A classic British takeaway dish, all done in the slow cooker. Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is as simple as dumping all the ingredients in the slow cooker and letting it cook. A rich creamy tomato chicken curry with a little tang and spice, all done in the slow cooker. Homemade curry night just got easier and this is a real family favourite.
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We love making Homemade Fakeaways and this chicken tikka masala in the slow cooker couldn't be easier. No pre-cooking needed - just put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and turn it on.
Perfect for batch cooking and freezing and a great way to save money on takeaway too.
Our slow cooker is a sanity saver on busy weeknights when the kids have after school activities. Just put it on and come home to dinner ready to serve. This is such a family friendly curry too, as it's really mild.
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Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Ingredients
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken - We used chicken breasts, as we wanted to keep this nice and lean. However, if you wanted more flavour then you could use boneless and skinless chicken thighs which are much juicier. We chopped the chicken breast into bite sized pieces, but you could leave them whole and shred them at the end.
- Onion - Save yourself some time and use frozen onion.
- Chopped tomatoes - We like using these as it gives a chunky texture to the sauce. However, if you wanted it to be smoother, then you could use passata (tomato sauce in the US). Make sure you use the best quality tinned tomatoes you can for this slow cooker tikka masala, as the cheaper tins tend to be watery and you will end up with a thin sauce.
- Tikka paste - To save time, we have used store bought tikka masala paste. You can get some fantastic quality ones in the world food aisles of supermarkets now and it saves so much time. Feel free to make your own if you prefer.
- Garam masala - This gives the tikka masala recipe so much more flavour. A delicious blend of cumin, coriander, pepper, cinnamon and cloves.
- Garlic and ginger paste - We always have a jar of this in our fridge to make quick and easy curries. You could crush/grate fresh garlic and ginger if you prefer, or even use frozen.
- Tomato puree (tomato paste) - This not only adds an extra burst of tomato flavour, but helps to thicken and add colour too.
- Reduce fat crème fraîche - If you wanted to make this tikka masala a little lighter, then you could swap this for yogurt. You would need to temper the yogurt first, so it doesn't split. To do this, remove a little of the sauce from the slow cooker and mix in the yogurt. Then, put that mixture back into the slow cooker and stir well.
- Coriander (cilantro) - I know not everyone is a fan, but it adds a lovely freshness to the curry.
Variations
Vegetables - You could also add chopped mushrooms, aubergine (eggplant) and courgette (zucchini) in at the same time as the chicken. This would allow you to use less chicken and still have lots of chunky texture.
Budget - If you wanted to make this a bit more budget friendly, and reduce the amount of meat used, then swap half of the chicken for some lentils or chickpeas. You can also add some chunks of butternut squash or sweet potato to make it go further too.
How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Step 1
Add the chicken, onion, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic and ginger, tikka paste, garam masala, salt and pepper to the slow cooker.
Step 2
Stir well to mix everything together.
Step 3
Slow cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Step 4
Add the crème fraîche and stir it in. Serve with chopped coriander (cilantro) to garnish.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Serving Suggestions
Curry and rice is a classic combination and we have a few recipes for you to try. For something with lots of flavour, try our Turmeric Rice, Coconut Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice.
For a foolproof way of cooking rice, try our Oven Cooked Rice which gives you perfectly fluffy rice with minimal effort. For a really easy way of cooking rice, try our Microwave Rice recipe.
You can going to want something to scoop up all that delicious sauce with. Why not try our Easy Naan Bread recipe, or for something with a little more flavour try our Peshwari Naan recipe.
Storage and Meal Prep
Store: This is a great meal for batch cooking, so we always make extra. Once fully cooled, you can portion leftovers out an it will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: This slow cooker chicken tikka masala freezes really well. Portion into a freezer container (or a freezer bag so you can lay it flat) and it will keep in there for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Make sure it is fully defrosted, then you can reheat it in the microwave or frying pan. Make sure it is piping hot before serving. If it looks a little dry, then you can loosen the sauce up with a little boiling water.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Make sure you are using fresh spices. If you spices have been open for longer than 6 months, then they won't have much flavour and you won't get the best tasting chicken tikka curry.
