Description
A rich and creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala made with tender chicken thighs simmered in a flavorful tomato-based sauce spiced with a homemade blend, finished with Greek yogurt and heavy cream for a luscious finish. Perfect for an easy, hands-off dinner with aromatic basmati rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 small yellow onion, grated (scant 1/2 cup)
- 1 Tbsp peeled and finely grated ginger
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 cups canned tomato puree
- 1/2 cup low fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 4 tsp tapioca starch
- 1 Tbsp dried fenugreek
- Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
- Cilantro, for serving
Spice Blend
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp mild kashmiri chili powder
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Prepare Spice Blend: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together all the spices listed for the spice blend until well combined. Set the blend aside.
- Combine Main Ingredients: In a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker, add the chicken thighs, grated onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Sprinkle the prepared spice blend evenly over the ingredients, then toss everything to coat the chicken thoroughly.
- Add Tomato and Yogurt: Pour in the canned tomato puree and the low-fat Greek yogurt. Toss the mixture gently to evenly distribute the ingredients and spices.
- Slow Cook the Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for about 5 hours until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Prepare Cream Mixture: In the same liquid measuring cup used for the heavy cream, whisk the heavy cream and tapioca starch together until smooth and well mixed.
- Finish the Sauce: Pour the cream and starch mixture into the slow cooker with the cooked chicken. Add the dried fenugreek and gently stir to combine everything well. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly.
- Season to Taste: If desired, add cayenne pepper to increase the heat and adjust salt as needed. Stir well and taste to ensure the flavors are balanced.
- Serve: Serve the chicken tikka masala hot, garnished with fresh cilantro. It pairs beautifully with basmati rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- For more heat, increase the kashmiri chili powder or add extra cayenne pepper at the end.
- If you don’t have dried fenugreek, you can substitute with a smaller quantity of garam masala or skip it altogether, but it adds signature flavor.
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt for creamier texture and richer flavor.
- Tapioca starch is used here as a natural thickener; cornstarch can be a substitute if tapioca is unavailable.
- Chicken thighs are preferred for juiciness and tenderness; chicken breasts can be used but may result in drier texture.
- Slow cooker sizes between 6 to 7 quarts work best for evenly cooking this recipe.
- Preparing the spice blend in advance saves time on cooking day and enhances flavor development.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
