Description
This Slow Cooker Butter Chicken recipe offers a rich and creamy Indian-inspired dish made with tender chicken breasts, fragrant spices, and a luscious sauce featuring tomato, butter, and yogurt. Cooked low and slow for maximum flavor and tenderness, it’s an easy, comforting meal perfect for serving over brown rice, quinoa, or with homemade naan.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 medium breasts)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 small cauliflower or 1/2 large head, cut into florets (about 4 1/2 cups)
Spices and Aromatics
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 4 cloves minced garlic (about 4 teaspoons)
- 1 ½ tablespoons curry powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 (6-ounce) can no salt added tomato paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (or coconut oil to make dairy free)
- ½ cup half-and-half or full-fat coconut milk (do not use light coconut milk)
- ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt or non-dairy yogurt for dairy free option
For Serving
- Prepared brown rice
- Quinoa
- Homemade naan
- Chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Sauté aromatics and spices: In a nonstick skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the minced ginger, garlic, curry powder, garam masala, chili powder, kosher salt, and tomato paste. Cook together, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Assemble in slow cooker: Transfer the sautéed onion mixture to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Place the chicken breasts on top, then add the cauliflower florets. Pour the tomato sauce over the cauliflower, stirring gently to coat the florets and sauce evenly, but leave the chicken undisturbed underneath. Scatter small pieces of butter over the top.
- Slow cook chicken and vegetables: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours or on low for 4 to 6 hours until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Check early to avoid drying out the chicken.
- Check cauliflower tenderness: Remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Stir the contents of the slow cooker to coat the cauliflower with sauce. Cover and continue cooking on high for 30 minutes to 1 hour more until the cauliflower is tender. If already tender, this step can be skipped.
- Slice chicken and finish sauce: Once cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the slow cooker with the tender cauliflower. Stir in half-and-half or full-fat coconut milk and let cool a few minutes. Then gently stir in the Greek yogurt, avoiding curdling by not adding the yogurt to very hot sauce.
- Serve: Serve warm over prepared brown rice or quinoa, or with homemade naan. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro for added color and freshness.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Let frozen leftovers thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat leftovers gently on the stovetop or in the microwave to prevent curdling of the yogurt.
- Use coconut oil instead of butter and non-dairy yogurt and coconut milk to make this dish dairy free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
