13 Crockpot Butter Chicken Recipes That Make the Sauce Do the Work

Butter chicken is a crockpot dish where low heat actually improves the sauce, and these crockpot butter chicken recipes prove it. Chicken thighs stay tender while tomato, butter, cream, and warm spices melt into a smooth, slightly sweet curry. The versions below take that same foundation in different directions, from smoky heat to dairy-free and freezer-ready.

If you want the benchmark bowl, start with Classic Creamy Crockpot Butter Chicken. Pick Spicy Chili Garlic Butter Chicken when heat matters, Coconut Milk Butter Chicken for dairy-free, and Freezer Bag Butter Chicken when you are planning ahead.

Which Butter Chicken Should You Make?

Classic Creamy Crockpot Butter Chicken

This is the version I make when someone asks what butter chicken should taste like. You get a smooth tomato and butter sauce with tender chicken, no stovetop babysitting required.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 900 g (2 lb)
• Plain full fat yogurt: 180 g (3/4 cup)
• Canned tomato puree: 400 g (14 oz)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 85 g (6 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Garlic ginger paste: 3 tbsp
• Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi): 1 tbsp
• Honey and kosher salt: 2 tsp plus 1 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the 180 g (3/4 cup) yogurt, 400 g (14 oz) tomato puree, 3 tbsp garlic ginger paste, 2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, 1 tbsp fenugreek leaves, and the honey and salt in your slow cooker until the sauce is smooth and no yogurt streaks remain. Add the 900 g (2 lb) chicken and turn the pieces with a spoon so every chunk is coated.

Step 2: Scatter the 85 g (6 tbsp) butter over the top, cover with the lid, and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. The chicken should feel tender when you press a piece against the side and the sauce will have deepened to a brick red.

Step 3: Pour in the 120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream, stir it through with a wide spoon, and let the sauce warm for 15 minutes with the lid off. You can taste the sauce now and add a little extra salt if the tomato still tastes sharp.

Step 4: Crumble an extra pinch of fenugreek leaves over the top and fold them in. Serve the butter chicken over steamed basmati rice or with warm naan, spooning plenty of sauce onto each plate.

Extra Smoky Fire Roasted Butter Chicken

This one leans into smoke without a grill. Fire roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika give the sauce a campfire depth that plays well with the butter.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 1 kg (2.2 lb)
• Fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained: 2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz)
• Plain full fat yogurt: 120 g (1/2 cup)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 60 g (4 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 80 ml (1/3 cup)
• Garlic, minced: 5 cloves
• Smoked paprika: 1 tbsp
• Garam masala: 1 tbsp
• Ground cumin: 1 tsp
• Brown sugar and kosher salt: 2 tsp plus 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Pour the 2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) fire roasted tomatoes with their juices, 120 g (1/2 cup) yogurt, 5 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp cumin, and the brown sugar and salt into your blender. Blend until the mixture is completely smooth, then pour it into the slow cooker.

Step 2: Add the 1 kg (2.2 lb) chicken chunks to the sauce and stir so they are submerged. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours, until the chicken is soft enough to pull apart with your spoon.

Step 3: Drop in the 60 g (4 tbsp) butter and pour in the 80 ml (1/3 cup) heavy cream. Stir gently for a minute as the butter melts, then let the sauce warm for 10 minutes with the lid off.

Step 4: Taste the sauce and add another pinch of salt if the smokiness needs rounding out. Serve it over rice or with charred naan, and dust a little extra smoked paprika on top if you want more depth.

Spicy Chili Garlic Butter Chicken

This is for nights when you want the sauce to hit back a little. Fresh green chilies join a spoonful of cayenne, and the garlic gets doubled.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 900 g (2 lb)
• Canned crushed tomatoes: 400 g (14 oz)
• Plain full fat yogurt: 120 g (1/2 cup)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 70 g (5 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 80 ml (1/3 cup)
• Garlic ginger paste: 3 tbsp
• Fresh green chilies, slit lengthwise: 3
• Garam masala: 1 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Ground cayenne and kosher salt: 1/2 tsp plus 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Stir the 400 g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes, 120 g (1/2 cup) yogurt, 3 tbsp garlic ginger paste, 1 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, and the cayenne and salt together in your slow cooker until blended. Drop in the 3 slit green chilies and leave them whole so their heat infuses slowly.

Step 2: Add the 900 g (2 lb) chicken pieces and turn them until they are coated, then cover and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours. You will smell the garlic and chili before you lift the lid.

Step 3: Remove the green chilies if you want moderate heat, or leave them in for a fiercer sauce. Stir in the 70 g (5 tbsp) butter and 80 ml (1/3 cup) cream until the butter melts completely.

