Description
Mild Indian butter chicken simmers to perfection in a slow cooker, blending aromatic spices with creamy tomato sauce. Tender chicken pieces melt in your mouth, delivering rich flavors that transport you to the streets of Delhi.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ lbs (680g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into chunks
- 3 tbsps butter (or ghee)
- 1 cup heavy cream (or coconut milk for dairy-free option)
- 1 can (14 oz/400g) tomato sauce (or pureed tomatoes)
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chili powder (optional, for heat)
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- Cooked basmati rice or naan bread
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Extra butter or ghee for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Layer trimmed chicken pieces in the slow cooker’s base, interspersing with finely diced onions, minced garlic, and freshly grated ginger to establish a robust aromatic foundation.
- Sauce Building: Generously coat chicken with tomato sauce and paste, then splash lemon juice to introduce a bright, tenderizing acidity. Sprinkle a complex spice blend of garam masala, cumin, and turmeric, massaging thoroughly to ensure deep flavor penetration.
- Slow Cooking: Secure the lid and set slow cooker to low heat, allowing ingredients to harmonize and transform over 4-6 hours into a rich, deeply seasoned sauce that permeates every chicken fiber.
- Finishing Touches: Thirty minutes before serving, integrate heavy cream to create a luxurious, velvety consistency. Gently shred or slice chicken, ensuring each piece is lavishly enrobed in the spice-infused sauce.
- Presentation: Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve alongside fluffy basmati rice or warm naan bread, presenting a dish that celebrates complex indian culinary traditions.
Notes
- Optimize Spice Intensity: Adjust spice quantities based on personal heat tolerance, gradually increasing garam masala and cumin for bolder flavors without overwhelming the delicate chicken texture.
- Prevent Sauce Separation: Temper heavy cream by slowly incorporating it into the hot mixture, stirring continuously to maintain a smooth, consistent sauce without curdling.
- Enhance Meat Tenderness: Select bone-in chicken thighs for superior moisture retention, ensuring succulent meat that easily pulls apart and absorbs the rich, aromatic sauce.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Substitute heavy cream with coconut milk for a dairy-free version, or replace chicken with firm tofu for a vegetarian alternative that maintains the recipe’s complex spice profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4-6 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 46g
- Saturated Fat: 26g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 21g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 170mg