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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.
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Hi – I love this recipe but I love cooking with instant pot(quick and easy). What time frame and setting should I use for instant pot.
Hey Raj,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback and making this recipe! I would do 8 minutes on high pressure. Hope you’re off to a great weekend! xTieghan
I have made so many of your recipes for venues of up to 150 people and they are all absolutely amazing! This recipe is unbelievably good! My entire family (including three sometimes picky children) loved it! Made your naan recipe to go with! I have to cook for my kids Christian school banquet fundraiser again this year and I’m thinking I will do Indian food and have this on the menu. I’ve become a bit of a celebrity at the school thanks to you and your incredible recipes! Thanks so much!
Hey Suzanne,
Wow, that’s impressive!! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback!! 🙂
Incredibly delicious. We like our Indian food spicy with a thicker creamy sauce and this hit the mark for all of that! My sauce was the perfect consistency and the mix of spices was spot on for our taste—very similar to our favorite local Indian restaurant. Temps are in the high 90s here, so it was great to use the crockpot! Another favorite for us.
Hey Lucy,
Fantastic!! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! ?Tieghan
Wow. This was amazing. Could have totally doubled the meat for the amount of sauce this yielded. I used half and half and poured a heavy hand. Will create again!
This is a great make ahead dish that will store well in the fridge! Now I just need a recipe for palak paneer.
Hey Erica,
Happy Friday! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback and trying this recipe out! Love to hear that it was enjoyed:) xxTieghan
Hi! I’m not really here to rate as much as ask a question. After not a lot of time, maybe two hours or so in the slow cooker, the sauce started to brown and was a rather dark brown by the end of six hours. It tasted tangy and not really creamy. We’re wondering if we just need to not cook it as long, finish it before it starts to brown, or if we did something wrong. It was our first time and as far as I know I followed the directions as indicated. Any recs? Thanks!
Hey Melissa,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try!! Was there anything you may have adjusted? Were you cooking on low or high? My sauce is and orangey brownish color. Let me know! xTieghan
Really good. Made a lot because I doubled the chicken breast, onion, garlic, and ginger. I used 2 t. garam masala and 3/4 t. salt. Every mouthful was a pleasant burn, not too spicy. I served it over brown jasmine rice. I added four ingredients from the crockpot butter-chicken recipe on A Tasty Mess: 1/4 t. ground cardamom, 1/4 t. ground cumin, 1 diced green bell pepper, and 1/4 c. chopped cilantro.
Hey Marsha,
Fantastic!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
I’m rating solely for smell and because it was so easy to make, as it’s still cooking. There’s about two hours left and it look super watery. I followed the recipe to a T. How can I thicken this up if needed?
Thanks!
Hey Lyssa,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! It should thicken up within those 2 hours, if it doesn’t I would add some cornstarch. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Made this last night. SO SO GOOD. I added a bit more yogurt, because I like for the sauce to be extra creamy. Added some salt when it was finished and it was perfect. We served it rice and garlic naan. My partner is a picky eater and said that we need to cook it again. Thank you!
Hi Zoe,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
Another winner!!! Packed with flavor and just the right amount of spice. I’ve been watching you and making your meals as I am on a healthier lifestyle right now and your recipes are easy to follow delicious and really low in calorie for what you’re eating. I served with a plant based rice and yogurt. Thanks Teagan!!!
Hey Michele,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks bunch for giving it a go! xxTieghan
Just made this recipe, flavour is good, easy to make, but mine is super watery. How do I thicken it up?
Hi Emily,
So sorry to hear this, was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? I would transfer to the stove top and let it simmer a bit to thicken up. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! I made the one in the book, so I only used curry paste, not powder and more yogurt and no heavy cream and forgot to buy tumeric and subbed dry mustard. Along with her fresh naan! So good! I ended up adding more flour as it was too sticky to work with but it ended up being wonderful and yummy!
Hi Kris,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
I’ve made at least a dozen or more of your recipes and this just didn’t do it for me. I feel like the garam masala measurement overpowered everything. While it was simple to make, the flavors didn’t meld together. I’m not sure if it’s the type of garam masala I got, but it was way too floral. My husband and I both hated it and I’m throwing out the rest. If I were to retry, I’d do much less garam masala (other recipes like NYT use only 2 tsp) and an Indian red curry paste. I’m disappointed because I had high hopes and really wanted it to taste like our favorite Indian take out!
Hi Katie,
I am so sorry to hear that this recipe was not enjoyed. Thanks for giving it a try. xTieghan
This was really good even without the red curry paste (which I didn’t have on-hand)!
Hi Melanie,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Made this for lunch today! Dropped everything into my crockpot this morning and came home to a welcoming, comforting and delicious smell and lunch! Definitely will be making this again and again! Thank you ❤️
Hi Alexandra,
Wonderful! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Hey there from Australia!
Not sure if your crockpots are different in the US to here but after 4 hours on low my chicken was soooo tough 🙁
Flavour is great though! Will know for next time to maybe try 2-3 hours on low 🙂
Enjoying trying your recipes!