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.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
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!!
Made this today, and another flavor packed, easy recipe from Beth. I added packaged samosas and a jar of chutney from Trader Joe’s and had a delicious full Indian meal at home for a fraction of the cost.
Hi Beth, love your site. It’s so budget friendly and creative. could you add more insta pot recipes? i’ve been trying ones in some cook books and they did not turn out right. but i do trust your recipe testing! thanks
Hi Lee, I’ve actually decided not to do more Instant Pot recipes because I don’t feel like it’s an affordable or essential appliance. I feel like I would recommend someone buying a slow cooker and/or a rice cooker before investing in an Instant Pot. While it is a fun and versatile appliance, it’s definitely more of a luxury or convenience item. I’m sorry to disappoint! I do however suggest checking out hippressurecooking.com They have done an extensive amount of testing and research on cooking with the IP and I trust their recipes and advice. :)
superb recipe. i used a little more of the spices since i didnt have enough, and i also used some more turmeric. Tasted extremely good. Oh, also I didnt use a slow cooker. I just had a pot on the stove and kept it on low for an hour. Turned out great.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was tasty! The best part about it was I had almost every ingredient in my pantry already. Had some fresh steamed broccoli on the side.
Made this tonight and it was terrific! Really tasty and not hard to put together. I actually didn’t make it in the slow cooker (forgot about doing it earlier in the day!) but it turned out just fine. Took about 30 min.
Only differences I made: cooked the chicken all the way through (about 4 min per side instead of 3) and adding a little water to pan first to deglaze before adding onions.
Simmered the sauce for about 10 min, added the cream, then put chicken back in. So good! Served with basmati rice and cauliflower. The sauce was really nice on cauliflower.
How would you adjust this for an Instant Pot? I made it as written with chicken breast chunks and had way too much sauce. It tastes amazing, but I hate to have so much sauce leftover.
I’m not sure how easy this one would be to translate to the IP because you need at least one cup of liquid for the IP to generate enough steam pressure to cook correctly.
Thank you for updating this one! It didn’t taste too tomato-y at all, and I finally have a recipe for Indian food I can make at home (yay!) I left out the cayenne because I don’t like too much heat, and there was just enough spice from the garam masala to make it perfect for me. My husband was also a huge fan, so this one will likely be making it into the semi-regular rotation at our house. :)
One note on the recipe, though, as I think there may be an error: In the list of ingredients, it says 15 ounces of tomato sauce, but under the photo for that step it says to add in 8 ounces of tomato sauce. I had a minor “oh no!” moment after adding the 15 ounces and thinking I may have accidentally used double what I was meant to. That turned out not to be the case, though, and the dish was great. Thanks again!
Thank you! Fixing right now!!
We just tried the updated version last night with sauteed squash and broccoli. IT WAS A HIT! Everyone had seconds, some even had thirds. Soo much better!
Yay! Thank you!!
I just made the updated recipe today, and the outcome was wonderful – made the house smell amazing! I paired it with farro for dinner. After it was finished cooking, I removed the chicken and blended the onion into the tomato sauce to create a smoother sauce.
I used only 3-4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream (just my taste level) and eyeballed 8oz of some basic (Ragu type), tomato sauce, for 1.7lbs of chicken thighs. I used regular paprika instead of smoked, but next time I’ll try the latter! As is usual for slow cooker dishes, some salt was needed at the end to brighten it all up.
Thanks so much for the update!
This recipe is a hands-down success for us. I proceeded with caution based on some of the reviews, knowing to pay attention to the spices–critical in any at-home Indian cooking! My family of 6 (2 adults, 4 littles) loves Indian food and would happily have takeout as often as we could manage…Alas! This keeps it in the budget, eh? I followed measurements and directions for the most part, adding about 2T tomato paste and some water to stretch the sauce a bit. I browned nearly 2 lb trimmed chicken thighs in the spices, which included fresh, wonderful Garam Masala. Don’t skimp on that, nor the smoked paprika. I did fail to add the cream at the end–would’ve been milk for us, anyway–and we didn’t miss it, though I’m sure it would’ve been a heavenly addition. Plain basmati rice, green beans, and naan rounded it out. I’ve cooked countless mediocre Indian meals at home; this wasn’t one of them. What I LOVE is that this didn’t take me forever and a day. Thanks, Beth!
I adapted this for the instant pot/ pressure cooker and it worked beautifully! I also made a couple substitutions:
– 1 part cumin+1/4 part all spice mix instead of garam masala
– coconut milk instead of cream
Follow instructions as written, add everything to your pressure cooker, put on high pressure (or stew setting) for 15 minutes, release pressure manually, shred chicken, put on saute to reduce sauce to your preference.
I will say this is a verrry mild recipe (not that I have had tons of tikka masala to compare to, so maybe this is spot on!). The flavors are delicious, but once i served on rice, I wished I had more sauce and more spice. I will probably double the sauce to chicken ratio next time and maybe increase the spice/tomato. Over all this was very easy and delicious!
The garam masala is such a big part of this dish’s flavour, so I’m not surprised that your version with the substitution was pretty mild.
Thank you for the great instant pot conversion though! :)
I didnt have the garam masala and wasnt sure if i wanted to invest on it. I upped the spices a bit to add a bit more spice to it and it was perfect. It shredded so easily! Delicious. This is gonna be a regular one.
I made this as a lunch meal prep this week. The new spice blend takes the this version up a level from the original, which I have made many times. I did skip the browning of the chicken and onions because for me the slow cooker is a way to bypass a lot of the fuss of making a meal. I prefer the set it and forget it method, so I’m willing to compromise on any extra flavor from the browning. I also find that a lot of the flavor from the spices gets “cooked out” in the slow cooker, so I just add more to taste at the end.
A trick I learned from an Indian friend of mine the first time I tried to make the real thing: Tikka is basically just tandoori with ghee/cream.
If you don’t have all the spices listed and don’t want to drop a lot of money if you don’t think you’ll use them a lot just use a packet of pre-mixed tandoori spices. It’s pretty much the same thing.
This recipe sounds absolutely delicious. Got to give it a try.
Being a fan of Indian food, I also got my hands on this heat and eat version of chicken tikka masala. We all have those lazy/tiring days when we want comfort food without having to spend an hour in the kitchen. This entree came to my rescue. Thought I’d share: https://sukhis.com/product/chicken-tikka-masala-4/
Made this last night for dinner. Hubby and I LOVED it! We used cilantro lime rice instead of plain white rice + cilantro, and it was perfect. Plenty of leftovers, too — we even froze some for a future meal. We basically love all of your recipes. Thanks for giving us something new and different to add to the rotation!
Funny you should post this right now, as I was craving something like Tikka Masala. I was also a little underwhelmed with the previous recipe, so I’m quite excited about trying this new one.
I have a question though: I dredged my chicken pieces in the spice blend, so they got as coated as they could be. However, I have quite a bit of spice blend left. I know you won’t see this in time for my current batch (I just put it all in the slow cooker) but in the future, should we dump any remaining spice blend in? If so, that might be good to mention. Otherwise, I love your recipes and your site. Thanks for all you do!
Yes, your intuition is good. :) I’d probably dump those extra spices in, too.