Name: Slow Cooker Chicken Makhani
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp coconut oil; 2 pounds chicken breasts (boneless skinless, cut into large bite size chunks); 1 small onion (diced); 4 tbsp garlic (minced); 1 tbsp ginger (minced); 1.5 tbsp curry powder; 1 tbsp garam masala; 1.5 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tsp salt; 1 can tomato paste (6 oz); 1 can tomato sauce (15 oz); 4 cups cauliflower (bite size florets); 2 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half); 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

I made this Instant Pot butter chicken recipe years ago and have been enjoying it ever since, but it was time to make it in the Crockpot this week. There is something about cooking meat in a rich tomato sauce that makes it SO delicious and this is no exception.

Another reason I love this is that you cook cauliflower with the meat and curry sauce so it is truly a one pot meal with everything together. If you have made this at your local Indian restaurant you know that the flavors can vary, and also the heat.

I love making crockpot recipes like this myself because I can add more spicy if I want or tame it down if the kids want less. It is easy to adjust to your tastebuds with the seasonings for sure but any way you “slice it” you’ll be in for a real treat.

Ingredients for a delicious Slow Cooker Chicken Makhani dish, including chicken, spices, onion, garlic, butter, cauliflower, and tomato paste.

Ingredient Notes

When it comes to the meat for this dish you have two options but I typically use boneless skinless chicken breasts. In order to get the meat to really soak up the flavors of the sauce I cube it into large bite size pieces (plus it is easier to eat when done this way too).

Diced onion, minced garlic and some diced ginger are best fresh or the latter two can be bought in a jar already cut up for you. We are not referring to dry powdered versions in this case or you won’t generate the flavors you want.

Tomato paste and tomato sauce will create a thick rich sauce. I typically buy regular vs. low sodium because you will want a bit of salt so it is better to get it this way. Then to make it creamy you want butter, some plain Greek yogurt and heavy cream.

And then we add ALL the spices. These will be dry and powdered including; curry powder, garam masala, and chili powder is used for some heat. Add some cumin and turmeric too.

You don’t have to roast cauliflower at 400 in this case, you just cook it right in the sauce with the meat so it gets tender and absorbs all the YUM in the pot.

Chopped onions, spices, and tomato paste in a skillet with a wooden spatula—perfect for starting a rich Chicken Makhani before transferring to the slow cooker.

Milk is being poured from a measuring cup into a slow cooker filled with a tomato-based sauce, perfect for making Slow Cooker Chicken Makhani.

How Long to Cook Chicken Makhani in Slow Cooker

There are a few options. I like to cube my meat so it is done when the florets are tender. In that case you need 2 hours on high for 4 hrs. on low – until both are tender. If you left the breasts whole I would choose small sizes and the timing would remain about the same (bigger/thicker pieces will increase the timing of course).

How to Serve

I like to make some air fryer naan to serve on the side. Some prefer to serve it with some rice but either one works for us. To get the timing right I would start either about 20 minutes before this is done so you can serve it all together at once and everything is nice and warm.