I love simplifying recipes and making them accessible for the average everyday American cook, with simple ingredients and simple prep, but I think went too far with the original version of this Slow Cooker Tikka Masala recipe. When I made it again recently I thought, “yeah, I can do better than this.” So I got back in the kitchen and started tweaking and testing. I’m happy to say that this new and improved version is richer, has more spices, a more complex flavor, and is far less “tomato-y.” But don’t worry, if you’re a fan of the original, there is a link to download the old version of the Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala below. ;)
Recipe Updates
So what did I do to improve this chicken tikka masala recipe? A few very important things…
The spice mix: I beefed up the spice mix a bit to make the flavors more complex, adding some cumin, turmeric, and smoked paprika to give extra smoky flavor that mimics the fire licked flavor of traditional chicken tikka masala.
Searing: I decided to add an extra step to this process, which might seem fussy to some, but it totally changes the flavor. Searing the seasoned meat before it goes into the slow cooker adds a ton of flavor from the maillard reaction and from toasting the spices. Likewise, sautéing the onions also changes their flavor and soaks up any bits of spices and chicken flavor left over in the skillet. Do NOT skip this step. It goes fast, I promise.
Less Tomato Sauce: One of the most common criticisms of the old recipe is that it tasted way too tomato-y. Upon remaking the recipe, I agreed so I reduced the tomato sauce by half, and the result was PERFECT. 👍Good call, everyone!
And if you love the old recipe, click here to download the pdf.
Recipe Substitutions and Options:
Chicken: You can use chicken breast in place of the chicken thighs, although it tends to not be as tender or juicy. I suggest cutting it into cubes before seasoning with the spices to maximize the flavor.
Cream: You can use full-fat yogurt or full-fat coconut milk in place of the cream.
Tomato Sauce: Tomato sauce is a common product in the U.S., but I know it’s not readily available in other countries. The closest product would probably be passata. You may need to add a bit more salt at the end if using passata, as tomato sauce contains salt.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Servings 6Ingredients
- 1.5 Tbsp garam masala ($0.45)
- 1/2 tsp cumin ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne (optional) ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.02)
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs ($5.78)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 1 yellow onion, diced ($0.32)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced ($0.24)
- 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger ($0.11)
- 1 15oz. can tomato sauce ($0.50)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream ($0.32)
For Serving
- 4 cups cooked rice ($0.70)
- 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro ($0.17)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the garam masala, cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, salt, cayenne, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks of a pepper mill). Sprinkle the spice mix over both sides of the chicken thighs, coating them liberally.
- Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the seasoned chicken and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until well browned (the chicken does not need to be cooked through). Transfer the seared chicken to the slow cooker.
- Add the diced onion to the skillet and continue to cook until the onions are soft and slightly browned on the edges. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the onions to the slow cooker, then add 1/4 cup of water to the skillet and stir to dissolve the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Pour the water into the slow cooker.
- Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and tomato sauce to the slow cooker with the chicken and onion. Briefly stir, then place the lid on top, and turn the slow cooker on. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
- After 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low, the chicken should be fall-apart tender. Turn the slow cooker off, then add the heavy cream. Stir gently to combine the cream with the tomato sauce. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed.
- To serve, spoon the chicken and tomato sauce over cooked rice and top with fresh cilantro.
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala – Step by Step Photos
Start by preparing the spice mix. In a small bowl, combine 1.5 Tbsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (leave out if you want it mild), and some freshly cracked pepper (about 10 cranks of a pepper mill).
Sprinkle the seasoning mix over both sides of 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Make sure they are liberally coated.
Heat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the seasoned chicken, and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, or until well browned. The chicken does not need to be cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker.
Add the diced onion to the hot skillet and sautée for a few minutes more, or just until the onions are soft and a little browned on the edges. The onions will pick up some of the spices left behind by the chicken, which is a good thing, but we want to get ALL the flavor left behind. So, transfer the onions to the slow cooker, remove the skillet from the heat, add 1/4 cup water, and stir to dissolve all the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet. Pour that water into the slow cooker.
Also add 3 cloves of minced garlic and about 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger to the slow cooker.
Finally, pour 15 oz. tomato sauce into the slow cooker and give everything a brief stir.
Close the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
The chicken should be fall-apart tender after cooking.
Add 1/3 cup heavy cream to the slow cooker and give everything a gentle stir.
Give the sauce a taste and add salt, if needed. Remember, salt can magnify flavors, sometimes adding just a pinch can be a game changer.
To serve your Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala, spoon over cooked rice and top with fresh cilantro. Or, serve with naan bread on the side. Creamy and delicious!!
This recipe has become a staple in our house hold after trying it on a whim. Living in Maine, chili and soups are well loved, but get old quickly during our long winter months. We were looking for a new, warming dish, and thanks to you, Beth, we got just what what we needed. In fact, my car is heating as I type this, so I can run to the store for chicken thighs.
