Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

I’m so excited to share this slow cooker butter chicken recipe with you all. It’s a recipe that I’ve been perfecting for years, and now I feel like it’s time to share. Indian food is probably one of our favorite takeout meals as a family. It’s so rich in flavor and spices, making it one of our go-to comfort foods. The toughest part of mastering this butter chicken was developing the perfect spice profile.

Garam masala is the main spice you definitely want to source at your local grocery store. It should be easy to find in the international aisle. I use that with a mixture of cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cayenne to make the richest, creamy tomato sauce. It’s truly a world of flavors in every bite, and by making it in the slow cooker, it’s a no-fuss dinner recipe. Plus, it stores well, making it great to enjoy throughout the week!

A closeup image of slow cooker butter chicken with rice and naan. — 📸 Photography by **Naomi Seiler**

Why you’ll love this recipe

This is a true “set it and forget it” dinner. The only hands-on step is chopping, and the slow cooker takes care of the rest. In 15 minutes, you’ll be finished prepping this dish.
Restaurant-quality recipe right at home. Our family loves Indian food, and this crockpot butter chicken makes it so easy to make any day of the week.
Great for serving to a crowd. We’ve used this recipe to entertain friends and family and even brought it to a potluck. There’s never a bite left, everyone always asks us for the recipe.

Tips for Busy Cooks

This is a great meal prep recipe to eat over the week or even freeze for a later date. If you plan to use it for meal prepping, we recommend to wait to stir in the heavy cream and Greek yogurt until you have thawed and/or reheated the butter chicken to prevent the sauce from curdling.

What is butter chicken?

If you’ve never had butter chicken, this is a classic dish that you’ll find at your local Indian restaurant. It’s a comforting dish of chicken cooked in a tomato-based sauce with cream and lots of warm spices. The main spice responsible for the signature flavor of the sauce is garam masala. This is a spice blend consisting of cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, and nutmeg. It adds so much warm and bold flavor to traditional Indian recipes.

Butter chicken is originally from Delhi, India and is pretty mild in both flavor and spice when compared to other Indian curry dishes. It’s one of our favorite meals to eat out, but now with this slow cooker recipe it’s super simple to make at home.

Ingredients for slow cooker butter chicken.

Key Ingredient Notes

Boneless skinless chicken thighs – The best cut of chicken in our opinion for this recipe, you can also use boneless, skinless breast if you prefer.
Onion adds a rich, savory vegetable flavor to every bite.
Minced garlic infuses the sauce with garlicky goodness.
Fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger) adds brightness and fresh flavors to the sauce. Fresh is best, but if you are in a pinch, then ground works well too.
Canned tomato sauce – Delicious flavor and a great consistency to make a velvety smooth sauce.
Crushed tomatoes add more robust tomato flavor to the sauce.
Unsalted butter gives a creamy quality to the butter chicken sauce.
Garam masala – The key ingredient that adds that signature curry flavor.
Ground cumin adds warm and earthy flavors with a hint of citrus.
Ground coriander gives fresh, citrusy, and floral notes to the sauce.
Turmeric – Bright yellow in color but very earthy and even a bit peppery in flavor.
Smoked paprika adds a hint of smokiness.
Ground cinnamon – Another warming spice, a little goes a long way in this sauce, but it really adds depth of flavor.
Cayenne pepper – Just a small pinch will make this spicy and bright on your tongue.
Heavy cream – You can also use full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free option.
Plain Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a hint of tang to balance out all of the richness of the spices.
Fresh cilantro – A classic herb used to finish the sauce. Adds lots of fresh flavor and color as a garnish.

How to make slow cooker butter chicken

Ingredients for butter chicken sauce in the bowl of a slow cooker.

Step 1: Add the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and all of the spices into the slow cooker. Give it a quick stir so the flavors are well mixed.

Ingredients for slow cooker butter chicken in the bowl of a slow cooker before cooking.

Step 2: Nestle the chicken pieces right into the sauce and scatter the butter cubes on top.

Slow cooker butter chicken is cooked in the bowl of a slow cooker.

Step 3: Cover and cook on Low for about 6 hours or High for 2 hours, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.

Remove the chicken to a cutting board, chop it into bite-sized pieces.

Cream and yogurt are added to slow cooker butter chicken.

Step 4: Stir in the cream and Greek yogurt. This makes the sauce rich and silky without curdling. Return the chicken to the sauce and stir everything together.

Spoon over hot jasmine rice or pair with warm naan, then finish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro before serving.

A white plate with slow cooker butter chicken with naan and rice on plates on the side.

Expert Tips:

Sear the chicken first in a skillet until golden brown if desired for a richer flavor. This is completely optional, but delicious if you take the time for the extra step.
If you want the butter chicken to be dairy-free, swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk and Greek yogurt for coconut yogurt.
Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts if desired. Just be sure the breasts are all a similar size or cut them into cutlets if they are too thick to make sure they cook evenly and don’t become tough.
Be sure to stir in the yogurt and heavy cream at the end. If you stir these two ingredients into the warm sauce too early, they could curdle.
We love to serve this slow cooker butter chicken over our perfect jasmine rice recipe or our garlic butter rice.

What to serve with butter chicken in the slow cooker

There are so many options when it comes to serving that we love, here are some of our go-to choices:

Perfect jasmine rice
Garlic butter rice
Fresh cucumber salad
Naan
Sautéed spinach
Cauliflower rice

Variations

There are lots of variations for a butter chicken recipe as you may know if you love eating out at Indian restaurants. Here are some other suggestions:

Add cubed potatoes for a heartier version.
Stir in peas or baby spinach towards the end of cooking for a pop of veggie freshness.
Another vegetable option is to add chopped cauliflower florets to the butter chicken.
If you want to omit the chicken altogether and make this recipe truly vegetarian, canned chickpeas or even cubed paneer are both great protein options.

A plate of slow cooker butter chicken with naan and rice on plates on the side.

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop for a couple of minutes until warmed through. If the mixture seems thick, add a splash of water or cream.

You can also freeze the butter chicken for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.

FAQs

How long do I need to cook butter chicken in the slow cooker?

It’s best on low for 6 hours or high for 2 hours until the chicken registers 165ºF on a meat thermometer.

What is the best cut of chicken for slow cooker butter chicken?

We love to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs since they are juicy in texture and rich in flavor. If you want to use chicken breasts, that works well too. Just be sure to not overcook them in the sauce or they will be rubbery and tough.

How do you thicken the sauce if it’s too thin?

Make a slurry by combining 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of water. Pour into the sauce and continue to cook for another 30 minutes until slightly thickened. You can make more slurry mixture as needed.