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Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Slow cooker butter chicken with tender, falling-apart chicken simmered in a spiced tomato-ginger sauce, then finished with butter, creamy coconut milk, and smooth yogurt. The sauce becomes deep, glossy persimmon-orange as the spices meld over hours for an easy hands-off dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 6 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 2 lb chicken breast, chopped
Spice blend
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 0.25 salt and pepper, to taste
Aromatics & base
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 100 g tomato puree
Creamy sauce
  • 200 g natural yogurt
  • 400 ml coconut milk
  • 100 g butter
To serve
  • 1 cooked rice and naan, for serving
  • 1 fresh coriander, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep the curry
  1. Dice the onion and cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the slow cooker along with the tomato puree, curry powder, garam masala, chili powder, salt, and pepper, then stir until evenly combined.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Add the chicken and stir until every piece is coated in the sauce.
  2. Scatter the butter over the top, cover, and cook on high at 165°F internal temperature target for 1.5 to 2 hours, or on low for 4 to 6 hours until the chicken reaches 165°F (visual cue: sauce thickens and chicken is very tender and shreddable).
Finish creamy
  1. Stir in the natural yogurt and coconut milk, then continue stirring until the sauce turns smooth and creamy (visual cue: glossy orange color with no yogurt streaks).
Serve
  1. Serve the butter chicken over cooked rice and naan, garnished with fresh coriander (visual cue: fresh green coriander on top and sauce pooling around the chicken).

Notes

For the smoothest sauce, stir the yogurt and coconut milk in off the hot direct stream and mix until fully blended so there are no visible yogurt streaks. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a pot or microwave until steaming (not boiling). Freezing is yes for up to 2 months, though the texture may be slightly softer after thawing. For a lighter option, use low-fat yogurt and reduce butter to 50g.