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. ;)
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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
- Slow Cooker
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!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!!
We made this last week in the slow cooker and it was AMAZING!!! I don’t keep cream on hand so when we used it each night I’d reheat it in the skillet and add a bit of cream cheese to it as well as a bit more garam masala and ginger. It also goes really well over pasta (for me everything goes really well over pasta), and I think you could make some kind of pizza out of it (or maybe Naan pizzas).
I’ve made a few Moroccan dishes which call for cinnamon and did not like them at all. Decided to try this since I didn’t think the cinnamon would be too pronounced in the garam masala, but unfortunately to me it is. Couldn’t eat more than a couple bites :( I love how easy the recipe was to make, though. Going to try your chicken and peppers recipe. Seems more to my tastes.
Do you use the Manual or Meat setting on the IP? Does 45 minutes include the time it takes for the IP to come to pressure or is it what it seems – the amount of time programmed? I cook tons of stuff in my IP – I really hate cooking and using my IP has made “cooking” fun again. SOOOOO glad you got one as I’ve been trying to convert some of your recipes to the IP…Lentil Bolognese is fabulous in the IP, by the way.
I just used the meat setting and selected “more” because the manual said that gives the fall off the bone effect. But in the recipe booklet that it comes with, the chart said that cut up chicken on the bone only needs 10-15 minutes. I did the longer option anyway because I figured it couldn’t hurt. :P The “more” setting set the timer to 45 minutes, which I assume was 45 minutes after it came up to pressure. It came up to pressure really fast, though.
This sounds absolutely divine! Chicken Tikka Masala is one of our favorite dishes as the local Indian restaurant. To come home a house smelling of it, hot and ready for dinner?! Yes, please!
This was so very good and simple! My husband has already requested a repeat. Also, I’m getting an Instant Pot 7-1 for Christmas! Excited! I’d love to hear what you do with the yogurt function.
A little tip for this kind of dishes when you’re using a stovepot cooker: Preheat, use a little oil, and actually fry the garam massala for a little while (30-60 seconds) before adding all the other ingredients and covering it.
Aside from it smelling crazy, it’ll also really revive the massala if you don’t have freshly made.
Thanks for the recipe! I used the slow cooker and it came out great. When I removed the chicken after cooking, I noticed the onions were still mostly intact so I used an immersion blender to make the sauce silky smooth before adding the chicken back in.
I love cooking chicken in the slow cooker, and this chicken looks amazing! I usually cook the chicken with the skin on. Then, I chill the chicken overnight so I can skim off the fat. This looks so much more convenient though.
No Curry? Would I use Curry in replacement of the ” garam masala”? I don’t have it in front of me, but I recall curry in chicken tikka?
“Curry” is not a spice, it is a mixture of spices. Garam masala is the main ingredient in curry powder. I know this isn’t intended to be super legit authentic but authentic Indian recipes usually call for garam masala and a mix of other signature spices, not curry powder.
Thanks Nicole.
Just looked up Curry, it basically the same thing. Except the Garam has Nutmeg and Cinnamon with it. Thanks again.
It was really an easy cooking according to your step by step procedure, thanks, I tried it and it worked to an excellent taste. To me it was bit tangy may be due to tomato sauce anyway I liked it.
I had to add a bit of sugar and some extra Garam Masala to mine as I also experienced a but of a tangy taste but once that was mixed in, it tasted delicious!
How different does this recipe taste from the (Not) Butter Chicken recipe? It has similar ingredients. I’m not complaining, I LOVE the butter chicken. Just curious. Also curious if the butter chicken recipe would work in the slow cooker if I followed these instructions to prepare it….
I think the butter chicken would work in the slow cooker, but you wouldn’t get the browning action on the chicken with the butter in the first step. :) I find that this (the tikka masala) was a little sweeter and the sauce had a bit more depth (hard to explain), probably from the caramelized sugars in the slow cooked tomato sauce. Also, the cream at the end of this recipe is more rich than the yogurt stirred into the butter chicken.
Thanks for the reply, I’m excited to try them both this way!
Mmmmmmmmm!!!! My mouth is watering right now!!!! :-)
If I don’t have tomato sauce on hand do you think passata would work? If I used your recommendation and added some tomato paste?
I’ve never used passata before, but from what I understand it’s pureed tomatoes, correct? I would probably add a tablespoon or two of tomato paste to that to thicken it just a bit and you may end up needing to add salt at the end if the passata doesn’t have any. :)
Do you think the “low” temp for an stove top pressure cooker would work?
for a* stove top
I’ve never used a stove top pressure cooker, so I’m not sure. :(
Oh, this sounds so yummy! I don’t eat meat so I’m very tempted to try this with tofu or a meat substitute :)
I LOVE cauliflower in Indian dishes. I wonder if that would work… :)
It might fall apart if cooked the entire time in the slow cooker. Perhaps if you add it closer to the end? Or roast it separately and stir it in after it cooks.
I was thinking maybe chickpeas to make a vegetarian version. I wonder if that would work well or not.
Yep, I’m sure it would be great. It would be a lot like my Quick Curried Chickpeas. :)