Step 4: Let the sauce sit on warm for 10 minutes so the cream holds without curdling, then taste it. Serve the butter chicken with plain rice and a spoon of cooling yogurt on the side.

Coconut Milk Butter Chicken

Coconut milk makes this dairy-free but still rich, and it brings a slight natural sweetness to the tomato. I use full fat coconut milk because light coconut turns watery.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 1 kg (2.2 lb)
• Full fat coconut milk: 400 ml (1 3/4 cups)
• Canned tomato puree: 400 g (14 oz)
• Coconut oil: 2 tbsp
• Yellow onion, finely diced: 1 medium
• Garlic ginger paste: 2 tbsp
• Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Ground turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tsp plus 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
• Kosher salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Warm the 2 tbsp coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the diced onion for 5 minutes, until it turns soft and translucent. Add the 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste, 2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric, and 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, and stir for 30 seconds until your kitchen smells toasty.

Step 2: Scrape the onion and spice mixture into your slow cooker, then add the 400 g (14 oz) tomato puree and 1 tsp salt. Stir in the 1 kg (2.2 lb) chicken chunks, coating them completely, and cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

Step 3: Shake the can of coconut milk well, then pour in the full 400 ml (1 3/4 cups) and add the 1 tbsp lemon juice. Stir the sauce until it turns a soft orange and let the chicken warm through for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Taste and add a little more salt if the sauce needs it. Serve this one over jasmine rice with a wedge of lime on the side.

Low Carb Cauliflower Butter Chicken

Roasting the cauliflower while the chicken cooks keeps it from turning mushy, and you get a low carb bowl that still feels substantial.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 900 g (2 lb)
• Cauliflower florets, cut into small trees: 600 g (6 cups)
• Canned tomato puree: 400 g (14 oz)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 80 g (5 1/2 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Garlic ginger paste: 2 tbsp
• Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Ground turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tsp plus 1 tbsp
• Olive oil, for roasting: 2 tbsp
• Kosher salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: In your slow cooker, stir the 400 g (14 oz) tomato puree, 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste, 2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, and 1 tsp salt into a smooth sauce. Add the 900 g (2 lb) chicken and turn the chunks until they are evenly coated, then cover and cook on low for 5 hours.

Step 2: Heat your oven to 425F (220C) and toss the 600 g (6 cups) cauliflower florets with the 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt on a sheet pan. Spread them in one layer and roast for 20 minutes, flipping once, while the chicken finishes cooking.

Step 3: Stir the 80 g (5 1/2 tbsp) butter and 120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream into the cooked chicken. Keep the sauce on warm for 10 minutes so the butter melts and the sauce thickens a little around the edges.

Step 4: Spoon the roasted cauliflower into shallow bowls and ladle the butter chicken over the top. You want the sauce to soak into the cauliflower but still hold some texture.

Cashew Cream Restaurant Style Butter Chicken

That pale orange, almost velvet sauce you get from a good restaurant often starts with cashew cream. This version copies that idea in a slow cooker.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 1.1 kg (2 1/2 lb)
• Raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes: 100 g (3/4 cup)
• Canned tomato puree: 400 g (14 oz)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 90 g (6 1/2 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 60 ml (1/4 cup)
• Garlic, minced: 5 cloves
• Fresh ginger, finely grated: 1 tbsp
• Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Honey and kosher salt: 2 tsp plus 1 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Drain the 100 g (3/4 cup) soaked cashews and drop them into your blender with 120 ml (1/2 cup) of water. Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth and looks like heavy cream, then pour it into the slow cooker.

Step 2: Add the 400 g (14 oz) tomato puree, 5 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, and the honey and salt. Whisk everything together, then stir in the 1.1 kg (2 1/2 lb) chicken chunks until coated.

Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender. Stir in the 90 g (6 1/2 tbsp) butter and 60 ml (1/4 cup) heavy cream, and let the sauce warm for 10 minutes with the lid off.

Step 4: Taste the sauce and add a touch more salt if it feels flat. Serve this restaurant style butter chicken with basmati rice and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Tandoori Spiced Yogurt Butter Chicken

I char the chicken under the broiler before it goes into the slow cooker, which gives you that tandoori edge without a clay oven.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, left whole: 1 kg (2.2 lb)
• Plain full fat yogurt: 200 g (3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp)
• Tandoori masala: 2 tbsp
• Canned tomato puree: 400 g (14 oz)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 75 g (5 1/2 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 100 ml (7 tbsp)
• Garlic ginger paste: 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice: 2 tbsp
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Kosher salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Toss the 1 kg (2.2 lb) chicken thighs with 100 g (1/2 cup) of the yogurt, 1 tbsp of the tandoori masala, and 1 tsp salt in a bowl until every piece is coated. Cover and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes while your broiler heats up.

