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When the day’s busy and you’re craving something creamy, cozy, and restaurant-level, this slow cooker butter chicken is the move. It’s rich and saucy, but a little lighter than the classic.
Everything simmers low and slow so the chicken turns ultra tender and the spices bloom. Spoon it over fluffy rice, add warm naan on the side, and dinner basically serves itself.
Why You’ll Love This
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Hands-off slow cooker method with a creamy, spiced sauce that tastes like takeout—but cozier.
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Lighter spin (keep “buttery” flavor without the heaviness).
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Family-friendly heat; easy to adjust.
You see, there was a reason for that Naan yesterday.
Butter Chicken.
Butter Chicken and Naan just need each other. Especially when both are homemade and both are incredibly awesome.
And oh my gosh… So easy!
When I set out to make the Butter Chicken I wanted it to be crazy easy.
My cousin Maggie graduated from college with a teaching degree in May, and in August she started teaching full-time. Yeah, only three months later she landed her first teaching job and it’s full-time, with her very own kindergarten classroom! I know, right? The girl is pretty awesome and one of the hardest workers I know.
She’s also very busy, but really who the heck isn’t these days?
Maggie has been asking for easy crockpot recipes. You know, the ones that you can just throw everything in the bowl, turn it on and go!
So I adapted the classic Butter Chicken recipe, made a few changes to make it healthier, threw everything in the crockpot and prayed. Prayed that this (way too easy, most likely would never work) meal actually tasted somewhat edible.
Sometimes when I experiment things can turn out just plain bad. Like all the recipes I made this past weekend. Ugh…so disappointing. Let’s just not go there. But sometimes…
Yeah, sometimes I get lucky. I knew three hours in that the recipe was gonna be good.
The house smelled amazing. Almost fall like. It was awesome and so cozy.
Gotta love cozy comfort food that is not really comfort food.
I mean it’s comfort food, just a little lighter.
It’s seriously so cozy and perfect for quick weeknight meals.
Like I said, just throw it all in and go!
I have to say that normally I like browning my meat before I put it in the crockpot, but for this I did not miss it at all. There is so much flavor in the creamy sauce that you don’t need to brown the chicken first.
Which is just kind of awesome. I mean who wants to clean another pan? Not me, I’m already up to my eyeballs in dishes.
Oh, and seriously, the Naan is a must.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheat
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Make-ahead: Sauce develops flavor as it rests; make up to 1 day ahead and reheat gently.
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Fridge: Store airtight up to 3–4 days.
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Freeze: Up to 2–3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
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Reheat: Low and slow on the stove until hot and creamy; add a splash of water/stock if needed.
FAQ Block:
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yep—just cook until the chicken is tender and pulls apart easily. If using breasts, rely on doneness cues (juicy, easy to shred) rather than strict minutes to avoid dryness.How do I make this dairy-free?
Swap the cream for full-fat coconut milk and use olive oil in place of butter. Expect a slightly sweeter, coconut-forward finish that’s still rich and cozy.My sauce looks thin—how do I fix it?
Simmer uncovered until it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a line when you run a finger through it. A small cornstarch slurry also works in a pinch.Can I make it on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot?
Yes—follow the same flow: bloom spices, simmer until chicken is tender, then finish with butter/cream. Use texture and aroma cues (thick, glossy, fragrant) to know it’s ready rather than rigid timing.
Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 456 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite size chunks
- 1/2 onion finely minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1-2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 1/2-1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, use less if you are not a spicy person
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
- cooked white rice for serving
- Fresh homemade naan for scooping (a must!)
Instructions
- In a large glass measuring cup or bowl mix together the coconut milk, greek yogurt and cream. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, ginger and all the spices. Mix well.
- Spray the inside of your crockpot bowl with cooking spray or grease with olive oil. To the bowl sprinkle the onion over the bottom. Add the chicken and then pour the coconut milk mixture over the chicken so the chicken is completely covered. Add the butter and place the lid on the crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours. I like to stir mine once or twice during cooking, but it is not necessary. When ready to serve taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve over rice with a big piece of fresh [Naan | https://fett-weg.today/homemade-naan-step-step-photos/%5D%3C/div%3E%3C/li%3E%3C/ul%3E%3C/div%3E%3C/div%3E View Recipe Comments
Obviously.
This post was originally published on September 9, 2013
If one is allergic to coconut milk, do you think regular milk could be substituted instead?
Hi Dee! I think that using whole milk will work fine. You can also use half whole milk and half heavy cream. Let me know if you have questions. Thanks!
*eating this right now for lunch as i’m writing my comment* I’ve made this recipe about 5 times now and it is absolutely amazing! Even better the second day! Didn’t modify one thing.
But I do have to tell you this. The 4th time I made it, I was about 38 weeks pregnant and was trying to do everything in my power to not have to get induced (was induced with my first at 41 weeks – not pleasant). I had read that lots of spices could *potentially* induce labor and I remembered that this recipe had LOTS of spices so I made it for dinner one night and had it the next day for lunch. Went into labor 8 hours later! Coincidence? Sure, but you bet your behind when/if I ever get pregnant again, i’m making and eating this the last few weeks of my pregnancy!
Thank you!
Alicia!!! OH MY GOSH! Your comment just made my day. I had to share it with my mom who has been through labor 7 times. Just too funny and so happy you found your “go into labor” meal….lol!!! THANK YOU!! And congrats on the new baby!
Hi Thiegan!
