Butter chicken (murgh makhani) is a popular Indian takeout dish, it’s a chicken curry made with a cream tomato-based sauce and warm spices. The curry is mild which means that it’s typically not very spicy (spiced just not hot!). Butter chicken is often served over basmati rice, fresh naan bread, and fresh cilantro leaves. My recipe here is made with simple ingredients that are very easy to find. It’s not an authentic version, but it tastes quite similar (in my opinion, of course). I simplified this recipe as much as possible to make it easy for families to make a delicious meal on busy weeknights. The slow cooker will do all the work for you, just toss all the ingredients in the Crockpot and forget it! You will end up with juicy and tender chicken thighs that you will cut up into bite-size pieces after cooking to be coated in the flavorful sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s super creamy, mild, saucy, buttery, and comforting which makes it a great family-friendly meal.The prep is SO easy, it’s a dump and start meal and needs just 10 minutes of prep.It will make your kitchen smell amazing! The spices used in this recipe are very aromatic and taste delicious.It doesn’t need much, you can serve it with basmati rice that you can make in your Instant Pot (find my Instant Pot basmati rice recipe here), or over the stovetop and/or serve it with naan bread that you can either buy or make at home. I have a great naan bread recipe if you want to make it!
The Ingredients
Chicken: I like to use boneless and skinless chicken thighs (fillets) for the juicy and tender chicken, but if you would like to use chicken breasts as I did in my stovetop butter chicken recipe, that’s fine!Garlic and ginger: A must in all Indian cooking!Tomato sauce: I use blended tomato sauce for a silky smooth sauce. Passata, tomato, fresh tomatoes that are blended, or a can of crushed tomatoes that are blended and sieved can also be used in this recipe.Cream: I like to use heavy whipping cream (it’s called double cream in the UK) for a rich and creamy sauce. You can use half and half to lighten the sauce up, but the sauce will turn out thinner. For dairy-free, use full-fat coconut milk. Butter: The reason why this dish is called butter chicken!Spices: You will need garam masala (find my homemade garam masala recipe here), smoked paprika, chili powder (skip if feeding children), cumin, turmeric, and salt.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make the Best Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Top Tips
Storing Tips
Fridge: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.Reheat: Reheat in the microwave and make sure that you add a splash of water before reheating as otherwise, the sauce will be too thick.Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Butter chicken freezes well so you can cook a larger batch, and freeze for an easy and quick dinner option!
© Little Sunny Kitchen
