on HIGH for 20 minutes, stirring once if possible, until the sauce is rich and slightly thickened with a creamy consistency.
Serve
  1. Serve the butter chicken over basmati rice with naan on the side, then garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes

For the richest texture, let the sauce sit 5 minutes after the final cook so it thickens as it cools slightly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended for best cream texture, but if you freeze, thaw in the fridge and reheat slowly. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the sauce will be slightly less thick).