Slow Cooker Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

This Slow Cooker Butter Chicken (also known as Chicken Makhani) is better than takeout! Tender chunks of chicken thigh in a rich, creamy tomato-based sauce packed with warm spices — a super easy, hands-off curry the whole family will love, made entirely in your crock pot.

Love curries? Why not try my Healthy Chicken Rogan Josh

Do you have a takeout night? Ours tends to be on a Thursday or Friday, because even food bloggers need time away from cooking! Sadly our favorite Indian takeout place has a pretty hefty price tag, so ordering is for special occasions only.

Butter Chicken is one of my fave curry recipes – who can resist the tender chunks of chicken smothered in an butter-rich creamy sauce? This slow cooker butter chicken recipe is easy-peasy – no browning, no fuss – your crock pot does all the work. So give your purse a break and make this insanely delicious curry at home – your family with thank you!

What’s Butter Chicken?

Butter Chicken, also referred to as Murgh Makhani, is among the most cherished dishes in India, celebrated for its luxurious and creamy tomato-based sauce and tender chicken. The word makhani translates as “with butter” in Hindi – indulgence is the name of the game with this dish.

So, here’s a fun fact: Butter Chicken was actually created by accident back in the ’50s at a Delhi restaurant called Moti Mahal. The chefs were looking for a creative way to use up leftover tandoori chicken, so they decided to slow-cook it in this rich, buttery tomato sauce. And that’s how Butter Chicken was born!

Here’s What You Will Need

This easy chicken curry doesn’t require a ton of ingredients, other than a few spices which add so much flavor to the rich sauce.

• Chicken: use boneless and skinless thighs. They are more tender and suitable for slow cooking.
• Onion, garlic and ginger – the holy trinity of curry aromatics
• Lemon juice to cut through the richness of the sauce
• Tomatoes and tomato paste or purée
• Spices: garam masala, smoked paprika, cayenne, turmeric, cumin
• Unsalted butter to enrich the sauce or coconut oil for a dairy free version
• Cream – heavy cream or full fat coconut milk for a dairy free version

This recipe uses boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2–2¼ lb / 900g–1kg total) — not chicken breast. Thighs stay tender over the long, low cook; if you swap in breast, start checking for doneness closer to the 2.5-hour mark.

How to Make Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Curry

1. Put all the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blitz to a smooth paste.

1. Cut the chicken thighs into cubes removing any large pieces of fat. Add the paste into your slow cooker and mix in the diced chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or on LOW for 5 hours.

1. Stir in the butter until it melts into the sauce and add the cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning (if needed).

Serving Suggestions

Butter Chicken is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor – so it pairs best with simple, fluffy carbs that soak up that gorgeous sauce!

• Rice – Fragrant, fluffy, and the perfect partner to curry. Try my easy pilau rice recipe for a classic combo that never fails. This Easy Coconut Rice Recipe is another wonderful option!
• Homemade Flatbreads – Skip the store-bought and make your own two-ingredeint flatbreads – they’re perfect for scooping up every last bit of sauce. Want to push the boat out? Make these delectable Garlic Naan.
• Make It a Feast – Add a side of dal for a proper curry night at home!
• Serious amounts of butter and cream make butter chicken suitable for keto and low-carb diet devotees, served over cauliflower rice or with steamed greens.

Storage and Freezing

• Storing: Let leftovers cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The flavors actually deepen the longer butter chicken sits in the fridge! Stir in some water or extra cream when reheating to loosen the sauce, as needed.
• Freezing: Butter chicken freezes beautifully, but ideally you would leave the cream out before doing so. Portion into freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags (flattened for easy stacking). Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently over low on the stove, stirring the cream in at the end to warm through.

Frequently Asked Questions

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are ideal because they stay juicy and don’t dry out during long, slow cooking.

No — browning the chicken first can deepen flavor, but it’s not required. The slow cooker will cook the chicken until it’s tender and it will absorb all the wonderful aromas and flavors of the curry.

Butter Chicken is not especially hot. Add chopped green chilies, cayenne, or extra chili powder for a spicy kick.

Full fat coconut milk or, ideally, coconut cream makes a lovely dairy‑free version. It changes the flavor slightly, but the curry will still taste rich and delicious.

To keep the sauce silky, add the cream at the end of cooking and warm through on low. Full-fat dairy products are more forgiving and less likely to split.

Yes but skip the cream — freeze fully cooled butter chicken in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently on the stove or microwave.

They’re similar, but butter chicken is usually creamier and sweeter with a milder spice profile. Chicken tikka masala has more tomato and spices, and is slightly tangier as it contains yogurt.

Not recommended for the full cook time; breast can dry out. If you do, check it earlier and pull it as soon as it’s cooked through.

HAVE YOU MADE MY SLOW COOKER BUTTER CHICKEN CURRY? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde and make my day!