Step 2: Place the chicken on a foil lined sheet pan and broil it 4 inches from the heat for 4 minutes per side, until you see dark charred spots on the edges. The chicken will not be cooked through yet, and that is fine.

Step 3: In your slow cooker, stir together the remaining 100 g (1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp) yogurt, 400 g (14 oz) tomato puree, 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste, the remaining 1 tbsp tandoori masala, 1 tsp garam masala, and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Add the charred chicken and any juices, cover, and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 1/2 hours.

Step 4: Stir in the 75 g (5 1/2 tbsp) butter and 100 ml (7 tbsp) cream. Let the sauce warm for 10 minutes, then serve the chicken with the sauce spooned over rice or naan.

Sweet Mango Butter Chicken

Mango puree rounds out the tomato and chili, and it makes the sauce a little glossy without extra cream. This one goes over well with kids.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 900 g (2 lb)
• Ripe mango puree: 240 ml (1 cup)
• Canned tomato puree: 400 g (14 oz)
• Plain full fat yogurt: 100 g (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 70 g (5 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 60 ml (1/4 cup)
• Garlic ginger paste: 2 tbsp
• Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Mild chili powder: 2 tsp
• Kosher salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Stir the 240 ml (1 cup) mango puree, 400 g (14 oz) tomato puree, 100 g (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp) yogurt, 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste, 2 tbsp garam masala, 2 tsp mild chili powder, and 1 tsp salt in your slow cooker. The sauce will be thicker than most, which is what you want for this sweeter version.

Step 2: Add the 900 g (2 lb) chicken chunks and fold them through the sauce until each piece is coated, then cover and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours. The mango will mellow as it cooks.

Step 3: Stir in the 70 g (5 tbsp) butter and 60 ml (1/4 cup) cream, and let the sauce warm for 10 minutes with the lid off. You can taste it now and add a pinch more salt if the sweetness needs balance.

Step 4: Serve the mango butter chicken over coconut rice or plain basmati, with a few thin slices of fresh mango on top if you have them.

Spinach Paneer Butter Chicken

Paneer soaks up the sauce without falling apart, and spinach wilts in at the end so it keeps some texture.

Ingredients (makes 5 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 800 g (1.8 lb)
• Paneer, cut into 2 cm cubes: 225 g (8 oz)
• Frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry: 300 g (3 cups)
• Canned tomato puree: 400 g (14 oz)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 60 g (4 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 100 ml (7 tbsp)
• Garlic ginger paste: 2 tbsp
• Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Kosher salt: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the 400 g (14 oz) tomato puree, 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste, 2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, and 1 tsp salt in your slow cooker. Add the 800 g (1.8 lb) chicken chunks and stir until they are coated, then cover and cook on low for 5 hours.

Step 2: Thirty minutes before the chicken finishes, gently fold in the 225 g (8 oz) paneer cubes and the 300 g (3 cups) squeezed spinach. You want the spinach to break up into the sauce but not dissolve completely.

Step 3: Stir in the 60 g (4 tbsp) butter and 100 ml (7 tbsp) cream, then cover and continue cooking on low for the final 25 minutes so the paneer absorbs the sauce.

Step 4: Check the seasoning and add more salt if the spinach dulled the spices. Serve this one in deep bowls with rice or warm roti on the side.

High Protein Lentil Butter Chicken

Red lentils break down into the sauce and add body, protein, and a peppery earthiness that holds up to the spices.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
• Red lentils, rinsed: 200 g (1 cup)
• Canned crushed tomatoes: 800 g (28 oz)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 80 g (5 1/2 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Yellow onion, finely diced: 1 large
• Garlic ginger paste: 3 tbsp
• Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Kosher salt: 1 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Warm 1 tbsp of the butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook the diced onion for 5 minutes, until it softens. Add the 3 tbsp garlic ginger paste, 2 tbsp garam masala, and 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, and stir for 30 seconds until your kitchen smells fragrant.

Step 2: Scrape the onion mixture into your slow cooker and stir in the 800 g (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, 200 g (1 cup) rinsed red lentils, and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Add the 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) chicken chunks and stir everything together.

Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 1/2 hours, until the lentils are soft and the chicken is tender. Stir in the remaining butter and the 120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream, then let the sauce warm for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Ladle the butter chicken into bowls and serve with rice, quinoa, or roasted cauliflower. You will have thick, filling sauce that clings to the spoon.

