Creamy Crockpot Butter Chicken (Printable)

Tender chicken in creamy spiced tomato-butter sauce, slow-cooked to perfection in your crockpot.

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein

01 - 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

→ Marinade

02 - 1 cup plain yogurt
03 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
04 - 2 tsp ground cumin
05 - 2 tsp garam masala
06 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
07 - 1 ½ tsp salt
08 - 2 tsp ground coriander

→ Sauce

09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
10 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
11 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
12 - 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
13 - 1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes
14 - 1 cup heavy cream
15 - 2 tsp paprika
16 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper, adjust to taste
17 - 1 tsp sugar
18 - Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

# Steps:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, ground cumin, garam masala, turmeric, salt, and coriander. Add the chicken pieces and toss thoroughly to coat evenly. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
02 - Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until golden and softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and ginger, cooking for an additional minute until fragrant. Transfer the entire mixture to the crockpot.
03 - Add the marinated chicken along with all of the marinade to the crockpot. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, paprika, cayenne pepper, sugar, and the remaining 1 tbsp of butter. Stir everything together until well combined.
04 - Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the flavors have melded.
05 - Stir the heavy cream into the sauce. Taste and adjust salt and spice levels as needed. Cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
06 - Ladle the butter chicken into bowls and garnish generously with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve alongside steamed basmati rice or warm naan bread.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crockpot does almost all the work while you go about your day, and the house smells absolutely unreal.
  • Chicken thighs stay juicy and tender after hours of slow cooking, so there is zero chance of dry meat.
  • The sauce is rich enough to feel like a restaurant dish but simple enough for a Tuesday night.
02 -
  • If you add the cream at the beginning instead of at the end, it can curdle during the long cook time and look broken.
  • Marinating overnight is not optional if you want the kind of depth that makes people ask for the recipe.
03 -
  • Browning the onions in butter before they go into the crockpot creates a flavor layer you simply cannot get from dumping everything in raw.
  • Let the finished dish rest for ten minutes off the heat before serving because the sauce thickens into the perfect consistency as it cools slightly.

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