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When the day’s busy and you’re craving something creamy, cozy, and restaurant-level, this slow cooker butter chicken is the move. It’s rich and saucy, but a little lighter than the classic.
Everything simmers low and slow so the chicken turns ultra tender and the spices bloom. Spoon it over fluffy rice, add warm naan on the side, and dinner basically serves itself.
Why You’ll Love This
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Hands-off slow cooker method with a creamy, spiced sauce that tastes like takeout—but cozier.
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Lighter spin (keep “buttery” flavor without the heaviness).
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Family-friendly heat; easy to adjust.
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!
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?
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…
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.
Gotta love cozy comfort food that is not really comfort food.
I mean it’s comfort food, just a little lighter.
It’s seriously so cozy and perfect for quick weeknight meals.
Like I said, just throw it all in and go!
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.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheat
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Make-ahead: Sauce develops flavor as it rests; make up to 1 day ahead and reheat gently.
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Fridge: Store airtight up to 3–4 days.
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Freeze: Up to 2–3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
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Reheat: Low and slow on the stove until hot and creamy; add a splash of water/stock if needed.
FAQ Block:
Can I use chicken breasts instead of thighs?
Yep—just cook until the chicken is tender and pulls apart easily. If using breasts, rely on doneness cues (juicy, easy to shred) rather than strict minutes to avoid dryness.How do I make this dairy-free?
Swap the cream for full-fat coconut milk and use olive oil in place of butter. Expect a slightly sweeter, coconut-forward finish that’s still rich and cozy.My sauce looks thin—how do I fix it?
Simmer uncovered until it coats the back of a spoon and leaves a line when you run a finger through it. A small cornstarch slurry also works in a pinch.Can I make it on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot?
Yes—follow the same flow: bloom spices, simmer until chicken is tender, then finish with butter/cream. Use texture and aroma cues (thick, glossy, fragrant) to know it’s ready rather than rigid timing.
Easy Healthier Crockpot Butter Chicken
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/]
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Obviously.
Hi T,
Is it ok to sub Ghee for the butter??
Thanks!
Natalie
Mama Red’s Kitchen
Hi Natalie! Ghee will be so good! Great idea! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Really great recipe Tieghan! The whole family enjoyed it!
I love to hear that! Thank you Hilary! xTieghan
This recipe was easy enough but I’m disappointed with the overall result. it really didn’t have the delicious, creamy texture I would expect from butter chicken. I used the half and half cream as suggested, which might be part of the problem. Maybe heavy cream would make a difference?
Hey Lise, I am sorry you had trouble. Was there anything you did differently at all? Any ingredients different? Any info will be helpful to help me problem solve and figure out what might be happening for you. It’s hard to know without knowing any details. If you felt the dish wasn’t creamy enough, try using all heavy cream. Hope I can help you! xTieghan
If we were to use an instant pot, could you give a recommendation on timing in there? Excited to try this!
Hi there! I would recommend 8 minutes on high pressure. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Awesome recipe! I lightened it a bit more by using light coconut milk, and fat free half and half. I also used whole grain commercial naan bread, but the miniature ones, that can go in the toaster. Oh, and I added a little bit of Splenda. I thought it needed a little. My husband hates fresh ginger, so I did not use that, but a little bit of lemon zest is a good substitute.
I wish I knew how many carbs are in my version of the recipe. My husband must watch his. But it is still a wonderful recipe. I have made it several times.
That is so amazing that you love this Bonnie! Thank you so much! xTieghan
I’ve made this many times and am wondering if this can be made in the instant pot? If so, can you provide instructions? Thanks!
HI! I have not tested this for the instant pot. I would recommend cooking it on high pressure for 8 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. So glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I had horrible heartburn while pregnant and couldn’t eat food that was spicy or heavily seasoned…this was on my list of foods to make once the baby was born, and today is the day! We love this recipe!!
I am so glad you could finally try this and I am so glad it turned out amazing for you, Adriana! Thank you so much! xTeighan
Absolutely adore this recipe. Wondering what the odds are you have tried it in the instant pot and have a time conversion?!
HI! I have not tested this for the instant pot. I would recommend cooking it on high pressure for 8 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. So glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This worked out to be a great recipe. But had you meant to post 10 of essentially the same picture??
Hi Rebecca! Yes I did! Photography is apart of my creative process and I love to share the photos I take of the food! Many people love to see all of the photos that I share, but I completely understand if you do not want to.. I added a “skip to recipe” button at the top, so that you can skip the post! I am so glad you loved this recipe! xTieghan
Hey Rebecca, I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Yes, all photos where meant for the post, sorry you do not enjoy them. Hope your week is going really great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thank you! xTieghan
This was so good! I also tossed in about half a cup of steamed lentils near the end because I had some leftovers in the fridge. All this and some mango chutney…probably the best homemade curry I’ve made so far. Loved it. Thank you!!
I am so glad you loved this Eliza! Thank you!
If I were to do this in the Instant Pot, how long would I cook this for? I LOVE this recipe but switched out the slow cooker for the Instant Pot.
Hey Steph, I am sorry I have not tested this for the instant post, so I am really not sure on the cooking time. I recommend 12 minutes on high pressure. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
I work about an hour from home – any way this can stay on low for 9-10 hours? Or conversely how is this reheated if I make it on Sunday for Monday’s dinner?
LOVE all of it.
Hey Kate! You can leave on low for 9-10 hours, that should be fine. You can also reheat in the oven (at 325 for 30 minutes) or slow cooker (on high for an hour). Both work great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I made this last week for friends and they all LOVED it! I was hoping to make it again next week but I have a few friends that are vegetarian. Do you think you could swap the chicken for potatoes? Or something else? I would love to serve this vegetarian style but since I am not vegetarian im not really sure what would work best or how to go about that? thanks!
Hey Megan! I would do a mix of half potatoes and half cauliflower in place of the chicken. Use around 4 cups of veggies total! This will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I used made this recently with just a few modifications: I used yellow curry paste instead of red (because that’s what I had), ginger paste from Trader joe’s instead of fresh grated ginger, (because I had no idea where to buy ginger or how to work with it), and onion powder instead of chopped onion (because I like the flavor, but hate onion chunks. I’m weird, I know.)
I followed the rest of the recipe exactly, and whew it was spicy, but tasty! But then about an hour after I ate it, my lips started to swell up and were super red and itchy for days after. I’ve never had an allergic reaction before, so I didn’t connect it to this recipe at first, but when I ate some of the leftovers a couple days later the same thing happened again. It was either the ginger, garam masala, or tumeric, because those are the only things I haven’t used in other recipes before. I eat indian food at restaurants all the time and have never had a problem, so I wanted to ask if those 3 ingredients are common in most Indian dishes? I’m trying to figure out what I’m allergic to so I can make this again without it. I was bummed because this was good but I had to toss most of it in the trash. 🙁
Hey Heather! I am SO SORRY you had a reaction to this recipe. It is classic as far as flavors and spices go, so it is SO hard to say what spice it was. If I had to guess I would think it would be the garam masala or turmeric, but again I really dont know. So sorry, wish I could help! xTieghan
I absolutely love this recipe. Its so easy and its delicious. I’ve never had naan before. Its a must with this dish. Yummy!
Thank you so much Denise!