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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,
I had a question about the cooking time. I have a newer crockpot and it tends to cook a little hot (I’ve read similar things about the newer vs. Older crockpots). I’ve made a few things recently by following the suggested time and I’ve tended to overcook. Did you use an older or newer crockpot? I’d like to make this tonight but want to make sure I don’t overdo it if I am unable to check it regularly.
Thanks! This looks delicious!
I used on older crockpot, so maybe go a little less. Hope you love this!
Can you freeze the ingredients raw ahead of time, and just thaw the night before cooking? I’m looking for some meals to make ahead on the weekend to speed up weeknight cooking, and am wondering if there’s anything I shouldn’t freeze (maybe the yogurt?)
I have personally never done that, but I do not see why it would not work. Sounds like a good idea!! The yogurt should be fine. Let me know how it goes!! 🙂
I made this for the second time just cause I love it soooo much! I didn’t have cream or Greek yogurt. Instead I used evaporated milk, and regular yogurt (coconut to be exact) and it turned out just as amazing! I forgot to add the butter too, didn’t even notice it was missing.
Hi. Found your website last week and I wanted to try this recipe right away! I made it tonight, minus the curry paste because I didn’t have it. I cooked it on high for 3 hours and the chicken stayed moist. I don’t usually like chicken breasts on the slow cooker because they tend to dry out so I always cut the cooking time a little short. It is delicious and will probably be even better tomorrow. Not sure I’ll add the butter next time (I know it’s called BUTTER chicken but I’m not sure how much more flavor was added with the butter). The sauce liked a little curdled. Is that from the long cooking time of the yogurt with the cream? It’s still good but just a little weird looking. Thanks for the recipe and I’ll definitely try more from your site!
Hi,
I tried this yesterday, and you’re right about how easy it is. The sauce is delicious, but my chicken turned out a little tough. I plan to try it again with thigh meat or use the sauce with tofu. Thanks so much for sharing!
SO happy you loved this! THANKS!
Hello,
I have made this many different times and WE LOVE it!! If I use lamb stew meat
what changes should I make to the recipe? If any?
Thanks
So happy you love this recipe, thanks!! I would maybe just sear the lamb before adding it to the crockpot. Hope it turns out awesome!!
o.o I LOVE Butter Chicken and easy meals to make…I also have a crock pot given to me by a friend that I have yet to use. Thank-you for this recipe, I will definitely try it.
Hi,
Can I just check of normal plain yoghurt would work rather than using Greek yoghurt?
Thanks
Normal yogurt will work, but it is best if you can drain off any water from the yogurt first. Hope you love the naan!
Thank you for this recipe. I work for the San Francisco Fire Dept and made this for my station last night. The recipe with the naan blew everybody away and will be used for years to come.
Wow, that is awesome! Thank you!
Hello,
I made this recipe according to the direction and for some reason unknown to me that my Butter chicken came out without being sweet and it is more red / brown in color compare to yours in the photo. the usual dish that I bought from my local Indian restaurant tends to be sweet, so I am trying to figure out if I did something wrong…
The only thing I can think of is the curry paste I picked up is concentrated, I am not sure if the recipe calls for not concentrated curry paste.
Any insight is highly appreciated 🙂
Hey Ken,
I am not really sure on what could be the issue. I used Thai red curry Paste. Here is the link. Maybe that is the difference?
Also, I did not make mine sweet, but you can always add a little honey if you wish.
Thank you so much for responding to my inquiry, I will get the Thai red curry paste and try it again.
Hi!
I liked this recipe alot and i would really like to try it. But i have a question…
How long do you cook it in the crockpot/slowcooker?
1st it says 5hours prep time/cook time but then it says 4hours on high and 6-8 on low… and thats more than 5 hours 🙂
So please help me out!
Dunja: You choose: four hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Most crockpot recipes offer you a high or low option.
Hey! Excited to try this out, but I have a couple questions lol. 1. What is the difference between red and green curry paste, will it matter if I use green instead?
2. Does this freeze well?
Thanks
Hey Katherine, green will be fine, but the color will be not very attractive. Green Curry paste just uses green peppers I believe. Yes, it freezes great! Hope you love the recipe and please let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
Hi! Found your butter chicken photo on Pinterest and made this a couple weeks ago, getting ready to try another round today. Thank you so much for the crockpot idea – brilliant for curries! Your recipe was delicious. Cheers!
This was such a great recipe! I will definitely be making this again, thank you for sharing. Looking forward to trying out more of your recipes 🙂
I made this yesterday and it was DELICIOUS and so easy! I also made the homemade naan that you have on the website and it was amazing. Apparently I wasn’t paying close enough attention at the grocery store and ended up with full-fat Greek yogurt, but I’m assuming this will be every bit as good with 0% or 2%, too. My house smelled incredible all day! We’re not big on spicy foods so I left out the curry paste and the cayenne, but it still had a nice, light bit of heat. These are the first recipes I’ve made from your site but I’ll definitely be making more. Thank you!!