Your recipes have never let us down, while being so kind to tour wallets. Thank you for keeping us well feed while feeling fiscally responsible.
All the very best to you.
Elizabeth
This makes us so happy to hear! Thanks for sharing Elizabeth.
This was so good. Even my young kids ate it! :) Definitely making this again. Thanks so much!
I made it as written, (but cooked it in my InstantPot).
Hooray! Great work Lauren!
Great! I made this tonight and it came out amazing. I did follow some suggestions from other reviews, and cut the chicken into cubes before sauteing for max flavor and also doubled the amount of spices. Doubling the spices I think was key, for it came out really tasty and I’m not sure it would have tasted as good with the original amount of spices. I also used a can of full fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream, that I added at the end. I paired this with jasmine rice and BudgetByte’s homemade naan and it was a great dinner! Can’t wait to make this a staple.
Oh! I also added some cubed sweet potato and carrots to the crock pot to give it some more substance, 5/5 would recommend!!
Love hearing how this all came together for you Bianca! Thank you for sharing.
I made it for a second time. Cut the chicken into chunks to make it better and more seasoned. Added extra spices for all the ingredients in the middle of cooking instead of having to cook it extra after adding more. You 100% need to almost double everything or else it will be bland & taste like tomatoes.
Great tips Andrew!
I’m not sure in what world it is okay to use 1/2 tsp of salt for 2 pounds of chicken.
You can always salt to your liking!
Thank you for this! I substituted the heavy cream for coconut milk and it was very very good! The chicken was so tender. I thought it needed a bit more heat but that’s pretty easy to add afterward. This was the first slow cooker recipe i’ve tried in a long time and i am wondering why i ever stopped using it.
Thanks so much for sharing Serena!
VERY BLAND. had to add more of all spices (probably close to doubling it directly into the gravy! Used the spices direct on the chicken when searing it.) once adding more spices, it tastes like Tikka Masala. Before, it was tomato sauce. Was bland af. Add another set of of the spices into the sauce before you start cooking it or maybe half way through. It will pay off! I used it at high for 3 hours. Not sure if that messed it up but it was so bland and nothing close to a restaurant dish. Needs much more spice! Also it’s not spicy AT ALL. Not even Mild or medium heat from Indian restaurants
Sorry to hear this Andy! Let me know if I can help you trouble shoot the recipe.
If I make this in my instant pit, do I need to include extra liquid?
Hi Courtney! We haven’t but a few previous commenters have “I moved recently and don’t have a stove, but I was able to make this in my instant pot using the saute setting and then slow cooking it. It worked out great, in fact I think the chicken turned out better than it has when Ive made this before, but maybe I just got better chicken this time. Our grocery store didn’t have garam masala this time so I made my own and it still tasted great!”
I’ve made this a bunch over the last couple of years–love the updates! And tonight I did it in the pressure cooker–sautéed the chicken in the insert, removed, then sautéed the onion, deglazed the bottom and mixed everything else (except cream) back in, hit the “chicken” button and it turned out great! Mixed in some peas and baby spinach, along with the cream, after I released the pressure. Delicious!
Great recipe super easy and very yummy. Please edit the method though as in step 4 u write “add 1/4 of water” The first time I made this I thought u must mean add one quart so I added 950mls of water instead of a quarter cup…. It was very watery… I noticed afterwards in the pictures it says 1/4 cup it explained a lot.
Thanks Linton! We’ll get that fixed.
Great recipe. 1 tip find a local Indian grocer for the spices. I read some reviews that skipped grama marsala because they didn’t have it. It is really expensive in the big name brand grocery stores if you can find it. At a Indian grocer you can get a huge bag of it for under $3.
Great tip Markus!
Really want to try this! I have some leftover tikka masala curry paste I need to use up, any ideas for incorporating it into this recipe? I thought maybe halve the spices and add a tablespoon of the paste?
Thanks!
I haven’t used tikka masala paste before, so I don’t know exactly what’s in it, but I’m guessing it’s a combo of the spices, garlic, and ginger. So you might be able to just use that in place of all three in this recipe! But it’s hard to say without tasting it or knowing what’s in it.
This was delicious! I used the saute function on my instant pot for the onions and chicken. Coconut milk in place of the heavy cream. And we threw in a little can of peas and a ton of steamed cauliflower at the end to stretch the delicious sauce as far as it would go.
Great idea!
I moved recently and don’t have a stove, but I was able to make this in my instant pot using the saute setting and then slow cooking it. It worked out great, in fact I think the chicken turned out better than it has when Ive made this before, but maybe I just got better chicken this time. Our grocery store didn’t have garam masala this time so I made my own and it still tasted great!
That’s great!
Good to know!
Great starter recipe! Definitely going to use yogurt next time and up the spices.