This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy
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
YUM!!! Tikka Masala is MY FAVORITE Indian food! Can’t wait to try out your crockpot version! Pinning 🙂
Found this on Pinterest– I can’t wait to try it! Greek yogurt is a great substitution for cream. Just know that if you use 0% fat, it’ll separate. This is one time when fat is good.
Sunday is cleaning day, so think I will try out this recipe then. Love Indian food. I have my own version of this recipe, but not in a slow cooker. Will definitely switch out the half and half for a can of light coconut milk though. Sounds delish!
I have a more time consuming (2 day, overnight marinating) version of this recipe, and I was very eager to give this one a try. I was not disappointed! I followed your recipe to the letter, and I thought it was FANTASTIC. I thought the color was perfect, I’m not sure what the other commenter had a problem with. I wonder if she used a 15oz can of tomato puree? Truly this was amazing.
I was so excited to make this recipe that I added everything in at once, rather than waiting to add the half-and-half (I subbed in coconut milk) and cornstarch. Do you think it will still be ok? I feel like such a dummy and I’m hoping I didn’t waste all of these ingredients.
I am sure it will work out fine. It might not be exactly the same, but the flavors should be there. You might need to add in more cornstarch at the end to thicken. Just watch it at the end and see what you think.
I made this recipe this week, and while the taste was fantastic, the cream and tomatoes did not blend well and looked like pink mush. Any suggestions for how to make this turn out creamier?
Did you use tomato puree? Tomato puree is smooth and when you use a whisk the cream (when added during the last 20 minutes), mixes in, and it should remain smooth. Did you make any substitutions?
This past weekend I just made this same dish with another recipe. I wish I had found this one instead. The other recipe made waaaaaaaay too much sauce for the amount of chicken. Now I have to figure some way to use all the extra sauce. I did use boneless skinless thighs. That worked out fine, except I had breasts in the freezer and had to shop
special for the thighs. Not that was a big deal. I also put it over linguini, which was deeply appreciated by my guests.
Just made this dish over the weekend and it was AMAZING. Huge hit with my friends. It was my first time making it at home and it tasted just as good as some of my favorite restaurants.
So glad that you enjoyed it – thanks for coming back to let me know!
I’m going to make this today but I’m just wondering is the tomato puree tomato paste? All I could find at my grocery store was either tomato paste or crushed tomatoes.
There is a product called tomato puree. It is similar to tomato sauce only a little thicker, but not nearly as thick as tomato paste. You could use crushed tomatoes, I would just run them through the food processor or blender first. Tomato Paste would have to be thinned out with water. Any tomato product will work, it might just later the color some. Enjoy!
thanks! I ended up mixing half tomato paste and half crushed tomatoes because I didn’t have enough of either lol I just added some water to it so we will see. It already smells great!
I’ve been looking for a chicken tikka masala recipe for a while now, without any kinds of hard-to-find ingredients. And it’s so great that this is done in the slow cooker! I’m a bit obsessed with my slow cooker. I can’t wait to try this- hopefully it will make my husband and I calm down on going out to get Indian food, which has not been good for our wallets. Thanks! 🙂