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This Slow Cooker Tikka Masala is an easy, hands-off way to enjoy bold, comforting flavors at home. Chicken simmers in a creamy, spiced tomato sauce for a rich, flavorful dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Serve it over rice or with naan for a satisfying meal everyone will love.
Slow cooker tikka masala is the perfect solution when you’re craving a cozy, flavorful dinner but don’t want to spend forever in the kitchen. By letting the slow cooker do the work, the chicken becomes incredibly tender while the sauce develops deep, rich flavor.
This recipe uses simple ingredients and warm spices to create a creamy, comforting dish that’s great for weeknight dinners or meal prep. I have a traditional Chicken Tikka Masala recipe that we LOVE. I adapted it for the slow cooker so it is perfect for busy days. It is great served it over basmati rice or scoop it up with naan bread.
This recipe originally appeared on the blog back in 2014. But over the years I have definitely adapted it and made it so much better, so that is what I am sharing with you today!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Chicken Breast – you can use chicken thighs if you prefer
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Tomato Puree – this is thicker than tomato sauce you find in US grocery stores. If you only have tomato sauce it will work.
- Greek Yogurt
- Olive Oil
- Garam Masala
- Ground Cumin
- Dried Coriander
- Paprika
- Chili Powder
- Salt
- Cayenne Pepper
- Turmeric
- Black Pepper
- Half and Half – you can absolutely use heavy cream
- Cornstarch
Slow Cooker Tikka Masala
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds Chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons garam masala
- 1 Tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 Tablespoon dried coriander
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if you like things spicy
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups tomato puree
- 5 oz plain Greek yogurt
- 1 small onion, very finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup half and half, or heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 4 cups basmati rice, cooked
Instructions
- Add the chicken to your crockpot. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over the chicken.2-3 pounds Chicken breasts, 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Sprinkle all of the spices over the chicken and mix until everything is well coated.2 Tablespoons garam masala, 1 Tablespoons ground cumin, 1 Tablespoon dried coriander, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Pour in the tomato puree, yogurt, onion, garlic and ginger. Mix until everything is well combined.2 1/2 cups tomato puree, 5 oz plain Greek yogurt, 1 small onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger
- Place the cover on and cook the chicken for 3 hours on low
- Whisk together half and half with the cornstarch. After 3 hours, pour in the liquid and stir well. Cover and continue to cook for 30 minutes.1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1 cup half and half
- The sauce should be thick and the chicken will be cooked through. Serve over basmati rice or with naan bread. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
- Chicken. Cut your chicken into cubes and add to the base of your crockpot. I like to use chicken breasts, but you can use thighs if you prefer. Drizzle the oil over the chicken and then add all of the spices. Using a tongs mix until the chicken is well coated.
- Sauce. Pour in the tomato puree with the yogurt, garlic, ginger and onion. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Cook. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours. The chicken is cut into cubes, so it will cut relatively quickly.
- Thicken. Mix together the half and half with your cornstarch and pour into the crockpot. Stir to combine, cover and let it cook for 30 more minutes.
- Serve. The sauce will have thickened and the chicken will be tender and cooked through. Serve over rice or with Naan bread for a delicious meal.
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
- Less Calories. I used half and half to cut down on the fat and calories a little, but you can absolutely use heavy cream for a richer sauce. You could even use coconut milk and make it dairy free. Although the coconut will change the flavor.
- Serving Suggestions. Basmati rice is the traditional rice served with Indian food, so it is what I use. You can make Instant Pot Rice while this cooks, or if you have a rice cooker or on the stove, whatever works! I like to garnish with a little cilantro for freshness.
- Cook Time. Yes, the cook time is a total of 3.5 hours. Chicken does not take that long to cook in the crockpot, even on low. You want the internal temperature to be 165º F. Most people don’t like chicken from the crockpot, because they cook it all day and it is super dried out. Cook for less time, and trust me you will get juicy, tender chicken you actually want to eat!
- Chopping. When you are chopping your onions, garlic and ginger, you do want to make sure to get them as fine as possible. You do not puree the sauce as with some recipes, so whatever size you cut them, they will stay that way for this sauce. You can use a grater and grate them all if you prefer.
Storage
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is one of those dishes that stores amazingly well in the fridge, and you can freeze it. Cover and place in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until it is warmed through.
Freezing
This does make a lot, so you can let it cool and then place in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. I like to freeze it separately from the rice for the best results.
More Crockpot Chicken Recipes
- Crockpot Chicken Burritos
- Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Crockpot Ranch Chicken
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken
- Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken
LOVE tikka masala. Glad this one was a hit!
I have got to start using my slow cooker more often….starting with this tikka masala! This would be such a hit at home!
Can’t wait to try this. One of my FAVORITE dishes when I traveled to India! Think coconut milk would work for half & half or cream? Just thinking about what I have in my pantry!
It would for sure, just might give it a little coconut flavor. You went to India? I had no idea!
Awesome! I was in India for about a month right after I graduated from college – working as a recruiter for Epic Systems. Fantastic food but a rough country to visit.
This tikka masala looks so good, a great weeknight meal option!
I am the WORST at using my slow cooker! I really need to change that.
Slow cooker Indian food…oh yes please! Going to try this out asap!
Is the chicken raw or already cooked when you put it in the slow cooker?
Raw, mine was actually still partially frozen when I put it in. Hope you enjoy!
I need more recipes for my slow cooker and yours looks divine!!
Pretty good flavors – but the result wasn’t anywhere near the color in that photo. Pale creamy pinkish/orange, not bright tomato red (as in the photo, and at most restaurants).
Did you use the full large can of tomato puree. I have noticed that substituting other tomato products has altered the color. Glad you liked the flavors.
Hey Annie,
I had the same problem! The second I got everything in the pot immediately I knew the color was off. But I double checked everything, and my ingredients were right on. Maybe it’s just manufacturer differences? I was disappointed, though. Pink (other than salmon) is such a weird/hard to eat color for food.
Jessica
I can only guess the color would be off a little because the tomato puree can be different depending on the brand. Did you add the cream at the very end, for the last 30 minutes of cooking?
This recipe looks absolutely delicious! I live in Mexico, and all the natural Greek yogurts are sweetened. Would you recommend anything else to use instead of Greek yogurt? I’m wondering if sour cream would do the trick.
Sour cream would work great or even regular plain yogurt if they have that. Hope you enjoy!
Can you get regular plain yogurt and paper coffee filters? I always have regular plain yogurt in my house and if I need Greek for a recipe, I just put the filter in a strainer and the yogurt in the filter. Let he water drain off and there you go! You could also put the yogurt in muslin or cheesecloth and hang it – I’ve even used a couple of paper towels in a pinch, which also works well. Good luck!
Great tips! You could even use plain yogurt in this. I just went for Greek to up the health benefits a little. But really it just makes it creamy!