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Crockpot Creamy Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala. The perfect bowl of warming comfort food that’s incredibly delicious. Indian-inspired tikka masala made with plenty of spice and creamy coconut milk. It’s perfectly spicy, creamy, and filled with warming Indian-inspired flavors. Making the dish in the crockpot leaves you with an even more flavorful sauce and tender chicken. Serve this creamy masala chicken over bowls of basmati rice with spicy sesame chili butter. You’ll have the perfect dinner that can be enjoyed any night of the week. And the leftovers are even more delicious the next day.
It’s almost Thanksgiving! I’m so excited for the next few days ahead. Lots of holiday prep will be underway. I always have so much fun getting to see what everyone is preparing for their holiday meal!
I feel so fortunate to be able to be a part of your homes and your families on such a special day. It’s so cool to me!! Very excited to see what recipes you all will be making this Thanksgiving!
But until then, we still have to eat dinner!
I always find this week so odd. A lot of us are prepping for Thursday, but regardless of whether we’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner or attending, we also need to eat dinner every night before then.
Most of the time, my family is in town so I love to share easy dinner ideas like this yummy slow cooker chicken tikka masala recipe. It’s one of those amazing dinners that tastes and looks amazing without effort.
The crockpot really has been my go-to for the last few months!
Must-Have Ingredients for slow cooker chicken tikka masala
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 shallot
- 2 garlic cloves
- fresh ginger
- garam masala
- ground turmeric
- kosher salt
- full-fat plain Greek Yogurt
- tomato paste
- full-fat unsweetened coconut milk or plain greek yogurt
- cilantro
- salted butter
- sesame seeds
- chili flakes
- paprika
Here are the details
Some crockpot recipes are easier than others. This is one of those glorious crockpot dinners that really is just a few simple steps!
First, you’ll add the chicken to the bowl of your crockpot, then in goes pretty much all of the seasonings. The onion, shallot, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, and salt. I then add yogurt and instead of marinating the chicken for hours, I just let it sit on the spiced yogurt for 10 or so minutes.
I found that since this chicken cooks all day, the quick marinating time is all you need.
From here, add a can of tomato paste and a bit of water. Then cover and slow cook.
Just before you’re ready to serve, mix in a can of creamy full-fat coconut milk. Let the sauce cook until just slightly thickened and steaming warm.
Stir in lots of cilantro.
Per usual, I love to give my crockpot recipes something fresh to add color and flavor. Plus, I wanted to switch up the classic tikka masala recipe.
I did a quick sesame chili butter as garnish and it really is the secret to this dish. It makes it just a touch more special than other recipes. Trust me, the butter is key. Do not skip.
As this cooks, the aroma in the kitchen is truly incredible. It’s just like your favorite Indian spot in town, but maybe just a touch better. I always find anything made at home to be even more delicious.
I like to serve my tikka masala over steamed rice with some fresh naan for scooping up the creamy, coconutty sauce. Absolutely DELICIOUS.
Looking for other Indian-inspired dinners? Here are my favorites:
30 Minute Spicy Indian Butter Chicken
30 Minute Butter Chicken Meatballs
Super Simple Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala
Gingery Coconut Sweet Potato and Rice Stew with Chili Oil
Lastly, if you make this Crockpot Creamy Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
What can replace coconut milk in this curry dish?
If you’re not sensitive to dairy, you can use heavy cream. Other coconut substitutes include other plant milks like soy/almond/ almond/cashew milk. You could even use Greek Yogurt if you’re in a pinch.
Is it OK to put coconut milk in the slow cooker?
Yes, you can put coconut milk in the slow cooker, but be sure to only add it at the end of the recipe. Just before you’re ready to serve, mix in the can of creamy coconut milk or substitute of your choice.
What exactly is tikka masala?
Tikka masala is a classic Indian dish. The word “tikka” means piece or chunk. And the masala is the sauce that the tikkas derive their delicious flavor. This flavorful dish has its origin in Indian cuisine and is said to have first been made popular in Britain by Indian Chefs living and working in Britain.
Crockpot Creamy Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 316 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cubed
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- kosher salt
- 1/4 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1 can (14 ounces) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 1-2 teaspoons chili flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Crockpot Pot
- 1. In the bowl of your crockpot, combine the chicken, yogurt, onion, shallot, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a pinch of chili flakes. Let sit 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and 1/3 cup water. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.2. Crank the heat to high. Stir in the coconut milk and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes until warmed. Stir in the cilantro. 3. Meanwhile, melt together the butter, sesame seeds, chili flakes, and paprika. Cook until the butter is browning. Remove from the heat. 4. Serve the chicken and sauce over bowls of rice with fresh naan. Enjoy!
