Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken

By Jennifer Steinhauer

Updated January 12, 2026

  • Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
About 5 hours
Rating
4(11,107)
Comments
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Not every version of butter chicken uses butter. Coconut milk gives this slow-cooker chicken its creamy richness. This is a fast recipe for the cook: Just prep it earlier in the day, even during your morning routine, getting your onion and spices going on the stove while simultaneously making lunches for grumpy children, folding dish towels, feeding the dogs and wondering once again why no one else has done any of the above. If you're preparing pork or beef in the slow cooker, you'll want to brown the meat first, but that's not necessary with boneless cuts of chicken. The meat will be cooked within 4 ½ or 5 hours, but if you need to let it sit a little longer — up to 7 hours total, on low heat — it will still be delicious, though the chicken may be very soft and shred a tad.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 3 tablespoons grated ginger

  • 1 tablespoon garam masala

  • 1 6-ounce can tomato paste

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 1 teaspoon lime zest

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

  • 1 cup coconut milk (if necessary, whisk to combine the liquid and solids before measuring)

  • ½ cup chicken stock

  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)

  • Cooked basmati or jasmine rice, for serving

  • Naan, for serving (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

21 grams carbs; 214 milligrams cholesterol; 511 calories; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 26 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 781 milligrams sodium; 49 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions to skillet, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and ginger, and cook another 2 minutes. Add garam masala, tomato paste and salt; cook and stir 2 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Place chicken pieces in a slow cooker, then add tomato paste mixture, lime zest and juice, coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir everything together, cover and cook on low heat setting for 4 ½ to 5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. (You may let it cook up to 7 hours if necessary, but the chicken may be very soft and shred.) Garnish with cilantro and serve with basmati or jasmine rice, and naan if you have some.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
11,107 user ratings
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Comments

Katje

FYI, you can store whole ginger root in your freezer. It makes it really easy to grate, and you just pop it back in to await the next meal!

Bob T.

Your suggestion is helpful, although your tone is somewhat less so. A quick version in a pressure cooker is a truly great alternative, and thank you for suggesting it. But many of us really do like a slow cooker: it uses very little energy, it can be left unattended, and it's very forgiving if you don't know how late you'll get home from wherever you've been.

Mary O

Based on the comments, I doubled the garam masala to 2 TBSP, and used 6 cloves of garlic. I upped the salt to a full tsp. I used the zest and juice of 2 limes -- added the zest as instructed but stirred the lime juice in at the end after cooking. I also used the whole can of coconut milk. This was delicious! And the leftovers were just as good the next day. Served with basmati rice and garlic naan. Definitely will make this again.

Elizabeth

Any suggestions on how to thicken? Mine is like soup

Patricia

Really delicious. Thought the spice level was good. I did add a little red pepper flakes, though. Also, I have to confess that at the end I added a little cream -- maybe 1/4 cup. It really smoothed out the sauce. I'll definitely be making this again! Thank you!

MJM -

We’re vegetations so I substituted paneer cubes for the chicken. I also doubled the Garam Masala and added a generous I/8 teaspoon of Kashmiri chile. Be careful with Kashmiri chile. A little goes a long way. It was all devoured- every scrap. And two tablespoons instead of one of lime juice gave it a dark presence that grounded it nicely.

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