This crock pot butter chicken is a rich and flavorful curry with tender chicken cooked in a creamy tomato and butter sauce, infused with aromatic spices, we’re going to let the slow cooker do most of the work, and with roughly 15-minute preptime, what’s not to love?
This Crock Pot Butter Chicken is creamy, lightly spiced and delicious – an easy recipe that’s perfect for the slow cooker.
It’s creamy and spicy – but not too spicy for the kids to enjoy too. Perfect with a bowl of fluffy rice.
📋 Ingredients?
I like to use diced chicken breast for this recipe. I often use boneless skinless chicken thighs when I’m cooking chicken for a long time (since thighs tend to be more tender than breast meat with long cooking), but I’ve tested this recipe with thighs and breast, and they both work well and both are tender and juicy.
📺 Watch how to make it
Full recipe with detailed steps in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Start off by sealing the chopped chicken and onion in a pan (or in your slow cooker if it has a searing function) with oil and butter.
- Add the spices.
- Then add in the stock, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree (tomato paste) and sugar.
- Transfer to the slow cooker and place the lid. Cook for 4-5 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
- After it’s been slow cooking you want to remove the cardamom pods and stir in some cream and you’re ready to serve.
👩🍳PRO TIP Sew the cardamom seeds together with a piece of natural cotton so you can easily fish them out later.
If you don’t have a searing function on your slow cooker then you can do these initial stages in a large frying pan/skillet and transfer to the slow cooker later.
🍽️ What to serve it with
I like to serve this slow cooker butter chicken with:
- Fluffy boiled basmati rice or Onion Fried rice,
- Lightly charred Garlic Naan Bread,
- A sprinkle of fresh coriander (fresh cilantro) and some nigella seeds,
- Garnish with some thinly sliced onions or you could use a simple tomato and onion salad,
- Some mango chutney on the side 😋
If you wanted to go low carb then you could serve it up with some Cauliflower Rice.
❓FAQ’s
You could use a spicier curry powder like madras curry powder or you could add half a teaspoon of chilli powder when you add the rest of the spices.
I use a Crock Pot CSC024 because I love its searing function, glass lid so I can see whats going on, and dishwasher-safe bowl, this baby
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You can let it cool completely then place in an airtight container and put in the freezer for a quick dinner another night. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator (it will likely take longer than overnight to defrost if you freeze a large portion). Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout.
Then you can cook your butter chicken curry on the hob (stove) using my other Butter Chicken Curry recipe < click here.
They’re nigella seeds. I like to sprinkle a few on for a unique flavor but don’t worry if you don’t have any in your store cupboard.
🍲 More easy Slow-Cooked recipes
This butter chicken was actually the first recipe I cooked in my slow cooker when we bought it a good few years ago. If, like me, you love an easy prep slow cooker dinner then check out these:
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If you’ve tried this crock pot butter chicken or any of my other dishes then please rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing your thoughts and add-ons to my recipes!
Crock Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion peeled and diced
- 700 g (1 1/2 lbs) chicken breast approx. 4 large chicken breasts, diced
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 240 ml (1 cup) chicken stock water plus a stock cube or bouillon for gluten free is fine
- 2 x 400ml (2 x 14 oz) tins of chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato puree paste for US
- 2 tsp sugar
- 6 cardamom pods sew them together with a piece of string so you can easily fish them out later
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) double/heavy cream
- handful of chopped coriander to serve
Instructions
- Preheat your slow cooker to high.
- Heat the butter and oil in a large pan, add in the onion and chicken, and cook for 5-6 minutes until the onions are softened and the chicken is sealed.3 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 large onion, 700 g (1 1/2 lbs) chicken breast
- Add in the garlic, ginger, salt, garam masala, curry powder, paprika and cinnamon. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cinnamon
- Add in the stock, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar and cardamom. Stir then pour into your slow cooker and cook for 4-5 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.240 ml (1 cup) chicken stock, 2 x 400ml (2 x 14 oz) tins of chopped tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato puree, 2 tsp sugar, 6 cardamom pods
- Remove the cardamom then stir in the cream and allow to heat through.125 ml (1/2 cup) double/heavy cream
- Serve over rice sprinkled with some corianderhandful of chopped coriander to serve
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This crockpot butter chicken recipe was first published in February 2015 and updated in February 2024 with new photos, a video, and extra information to help you make this delicious dinner.
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
I am going to try it but I do not have cream. Can I use milk instead?
Unfortunately you really need cream for the rich, thick texture.
Hi Nicky, thanks so much for this! It was the first time I’ve made Indian food at home, and my wife and I were seriously impressed with how flavorful and easy this was. A truly great recipe! I did have two questions though:
1) The only thing we would change is wanting the sauce a little thicker. Do you have any recommendation for doing this?
2) Have you put bell peppers in this? We’re thinking of doing that next time (which will be SOON).
And I guess a third question too (sorry!): Do you have any recommendation for making this a little spicier?
Thanks so much!
Hi Jamie, So glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
1) Yes, you could could stir in a little cornflour slurry (2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 4 tbsp cold water) right at the end to thicken the sauce more.
2) Adding peppers sound great! You could add at the beginning of the cooking time for tender peppers, or in the last 30 minute of cooking for slightly crunchier peppers (I like green beans or sugarnsap peas as an addition too sometimes).
3) Add one tsp of hot chilli powder (or 1 tsp of chilli flakes, or 1-2 sliced fresh chillies) in when you add in the other spices.
Hope you enjoy the additions 🙂
Hello, this recipe looks lovely. To make it dairy free could I substitute coconut cream to replace the dairy cream or would that change the flavour too much?
Hi Kerry, replacing the dairy cream with tinned full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream would both be fine.
I dont have cardamom pods. I only have ground. How much would i use since I can’t remove it.
Just go with a pinch – around 1/4 tsp or 1/8 tsp if it smells particularly strong.
This is the best recipe ever!!! Can’t wait to make it again!
Thank you so much ❤️
Super yummy and easy to do! My family loves it as much as local Indian restaurant.
My husband likes this recipe more than the take away Butter chicken!.
So easy to make!. I’ve made it in the slow cooker and in the oven many times. Absolutely delicious.
This is a perfect taste sensation truly loved it and will be making it again and again 🙂 As I normally only cook for 2 people is it best to stick with the required amount of ingredients or half everything to suit only 2 people as we tend to have loads leftover 🙂
I’ve made this many times and always loved it. I just wish I could make a larger batch at one time (I can only fit one batch in my crockpot at a time). I usually add more curry powder (and at least some of it is hot instead of mild) and some turmeric (somewhere between a pinch and 1/2 tsp). And I usually end up using more chicken than it calls for. I made it for a block party several months ago for a very diverse group of people. Everyone loved it! When I make it for myself I usually split the batch in half when I’m ready to add the cream. I add cream to one half and freeze the other for a future meal. This has become a go-to meal in my house!
So glad that you are loving the Butter Chicken. Its one of our family favourites too 🙂
Thanks
Chris & Nicky
This recipe is great! Sometimes we mix it up and cut down the chicken and add potatoes, cauliflower and chickpeas. I always follow the rest of the recipe exactly and it has never disappointed. Even with adding the extra veggies I never have to increase the sauce. I’ve made this at least 8-10 times. Definitely a favorite in our family!
yay, loving your additions Amanda. So glad you are enjoying the recipe.
Chris & Nicky
Ive tried and loved this! Could always be spicier (for me) but this recipe keeps to the origins of the milder taste. Great recipe
This went down really well in our house. I didn’t add all the cream, only ½ cup, because it was looking like it’d get a bit runny after that. Curry-mad husband loved it.