The Best Crockpot Butter Chicken Recipe

Here’s the deal. I’m a major major major Indian food junkie. After having lived in Mumbai for 2 years after college, I most always try to find the most accurate, delicious tasting food that I remember from my life there — especially when we travel outside of our tiny town. And if I’m honest, I make Indian food about twice a week at our house. I’m always perfecting and changing what I do to make “butter chicken” but I finally think that I’ve perfected that delicious curry with the ease of the crockpot.

Indian food can be intimidating — there’s typically a lot of different ingredients (many of which aren’t regular staples in western kitchens), multiple steps of layering ingredients, and even names of those ingredients that are unknown. My goal with this recipe is to eliminate some of those daunting aspects of Indian cooking while not sacrificing the flavor and taste of how incredible Butter Chicken is. Hopefully, you’ll be transported to a different place and time as your family enjoys this recipe — and then you’ll hop back on this link and let me know in the comments if you make it!

I’ve tried to make it super easy, as long as you have the ingredients because the real beauty of the crockpot lies in its ability to make your life simple — while making your house smell AMAZING.

Here’s the photo shot of the ingredients that will go in the blender!

Finishing the recipe is simple, and this image of ingredients will show you what will be added at the end of the dish. I promise it’s worth it!

Be sure to let me know in the comments if you make this amazing slow cooker Indian butter chicken recipe!

The BEST Crockpot Butter Chicken

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

Blender Ingredients:

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 13.5 oz can coconut cream

1 large onion, peeled and quartered

3 cloves garlic, peeled

2 TBS grated fresh ginger

3/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1.5 tsp cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

3 TBS garam masala

1 TBS paprika

2 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional, depending on your preference)

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup cashew butter

Finishing Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lime or lemon

Directions:

1. Dice chicken into square inch pieces and place in the crockpot.

2. Add blender ingredients to the blender and blend on high until the sauce is smooth (it should taste a little sweet a this point, but don’t worry). Pour the sauce over the chicken and cover. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8.

3. One hour before serving, add the heavy cream & stir. About thirty minutes before serving, add the lime/lemon juice & stir. Top with cilantro and dots of butter. Cover and let the butter melt.

4. To serve, stir to incorporate the butter & serve over basmati rice and with Half Baked Harvest Garlic Butter Naan.

**Note: I would not recommend using white meat for this recipe as it tends to break down in the slow cooking process. It can turn into mush when cooking for so long.

** I would also not recommend using the instant pot unless you use the slow-cooker mode. Cooking on high pressure will result in the “burn” error.

** If you own a vitamix, feel free to just throw 1/4 cup of raw cashews (in place of the cashew butter) into the blender ingredients and blend until smooth. If you don’t own a vitamix, the cashews will not break down enough and still be slightly chunky.

Want more Indian recipes?

The Very Best Palak Paneer

Sheet Pan Aloo Jeera

Our Favorite Curried Potatoes

Easy Instant Pot Rajma