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Slow Cooker Tikka Masala – Use your slow cooker to make a flavorful, comforting Indian Chicken Tikka Masala. Easy and great for any night of the week.
Indian food might be my idea of the perfect comfort food. There is just something about all the spices and the creamy sauce that I love. There are more than one kind of curry too. Thai Green Curry Chicken has more Thai spices than Indian, but I love them both!
This slow cook chicken tikka masala came from our love of Indian curry. Whenever we go out for Indian food, my husband always orders the tikka masala. And I always steel a few bites. It is one I have tried to make at home over and over again. This Chicken Tikka Masala took me many attempts, but it is a great classic version.
I asked on my Facebook page the other day if you guys loved your slow cooker and wanted to see more recipes for it. It was a resounding yes! So I jotted down a few ideas, and am starting to work on it. This Crockpot Tikka Masala is the first one I did. I usually think of the crock pot for something like Potato Soup or a big cut of mat you want to get tender. This is a great way to mix things up.
Slow Cooker Pork Chops are another one that are a must try. The veggies cook with the pork and you have a full meal. Or go for Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken for another Asian style recipe. You really can make so many different things in the crock pot.
Indian food can be higher in fat and calories sometimes. I took the opportunity to lighten it up here, so that I didn’t feel guilty eating it. The more often I can eat a comforting bowl of this stuff, the better! Lots of people seem to love Indian food, but are somewhat intimidated making it at home. This Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is anything but intimidating. Anyone can make it at any time!
It really is pretty easy. A few spices (that you can find in your normal grocery store), and you are good to go. The rest of the ingredients are ones you probably already have on hand. Easy Coconut Chicken Curry is ready in minutes, if you want Indian food fast.
My husband isn’t always thrilled when he comes home to see the slow cooker is out. He has it in his head that nothing good (aside from pulled pork sandwiches) comes out of there. This completely proved him wrong. He was pretty surprised about this one, and was already talking about the next time I am going to make it.
He is pretty sure that white fish would be really good with this sauce as well. My 8 year old came home and could immediately smell we were having Indian food for dinner, and was excited. The leftovers made perfect lunches too. Homemade Naan bread is the perfect side dish to make with slow cooker tikka masala. Great to eat up all that delicious tikka masala sauce!
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Slow Cooker Tikka Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Chicken breasts
- 1 small onion, , finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, , minced
- 2 Tbls fresh ginger, , grated
- 1 29 oz can tomato puree
- 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbls olive oil
- 2 Tbls Garam Masala
- 1 Tbls cumin
- 1/2 Tbls paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper, (more if you like things spicy)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup half and half, (or heavy cream)
- 1/2 Tbls cornstarch
- Serve over rice
- Garnish with chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In the insert of your slow cooker mix together onion, garlic, ginger, tomato puree, yogurt, olive oil, Garam Masala, cumin, paprika, salt, cinnamon, pepper, and cayenne. Once well combined and smooth, add chicken pieces, and toss to coat.
- Add bay leaves.
- Cover and cook for 6 hours on low (3 hours on high)
- Whisk together half and half with the cornstarch. During the last 20 minutes of cooking, stir in the half and half. Cover and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
- Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Thanks so much for this! It’s so good! I only used 1/4 tsp of cayenne and but added tad bit more garam masala and it had just enough kick for us. So excited to have this recipe to make again and again instead of getting take out!
So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this recipe today – DELISH! Thank you so much! Hubby said he felt like he was eating at an Indian restaurant. 🙂 I would like to add potato and cauliflower. Any thoughts on what point in the cooking time this should be added?
Thank you,
Kathy
Kathy – so glad you liked it!!! I think the potatoes can probably go in with the chicken. I would put the cauliflower in during the last 2 hours. That is just guesses based on some research though, I have never tried it! Let me know how it works out!
Made this last night. I also had the issue with the sauce being more pink than red, and that was even without 1 1/2 cups of yogurt (more like 1). Tasted good, though. 6 chicken breasts, I think there was enough for at least 8 good sized ladles of the stuff.
Hi!
I just put everything into my crockpot….hubby loves Indian food and can’t wait to try this!!
I only have light cream in the fridge. Would that work with the cornstarch?? If not, I still have 5 hours to head to the store lol thanks!!!
It will definitely work, just might now get quite as thick. Still will be tasty though! Enjoy!
Came back to review…. this was excellent! Now that I have a baby, I love finding great slow cooker meals to make. Thank you for sharing!!
So glad you liked it!! Quick meals are necessary with a baby – congratulations!
I made this recipe for dinner tonight. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t taste like an authentic tikka masala that you might get in a restaurant. The flavor was off a little. I think it may have too much yogurt. I followed the recipe as written and mine, like others that have commented, turned out a pale salmon color instead of the nice orangish-red color that tikka masala tends to be. (I did make sure I bought purée and not sauce). Again I think maybe too much yogurt.
And I also made sure the purée was the 29oz can.
Hi Erin, Putting this recipe into my meal plan, so I’m looking forward to trying it! Did you know you have a typo in the recipe? “I usually think of the crock pot for something like Potato Soup or a big cut of mat you want to get tender.” i.e. “mat” instead of “meat”. Thanks for the recipe! Greer