Description
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala brings Indian restaurant magic straight to home kitchens with minimal effort. Creamy, spiced tomato sauce envelops tender chicken, creating a comforting meal that delivers authentic flavors without hours of complicated preparation for hungry families.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 pounds (907 grams) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) whole-milk plain yogurt (not Greek)
Spices and Aromatics:
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Liquid and Additional Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (15-ounce/425 grams) can diced tomatoes, drained
- ¾ cup (180 milliliters) heavy cream or coconut milk
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Cooked rice or naan, for serving
Instructions
- Combine tender chicken pieces with creamy yogurt and a pinch of salt in a spacious 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker, ensuring even coating.
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then sauté finely chopped onions until they turn translucent and soft, approximately 8 minutes.
- Introduce minced garlic, freshly grated ginger, ground coriander, aromatic garam masala, cumin, and turmeric to the onion mixture, stirring quickly to release their fragrant essence, about 1 minute.
- Add rich tomato paste and cook until it deepens in color, developing a robust flavor profile, roughly 1 minute.
- Pour in drained crushed tomatoes and remaining salt, gently scraping the skillet to incorporate all browned bits, creating a vibrant sauce.
- Transfer the spiced tomato mixture to the slow cooker, thoroughly mixing with the marinated chicken to distribute flavors evenly.
- Secure the lid and slow cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours, allowing the chicken to become incredibly tender and absorb the complex spice blend.
- Stir in heavy cream or coconut milk to create a luxurious, velvety texture and enhance the sauce’s richness.
- For a thicker consistency, remove the lid and continue cooking on HIGH for 30 additional minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce and intensify.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve alongside steamed basmati rice or warm, pillowy naan bread.
Notes
- Marinate chicken in yogurt beforehand to tenderize and infuse rich, creamy flavors deeply into the meat.
- Toasting whole spices like cumin and coriander before adding intensifies their aromatic profile and creates a more complex taste.
- Slow cooking allows spices to meld together, creating a deeply layered sauce that becomes more flavorful as it simmers.
- Using high-quality garam masala is crucial for authentic tikka masala taste, so invest in a fresh, fragrant blend from a reputable spice shop.
- Coconut milk offers a dairy-free alternative to cream, adding a subtle sweetness and silky texture to the sauce.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as spices continue to develop, making this a perfect make-ahead meal for busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 362 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg