What is butter chicken?

Indian Butter Chicken, also known as murgh makhani , is a traditional comfort food dish that originated from Northern India. It's made from chicken, a mildly spiced curry sauce, and butter that melts into the sauce for a rich and creamy texture.

What steps can I complete ahead of time?

he slow cooker does most of the work here, but you could prep all of the ingredients 1-2 days in advance so that, when it comes time to make it, all you'd need to do is dump everything in the slow cooker. You can slice the onions, chop the pepper and carrots, and measure all of the spices ahead of time.

Could this be a freezer-to-slow cooker recipe?

Yes, you could prep all of the ingredients (except for the yogurt and half-and-half) and store them together in a freezer-safe container or bag; label and freeze for up to 3 months. When it comes time to cook, thaw the frozen bag of ingredients for several minutes under warm running water, then dump it in a slow cooker. (Alternatively, you could move the frozen bag to the refrigerator to thaw there for 24 hours before cooking). Cook as directed in the slow cooke, and add the yogurt and half-and-half during the last step.

Is butter chicken healthy?

This recipe includes ingredients from several food groups (aka more nutrients!) and makes a nutritionally balanced meal.

Creamy Crockpot Butter Chicken (Healthy and Easy)

Servings: 6-8 servings 1x

Ingredients

2 medium yellow onions, peeled, cut in half, and sliced (~13 oz)
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
3 medium carrots, diced (5-6 oz)
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
Juice of ½ lemon
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (~2-inch piece)
3 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon salted butter, chilled, cut into pieces
½ cup plain Greek yogurt or skyr (we recommend Siggi’s skyr)*
½ cup half-and-half
Optional for serving: cooked white rice, naan, chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and/or toasted sesame seeds

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Instructions

In the crock of a 6-quart or 8-quart slow cooker, place the sliced onions.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, bell pepper, carrots, tomato sauce, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, and salt; toss until well combined.
Add the saucy chicken mixture to the slow cooker over top of the sliced onions.
Dot the pieces of butter over top of the mixture.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 ½ hours or on low for 6 ½ hours.
After the time is up, remove the lid, stir all ingredients until well combined, and turn off the slow cooker. When the liquid stops simmering and steaming (after 5-10 minutes), stir in the yogurt and the half-and-half. (NOTE: If you stir in the yogurt and half-and-half before letting the mixture cool down a little, it could curdle.)
Serve over hot cooked rice or cauliflower rice, and/or with naan bread, and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.

Notes

*We have tested this recipe with both siggi’s plain 0% skyr and 4% skry (the only different being the amount of fat in these yogurts) and both products create delicious results and a creamy, thick sauce. We like to use siggi’s because it’s made from only a few ingredients and doesn’t contain a lot of sugar.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe (1 1/3 cups)
Calories: 298
Fat: 6g
(Sat Fat: 3g)
Sodium: 415mg
Carbohydrate: 21g
(Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 13g)
Protein: 38g
Cholesterol: 99mg

Dietary

Egg-Free Gluten-free Grain-Free Nut-free

Recipe By: Jessie Shafer