Description
This Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is a flavorful and tender dish made with boneless chicken simmered in a rich, spiced tomato and coconut milk sauce. Perfectly cooked in a slow cooker, it allows the aromatic spices like garam masala, curry powder, and cumin to meld beautifully, creating an authentic Indian-inspired meal that’s easy to prepare and serving 8 people.
Ingredients
Scale
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped white or yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger root (or ginger paste)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 4 teaspoons garam masala
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 2 ¾ to 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (or a combination)
- 13.5 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk (divided)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
To Serve
- Cooked basmati or Jasmine rice
- Chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- Plain Greek yogurt (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the base sauce: Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion, grated ginger, and minced garlic, cooking and stirring occasionally until softened, about several minutes. Stir in undrained fire-roasted diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Add garam masala, curry powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and red pepper flakes to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer while you prepare the chicken.
- Cook the chicken in the slow cooker: Cut boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs into bite-sized chunks. Place the chicken pieces into a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the prepared tomato and spice mixture over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours until the chicken is very tender.
- Finish the sauce and thicken: After the initial cooking time, shake the can of coconut milk well and measure out ¼ cup. Stir 2 tablespoons cornstarch into this coconut milk portion until dissolved, creating a slurry. Add the remaining coconut milk from the can to the slow cooker and stir it in with the chicken and sauce. Then add the cornstarch slurry, stirring until well combined. Continue cooking uncovered for an additional 5 to 10 minutes until heated through and sauce thickens slightly.
- Serve and garnish: Garnish the chicken tikka masala with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve hot over cooked basmati or Jasmine rice and add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt on top, if desired, to add creaminess and balance the spices.
Notes
- For a milder dish, reduce or omit the red pepper flakes.
- You can use chicken thighs instead of breasts for more moist and flavorful meat.
- Shaking the coconut milk before measuring is important to ensure even consistency.
- If you don’t have cornstarch, you can substitute with arrowroot or flour slurry for thickening.
- Leftovers taste great the next day and can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
