Chicken Tikka Masala (Slow Cooker Recipe!)

It’s my fall break from work this week which is really just an extra long weekend, nothing to get too excited about. I am taking the opportunity to get some things done around the house, and that includes stocking up on some more freezer meals for the next couple of months. One of my go to freezer dinners is slow cooker Chicken Tikka Masala. It’s so utterly delicious, and my son will devour an entire plate of it without thinking twice.

Chicken tikka masala incorporates one of my favorite things about Indian flavors- savory, sweet, and heat all mixed into one incredibly flavorful dish. It’s also a much healthier weeknight alternative to Indian takeout, which you should know by now is my  absolute favorite. Even though I could probably eat it once a week and never get sick of it, I try to limit it to once every couple of months to keep it special. This slow cooker recipe gives me the flavors that I crave from that Indian takeout without the price tag or influx of ghee.

And, it’s one of the best kind of slow cooker recipes: a dump and forget recipe. There really is no prep work beyond throwing everything in the pot. You can go on with the rest of your day, and come home to a delicious dinner that will make the entire house smell amazing!

To start, add the tomato sauce, greek yogurt, ginger, garlic, curry powder, cumin, garam masala, paprika, pepper, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon to the slow cooker. Stir everything together and add the chicken. Turn the slow cooker on low for 5 hours, then use a fork to shred the chicken.

Next, add the cream, lemon juice, and cilantro. Taste the sauce and add additional salt and cayenne to taste. I always add a little bit more of both at this point. Allow the chicken and sauce to cook on low for another 30-40 minutes.

I always serve this over basmati rice (my favorite kind of rice!), fresh cilantro, and naan.

That’s literally it! There you go, a wonderful dinner as easy as it gets!

This also freezes wonderfully! You can double the recipe and freeze the leftovers in a freezer ziplock bag for a super fast weeknight dinner. All you have to do is thaw and warm the sauce.

Let me know what you think, and have a wonderful weekend everyone!

• Servings: 6
• Time: 6 hours
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

Ingredients:
3-4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
2 cans tomato sauce
2 cups plain greek yogurt
2 tbsp fresh grated ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
2 cloves fresh garlic (or 1 tsp minced)
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp cumin
4 tsp garam masala
3 tsp paprika
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp cinnamon
1.5 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 handful chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:
1. Add to the slow cooker: tomato sauce, greek yogurt, ginger, garlic, curry powder, cumin, garam masala, paprika, pepper, salt, cayenne, and cinnamon. Stir everything together, then add the chicken. Turn slow cooker on low for 5 hours until chicken shreds easily. Shred the chicken with a fork.
2. Add cream, lemon juice, and cilantro. Allow slow cooker to cook for another 30-40 minutes. Taste halfway through- add additional salt and cayenne to taste.
3. Serve over basmati rice and with naan.