Instant Pot
- 1. In the bowl of your instant pot, combine the chicken, yogurt, onion, shallot, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and a pinch of chili flakes. Let sit 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and 1/3 cup water. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 8-10 minutes.2. Once done cooking, release the steam. Set the Instant pot to sauté. Stir in the coconut milk and cook, uncovered, 5- 10 minutes, until warmed. Stir in the cilantro. 3. Meanwhile, melt together the butter, sesame seeds, chili flakes, and paprika. Cook until the butter is browning. Remove from the heat. 4. Serve the chicken and sauce over bowls of rice with fresh naan. Enjoy!
Notes
Stove-Top: use my super simple tikka masala recipe.
This post was originally published on November 21, 2022
Vaooow . İ am from Turkey. We love spice a lot.İ cooked this receipe, it’s So delicious.
Thank you so much! xT
I usually love HBH recipes but this one missed the mark. The onions didn’t caramelize at all and two tablespoons of garam masala is WAY too much if you’re using the real deal. And I’m a big spice girl!
Hi Jordan! Oh no I am so sorry about that! Thank you for the feedback! xT
Turned out horrendous. The flavors were completely lacking and the chopped onion was not a good idea. Caramelizing or blending after blanching would have been more suitable. Maybe I’m biased because I cook this dish all the time and thought this was another version but the flavors were very underwhelming. Sorry to report 😑
Hi! I am SO sorry that you didn’t enjoy this recipe! Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help! xT
I made this last night and it was pretty good. I switched up the recipe just a little, though, as I used boneless chicken thighs in a Dutch oven on the stove on the lowest simmer I could set it for about 3 hours. It worked well. Rather than worrying about whether it’s authentic, I’d call it an “Indian-inspired chicken chili” which is good enough for us. We put it on a little rice and had it with a store bought flatbread, but next time I’ll try one of the naan recipes.
Thank you so so much Matt! xT
So I just made this for dinner tonight and OMG it’s amazing! I love the flavors I got with the ginger and tumeric plus the coconut milk makes it creamy. And I am going to be using that chili butter for alot of my other recipes. Overall great crockpot meal for winter.
Thank you so so much! Sooo glad you enjoyed this recipe! Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂 xT
We enjoyed this recipe! It was super simple to make which is a plus with a busy schedule. The sauce was so good especially with naan! Thank you!
Thanks so much Heather! 🙂 xT
This was easy and delicious! I added a little cayenne/paprika and cumin to add a little more spice. Really good. Another Half Baked keeper!
Thanks sooo much! Love to hear that this recipe was a success! xT
Made this AND the Garlic Naan recipe for the first time tonight. It turned out ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! I am not sure what folks are doing that say it is bland, but it was anything but bland and I asked my whole family. Super flavor and will be a new GO-TO in this house. Only thing is it’s gonna be a weekend recipe and not a weekday.
Thank you for this awesome recipe!!
Thanks sooo much! Love to hear that this recipe was a success! xT
Delicious! I modified the recipe slightly as I didn’t use the crockpot, just cooked on the stovetop, but the flavors were amazing! I added carrots, sweet potato, green beans, and chickpeas to get veggies in. I’ll definitely make this again!
Thanks sooo much! Love to hear that this recipe was a success! xT
I made this yesterday and it is so easy and flavorful. I do think it could have a more tomato-y flavor like what I’m used to with tikka masala, but even without that it is still so so good. Can’t wait to have leftovers because curries only get better in the fridge.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so so much! xT
Turned out without any flavor (sans chili butter sauce) — very bland and recipe followed instructions. Also not 15 minutes. Finally convinced my wife to ditch HBH once and for all.
Hey Brian! I’m really sorry this recipe didn’t turn out for you! Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. xT
I’m currently in the midst of a kitchen remodel without major appliances, so we have been making this weekly! The crockpot version definitely has more flavor than the insta pot but both are delicious and so easy. Unsure how people are finding it has no flavor, maybe they are using old spices? 10/10 recommend and will continue to make regularly!
Wow that’s so exciting! I bet your new kitchen will be so gorgeous! So glad you’re enjoying this recipe! 🙂 xT
This has no flavor. We make a different tiki masala recipe that is so much creamier and has more heat. Will not make this again.
Hey Stephanie! So sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! Thank you for letting me know!
Does the browned butter mixture go over the meat? Or is that for the naan?
Hi Teighan! Would using fat free greek yogurt be okay, or will that take away from the receip slash make it not as creamy? TY!
No, that should be fine.
Hi Kathryn! I haven’t ever tried that before but that should work well as a sub! 🙂 xT
One of our faves! So much good flavor!
If making in the instapot, make sure to add a little more water as it will burn.
Thank you so much!! xT