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You guys are going to LOVE this Crockpot Butter Chicken!

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

This easy healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken is so delicious! It’s so easy to make, it’s kind of embarrassing. And on top of being easy, it’s also healthier than the traditional Butter Chicken. YES!

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

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!

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

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?

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

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…

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

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.

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

Gotta love cozy comfort food that is not really comfort food.

I mean it’s comfort food, just a little lighter.

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

It’s seriously so cozy and perfect for quick weeknight meals.

Like I said, just throw it all in and go!

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

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.

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
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://www.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-naan-step-step-photos/]
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Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken | halfbakedharvest.com

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Comments

  1. Love the flavors and super easy to make! My chicken did seem a little dry though, I did the 4 hours on high- any suggestions on how to keep the meat a little more moist?

    1. Hi Nerina,
      Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Try using chicken thighs next time, they are much harder to dry out. I hope this helps! xT

  2. 4 stars
    Hi,
    This is currently cooking in the crock pot! I tested it and it is very spicy! I looked up the recipe on your website and it calls for some heavy cream…? The recipe in your cookbook doesn’t say anything about adding cream. The recipe in your cookbook is Healther Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken (page 133).
    Should I add heavy cream to offset the spice or will the cream just curdle?
    Thanks!
    Peggy

    1. Hi Peggy,
      This is one of my oldest recipes:) You can add some heavy cream to this recipe. I hope it turns out well for you! xx

  3. 5 stars
    We love this recipe! I read some comments about the flavour falling flat, that definitely was not the case with ours. I think using a high quality curry paste and full fat dairy is a key to this turning out well. It tastes like traditional butter chicken and is a new heavily requested favourite in our house. Thank you Tieghan.

    1. Hi Kaitlyn,
      Sorry for any confusion, you can add that in step 1. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT

      1. Hi! I tried this recipe cause I love butter chicken! It didn’t taste like butter chicken, still delicious though. I think there might be some confusion on recipe names cause I checked your Instagram and post and this recipe and it says Creamy Coconut Chicken Tikka Masala on Instagram. Did recipe names get mixed up? The ingredients and recipe are the exact same. Thanks!

  4. 4 stars
    Love this dish!! So easy and so yummy! The sauce does tend to be a bit thin for my preference so I tend to add cornstarch slurry at the end (1Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1Tbsp cold water) and that adds just a little thickened without compromising the flavor much! Super easy and delicious. Thanks Tieghan!

  5. 5 stars
    This was a really great crockpot recipe using pantry staples I had on hand…. I omitted the ginger as I didn’t have any, and also replaced the Garam masala with a cinnamon stick stuffed with cloves during the last hour of cooking because I did not have that either. It was quite wet so I took the lid off the last hour of cooking and that really thickened it up, and I added a good amount of honey to give it a bit of sweetness the last hour as well, my family really enjoyed this dish…. This is my new go to butter chicken recipe for sure! Thank you!!! Another hit!

  6. 1 star
    This was my first time trying one of your recipes and I am a little disappointed. I followed the recipe to a T and the sauce came out really watery and not rich a creamy like I’m used to. The taste was also a little bland too. Is there any way I can salvage this dish?

    1. Hi Erica,
      Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed! I would try popping it on the stove top to see if that helps to thicken the sauce and develop the flavors! xx

  7. 3 stars
    Made this twice and both times I didn’t love it. It was just kinda flat and bitter. I added some sugar to offset the bitterness but it was just kinda meh. Maybe it’s me.

    1. Hi Rebs,
      Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. Is there anything you are adjusting or anything that I can help with? Let me know! xx

    1. Hi Melanie,
      You bet, just cook on high pressure for 8 minutes:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx

  8. 5 stars
    It’s been raining for two days so decided to make this dish. The smell from the crockpot filled the house. This was not as rich as traditional butter chicken which I really enjoyed and the flavours from the spices took it over the top. Pure comfort food. Another knockout recipe from Tieghan.

    1. Hey Natalie,
      Happy Monday!! 🍋🫐 I truly appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it was a hit! xT

    1. Hi Anneli,
      I just served this with some chopped cilantro:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx

  9. 4 stars
    I made this tonight and flavors were good but I’m wondering what went wrong. It wasn’t as thick and rich as butter chicken I’ve had in the past (maybe due to it being a healthier version). I used low fat coconut milk so maybe I need the full fat one. I’d try it again but would love to know where I went wrong. Thanks!

  10. Just made this for the first time and I’m in love. Also love that it’s slightly healthier than normal so I don’t feel bad about using this as meal prep for a couple of nights!