Freezer Bag Butter Chicken

You assemble everything in a freezer bag when you have ten minutes, then thaw and slow cook on a busy day. The sauce tastes just as good as a same day batch.

Ingredients (makes 2 freezer bags, 4 servings each)

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 cm chunks: 1.8 kg (4 lb)
• Plain full fat yogurt: 360 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Canned tomato puree: 800 g (28 oz)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 160 g (11 tbsp)
• Garlic ginger paste: 6 tbsp
• Garam masala: 4 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder: 2 tbsp
• Fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi): 2 tbsp
• Honey and kosher salt: 4 tsp plus 3 tsp
• Heavy cream, to stir in after cooking: 240 ml (1 cup)

Instructions

Step 1: Label two large freezer bags and divide all the ingredients except the 240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream evenly between them. Press out as much air as you can, seal the bags, and freeze flat for up to 3 months.

Step 2: The night before you plan to cook, move one bag to the fridge to thaw. In the morning, pour the contents into your slow cooker and break up any frozen chunks with a spoon.

Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 1/2 hours, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is bubbling at the edges. Stir once halfway through if you can.

Step 4: Pour in half of the 240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream per bag and stir it through. Let the sauce warm for 10 minutes, then serve the butter chicken with rice, naan, or a simple cucumber salad.

Crispy Broiled Butter Chicken

This one keeps the slow cooked sauce but gives the chicken a crackly top, because you broil the pieces right before you add the cream.

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

• Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, about 8 pieces: 1 kg (2.2 lb)
• Canned tomato puree: 400 g (14 oz)
• Plain full fat yogurt: 100 g (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 50 g (3 1/2 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 80 ml (1/3 cup)
• Garlic ginger paste: 2 tbsp
• Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Sugar and kosher salt: 1 tsp plus 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Stir the 400 g (14 oz) tomato puree, 100 g (1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp) yogurt, 2 tbsp garlic ginger paste, 2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, and the sugar and salt in your slow cooker. Add the 1 kg (2.2 lb) chicken thighs and turn them so the sauce coats the bottoms but the skin stays above the liquid.

Step 2: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, until the meat is tender enough to pull apart. Transfer the chicken thighs to a foil lined sheet pan, skin side up, and set your broiler to high.

Step 3: Broil the chicken 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes, watching so the skin crisps and chars without burning. While the chicken broils, stir the 50 g (3 1/2 tbsp) butter and 80 ml (1/3 cup) cream into the slow cooker sauce.

Step 4: Return the broiled chicken to the sauce, skin side up so it stays crisp. Serve each thigh with a spoonful of sauce and avoid covering the skin so you keep the crackle.

Shredded Butter Chicken Sliders

Butter chicken works surprisingly well on a soft slider bun, especially when the sauce is a little thicker. This version shreds the chicken and keeps the sauce clingy.

Ingredients (makes 12 sliders)

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: 1 kg (2.2 lb)
• Canned tomato puree: 400 g (14 oz)
• Plain full fat yogurt: 180 g (3/4 cup)
• Unsalted butter, cut into pieces: 50 g (3 1/2 tbsp)
• Heavy cream: 80 ml (1/3 cup)
• Garlic ginger paste: 3 tbsp
• Garam masala: 2 tbsp
• Kashmiri chili powder: 1 tbsp
• Honey and kosher salt: 2 tsp plus 1 tsp
• Soft slider buns: 12

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the 400 g (14 oz) tomato puree, 180 g (3/4 cup) yogurt, 3 tbsp garlic ginger paste, 2 tbsp garam masala, 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder, and the honey and salt in your slow cooker until smooth. Add the 1 kg (2.2 lb) chicken breasts and push them under the sauce.

Step 2: Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours, until the chicken shreds easily with two forks. Lift the chicken out onto a cutting board and shred it into thin, even pieces.

Step 3: Stir the 50 g (3 1/2 tbsp) butter and 80 ml (1/3 cup) cream into the sauce in the slow cooker, then return the shredded chicken and fold it through. Let it sit on warm for 15 minutes so the sauce thickens and clings.

Step 4: Split the 12 slider buns and pile the saucy chicken inside each one. Top with quick pickled red onion or a spoon of yogurt and serve the sliders right away.

The one thing that makes or breaks any butter chicken is how the cream goes in. Stir it off the heat or on the warm setting, never at a rolling boil, so the sauce stays smooth instead of separating. Pick a version that matches tonight, let the slow cooker do the heavy lifting, and sit down to something that tastes like you worked hard on it.