Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is a rich and flavorful Indian-inspired dish featuring tender chicken thighs marinated in a spiced yogurt blend, cooked slowly in a fragrant tomato-based sauce. Enhanced with traditional spices like garam masala and Kashmiri chili powder, finished with cream for a luscious texture, and perfect when served with basmati rice and naan bread. The use of a slow cooker ensures deeply infused flavors and tender meat, making it an effortless yet impressive meal.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into large bite-size pieces
- 1¼ cup whole milk plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder (or ½ teaspoon red chili powder)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
Sauce
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (optional for spice)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 can (15 ounces) stewed tomatoes
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (or coconut cream)
For Serving
- Chopped cilantro leaves
- Basmati rice
- Naan bread
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients except the chicken. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat them thoroughly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, allowing the flavors to deeply penetrate the meat.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and serrano chiles if using, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, become tender, and slightly caramelize, about 8 minutes.
- Add Ginger and Garlic: Stir in the freshly grated ginger and minced garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 2 minutes to develop the base flavor of the sauce.
- Toast the Spices: Add garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, ground turmeric, and paprika to the skillet. Stir and cook the spices until fragrant, approximately 1 minute, to bloom their flavors.
- Add Tomatoes: Mix in the tomato paste and the can of stewed tomatoes, stirring well to combine all the ingredients into a cohesive sauce base. Remove the skillet from heat.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Using a slotted spoon, remove the marinated chicken from the bowl and place it into the slow cooker. Pour the prepared sauce from the skillet over the chicken evenly.
- Cook Slowly: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for about 3 hours, allowing the chicken to become tender and the flavors to meld.
- Blend the Sauce: Uncover the slow cooker, remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth and creamy. This step ensures a velvety texture.
- Add Cream: Stir the heavy cream (or coconut cream) into the blended sauce for richness and to balance the spices.
- Combine and Heat Through: Return the chicken to the slow cooker, stir it into the sauce to coat evenly, and warm through for a few minutes if needed.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with basmati rice and warm naan bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken overnight if possible for maximum flavor infusion.
- Using ghee adds a traditional flavor, but you can substitute with vegetable oil if necessary.
- Adjust the amount of serrano chiles or chili powder according to your spice preference.
- The immersion blender is recommended for smoothing the sauce, but you can alternatively blend in a regular blender in batches.
- For a dairy-free version, use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and yogurt.
- Leftovers store well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently on the stove or microwave.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Indian