- You can swap the crème fraîche for coconut milk if you wanted a more coconut flavour.
- Add some extra vegetables by stirring in some spinach just before serving, or cooking some chunks of butternut squash when the chicken goes into the slow cooker.
- To really finish this dish off with lots of extra flavour, and to add some sweetness that would make it more appealing to kids, add a big spoonful of mango chutney at the same time as the crème fraîche.
Frequently Asked Questions
There really is no rule here. We use a Morphy Richards Slow Cooker and we love it. What I love most about it is that you can put the bowl insert on the hob too. I also love that it has a clear lid, as I am so impatient that I want to keep looking and seeing what it is doing. If you don't have a clear lid, then lifting it to see will release lots of the heat and add to the cooking time.
More Curry Recipes
If you've tried this crockpot chicken tikka masala, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 600 g (1.33 lb) of Chicken breast - chopped into chunks
- 1 Onion - diced
- 400 g (14 oz) of Chopped tomatoes - canned
- 1 tablespoon of Tomato puree
- 1 tablespoon of Garlic and ginger paste
- 4 tablespoons of Tikka paste
- 1 teaspoon of Garam masala
- 100 ml (0.4 cups) of Reduced fat crème fraîche
- 10 g (0.66 cups) of Fresh coriander (cilantro) - finely chopped
- 1 pinch of Fine sea salt
- 1 pinch of Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add 600 g of Chicken breast and 1 Onion to the slow cooker.
- Add 400 g of Chopped tomatoes, 1 tbsp of Tomato puree, 1 tbsp of Garlic and ginger paste, 4 tablespoons of Tikka paste, 1 tsp of Garam masala and 1 pinch of Fine sea salt.
- Stir well to mix everything together.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Add 100 ml of Reduced fat crème fraîche and 10 g of Fresh coriander (cilantro). Stir in and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you are using fresh spices. If you spices have been open for longer than 6 months, then they won't have much flavour and you won't get the best tasting chicken tikka curry.
- You can swap the crème fraîche for coconut milk if you wanted a more coconut flavour.
- Add some extra vegetables by stirring in some spinach just before serving, or cooking some chunks of butternut squash when the chicken goes into the slow cooker.
- To really finish this dish off with lots of extra flavour, and to add some sweetness that would make it more appealing to kids, add a big spoonful of mango chutney at the same time as the crème fraîche.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Helen says
Firm family favorite. Nice & easy, perfect family meal as not too spicy. Freezes well too
Louise says
Sounds like a lovely simple recipe, if using coconut milk, could you add it with the rest of the ingredients at the beginning? Thanks
Zoey says
I'm going to make this this weekend so let me know if you did put the coconut milk straight in please
Rosemary says
The slow cooker Chicken Tikka Masala recipe is one of my firm favourites. Its so simple to make and really very tasty.
Dannii Martin says
Yes, you add it in with everything else.
Stephanie says
This is my daughter's favorite food and to be honest, I've never tried it. She always orders it from takeout but I had no idea how to make it for her! I'm super excited about this recipe so I can make it for her and try it the next time she comes over!
Quynh says
Chicken Tikka Masala is my favorite thing to order at Indian restaurants. I love how easy this recipe is to make at home.
gunjan says
such an awesome flavorful recipe. We all loved it and I love the option of cooking in a slow cooker.
Toni says
I love how quick and easy this is!! So perfect for dinner any night of the week!
Savita says
Oh, this turned out soo flavourful, my family really loved it. It was a total hit. Will make it again for sure.
Wanda says
Tikka masala is a favourite in our family and I'm super excited to try making this recipe in my crockpot! I might even try your tip and use coconut milk!
Dana says
This is so wonderfully cozy! Made this last night and it was a hit with the whole family.
Tayler says
I absolutely love tikka masala, so I can't wait to make this slow cooker version! Running to the grocery store now!
Katherine says
So handy to be able to make this at home in the slow cooker!
Tara says
Oh wow! Such a wonderful meal! All of those flavors sound absolutely amazing and I love how easily they come together in the slow cooker.