As someone who does her best to cook a bunch of meals over the weekends to eat during the week, my slow cooker is one of my most used appliances. I recently tried to move it into a closet to declutter my kitchen, but I keep asking my husband to help me retrieve it so often that he’s questioning its removal from our counter top.
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One of my favorite takeout meals is Butter Chicken, so I wanted to learn how to make a version at home.
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I based this recipe off a recipe from NY Times food, but adjusted it for the slow cooker, because we all know how much I love a slow cooker recipe. My version makes about 8 servings.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole tomatoes from a 14oz can of whole tomatoes (~1/2 of the can), chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups cream (or coconut milk, if desired)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup ground almonds (or almond flour)
- Cilantro, for garnish
- 3 cups cooked rice, for serving
Combine the yogurt, lemon juice and zest, turmeric, garam masala, and cumin in a large bowl.
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Add chicken, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerant overnight.
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The next day, add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil to a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 3-5 minutes.
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Add the garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
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Remove from heat and add to your slow cooker.
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In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. When heated, add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
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Add the chicken to your slow cooker. Top with the cinnamon stick and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the chicken stock and cook on low for 5 hours. />
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After 5 hours, remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the cream and tomato paste. Cook on low for another 30 minutes, uncovered (this will help thicken the sauce).
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While waiting for the chicken to finish cooking, prepare your rice for serving.
After 30 minutes, remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the ground almonds.
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Spoon out the rice into bowls and top with the chicken mixture. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
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My husband and I like this so much, we removed the batch I had put in the freezer and instead ate this multiple times during the week!
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There is so much flavor to this dish from the spices, and the creaminess of the sauce is addicting!
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I’m going to have to make another batch just so we have it saved in the future for busy weeks!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 ½ tablespoons ground turmeric
- 2 tablespoons garam masala
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole tomatoes from a 14oz can of whole tomatoes (~1/2 of the can), chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups cream (or coconut milk, if desired)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/4 cup ground almonds (or almond flour)
- Cilantro, for garnish
- 3 cups cooked rice, for serving
Instructions
- Combine the yogurt, lemon juice and zest, turmeric, garam masala, and cumin in a large bowl.
- Add chicken, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerant overnight.
- The next day, add 2 tablespoons butter and 1/2 tablespoon oil to a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add to your slow cooker.
- In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. When heated, add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken to your slow cooker. Top with the cinnamon stick and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the chicken stock and cook on low for 5 hours.
- After 5 hours, remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the cream and tomato paste. Cook on low for another 30 minutes, uncovered (this will help thicken the sauce).
- While waiting for the chicken to finish cooking, prepare your rice for serving.
- After 30 minutes, remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the ground almonds.
- Spoon out the rice into bowls and top with the chicken mixture. Garnish with cilantro if desired.


Hi Kaitlin,
Looks yummy! Definitely, I can cook that. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Kaitlin,
Wow! Butter Chicken. Definitely, I can cook that. Thanks for the recipe.
Excellent recipe! It’s our today’s menu! Thanks from Spain.