Description
This Slow Cooker Butter Chicken is a creamy, flavorful Indian-inspired dish made with tender chicken breasts, aromatic spices, and a rich tomato-based sauce. Cooked slowly to develop depth of flavor, it’s perfect for an easy weeknight dinner served over brown rice, quinoa, or homemade naan. The recipe also includes cauliflower florets for a hearty vegetable addition.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 medium breasts)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 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
- 1 (6-ounce) can no salt added tomato paste
- 1 small cauliflower or ½ large head, cut into florets (about 4 ½ cups)
- 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 (to make dairy free)
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, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Transfer to slow cooker and layer: Transfer the cooked onion mixture to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Lay the raw chicken breasts on top, then add the cauliflower florets. Pour the tomato sauce over the cauliflower. Stir gently to combine the florets with the sauce, leaving the chicken pieces underneath undisturbed. Scatter the small pieces of butter over the top.
- Slow cook chicken and cauliflower: Cover and cook on high for 2 ½ hours or on low for 6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Cooking times may vary depending on the slow cooker, so check early to prevent drying out. After the chicken is cooked, remove it to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Stir the slow cooker contents to coat the cauliflower, then recover and cook on high an additional 1 hour until cauliflower is tender. If cauliflower is already tender after chicken cooking, skip this step.
- Prepare chicken and finish sauce: Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, cut it into bite-size pieces. Return the chicken to the slow cooker with the tender cauliflower. Stir in the half-and-half or full-fat coconut milk. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then stir in the Greek yogurt slowly to prevent curdling.
- Serve: Serve the butter chicken warm over prepared brown rice, quinoa, or with homemade naan. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro for added flavor.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw frozen leftovers overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat leftovers gently on the stovetop or in the microwave to prevent curdling.
- To make dairy-free, substitute butter with coconut oil, use full-fat coconut milk instead of half-and-half, and use non-dairy yogurt.
- The cooking time may vary depending on the size of your slow cooker; check for doneness early.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