Can the tomato paste be replaced by sundried tomato paste? It’s not easy to find plane tomato paste here in the UK!
Thanks!
Hey Luis! Yes, sun-dried tomato paste will be great!
Thanks Thiegan!
thank you so so much for this recipe – I’m in complete awe. I always wanted to cook this dish and was afraid, it would be complicated and difficult, but it really was not! just as you wrote: simple and perfect!
🙂
The taste was pretty close to my favorite nepalese restaurant, it tasted really delicious.
btw. I added 3TS of peanut-butter to the sauce instead of butter and that worked fine.
Your article was just the kick to start a new cooking-style! 😉
Of course I made the Naan as you recommended, because I adore Naan. Delicious! Keep going, I will follow your blog 🙂 thanks again, Love Claire
Hi Claire, SO happy it worked out simply for you(: and the taste was good!!
The peanut butter sounds great!! So cool that worked! Probably tasted great too!!
Th Naan is an all time favorite so I couldn’t be more excited that you made it!!
Thanks so much for following, can’t wait to hear more from you!!
HAVE to try this! We LOVE Butter chicken and found a way to make it at home with Kitchens of India brand Butter Chicken Sauce packet….I figured it had a gazillion ingredients and we’ll probably always keep some of the Kitchens of India on hand as it’s sooooo fast to cook up. Great to find your recipie and I’m inspired to try my own home cooked version, too! We LOVE Naan, too, gotta try that out, too!
Hi there! Love this recipe and would like to try it this weekend. Is it at all spicy? I can’t do any heat at all (and we also have a 2 year old) but love the mild butter chicken.
HI! Yes, it is spicy, but just omit the cayenne and it should be perfect for you! Let me know if you have any questions and I hope you love this! THANK YOU! 🙂
I’ve never left a comment on a recipe in my entire life, but I felt the need on this one….I’ve made butter chicken 4-5 times in the past using very time consuming “authentic” recipes, so I decided to try this because it looked easy and good….and it did not disappoint! I thought it was great! I thought it was interesting because it is an indian dish with a little bit of thai influence. I followed the recipe pretty close using 2 tsp red curry paste, 1 tsp turmeric and 1/2 tsp cayenne. I also added the juice of 1 lime, 1 tbsp fish sauce and 2 tbsp brown sugar. I like it a bit sweeter, maybe could use even more sugar. Mine thickened just fine…..but it does end up a lot of sauce, next time I might also double the chicken. Thanks!
By the way, I meant to say, this is BETTER than all the other recipes I’ve tried!
HI Bob! I’m so happy you decided to try my recipe!! All that looks great! Doubling the chicken is a good idea for a lot of people! Thanks for commenting, and i’m so happy you liked it!!
Made this last night. My first try using a crockpot. Success! I don’t eat meat, so I baked some tofu and followed rest of recipe. Then I added veggies at the end. Yum!!! When can we pre order your cookbook?
SO happy you loved this and swapped in tofu, that is awesome!!
The book comes out fall of 2017 so preorders will most likely start in the late spring or summer of 2017. THANK YOU! 🙂
Once again I have to ask…what size crockpot?
Hi! Its a 6.5 quart crockpot! Hope this helps!! Thanks Karen
Made this last night and everyone — including two small kids — liked it a lot. Do you think it would work if I added some chick peas too?
So happy this was a hit, thank you!! Yes chickpeas would be great in this! I would add dry chickpeas to the crockpot and I think the cooking times should be just about the same then. Or just stir in canned chickpeas during the last 30 minutes or so of cooking. Let me know if you have questions and thanks again!!
Just made this tonight and it was AMAZING. I added some cauliflower at the end just because I had a giant bag of it sitting in the fridge. My husband loved this so much he said he’d even eat it vegetarian style and he is a total carnivore. Awesome flavor! Definitely going into the dinner rotation. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Thats so awesome!! I love hearing it! Thank you Lilac!
Hi Angel!
My family and I love Indian food. Butter chicken is just one of the dishes we order every time we eat out at our favorite restaurant. I’m definitely going to try this.
I would love to know if you have any secrets for making basmati rice. I stink at it. ?
Also, I’d love to find a great recipe for Aloo Matter. Since you have “the gift,” maybe you could create another masterpiece! ?
Thanks so much for sharing your gift with us! You’re a peach!
HI!! Here is how I like to make rice:
Add the 3 cups water to a medium size pot, bring to a low boil and add 1 1/2 cups rice. Stir to combine and place the lid on the pot, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook ten minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely. Let the rice sit on the stove, covered, for another 20 minutes (don’t take any peeks inside!). After 20 minutes remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Note that rice can cook differently for everyone, this is just what works for me. Thanks so much for all the kind words! 🙂
Made a vegetarian version of this today. Swapped the chicken for some seitan marinated in the fridge over night and lightly roasted on the pan. Absolutely wonderful. Thanks for the recipe.
Bet that was awesome! Thank you!
Hello! I’ve made this delicious recipe before (and it is so amazing!!) but lately I’ve been experimenting with Paleo dishes… Just wondering how you think the sauce would be if I omitted the greek yogurt and heavy cream?
Thank you!
HI Sarah, Honestly, I dont think it would be that great without these. I think the sauce would be thick and not creamy. Let me know if you have questions.
Do you happen to know the calories in a serving for this? I make this all the time (Love it!) but I am curious.
I am so sorry, I do not. So happy you love the recipe!