Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 240 minutes

Servings:

Ingredients

  • 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cm piece whole ginger, peeled and grated
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 700g can diced tomatoes
  • 200ml heavy cream or coconut milk
  • Fresh coriander, chopped
Metric
Cooking Mode

Instructions

Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a 3-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of garam masala, paprika, and kosher salt until the chicken is evenly covered with spices. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices.

“If you have the time: Marinate the chicken in 1/2 cup yogurt for up to 6 hours. Shake to remove excess yogurt before transferring to the slow cooker.”

“If you have the time: Sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet until softened, then stir in the ginger, tomato paste, and spices until fragrant. Transfer to the slow cooker with the chicken and diced tomatoes. This will give your tikka masala more depth of flavor.”

Cover the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Fifteen minutes before the end of cooking, stir in the heavy cream. If you prefer a thicker sauce, leave the slow cooker uncovered for the last 15 minutes. Taste and add more garam masala or salt to taste.

Once your Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is done cooking, serve it hot over a bed of fluffy basmati rice or with some warm naan bread. The beauty of this dish is that it can easily be adapted to fit your taste preferences—you can add more spice, cream, or vegetables to make it your own.