Name: Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 lbs Chicken Tenderloins, cleaned and cubed; 1 Small Sweet Onion, diced; 5 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Freshly Grated Ginger; 1 ½ cups Plain Greek Yogurt; 2 tbsp Lemon Juice; 1 cup Heavy Cream; 1 29 oz. Can of Crushed Tomatoes; 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 tbsp Garam Masala; 1 tbsp Cumin; ½ tbsp Paprika; 2 tsp Salt; ¾ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper; ¾ tsp Ground Cinnamon; 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper; 2 Bay Leaves; ½ tbsp Cornstarch

Every now and then, you need to shake up your normal dinner time routine and try something exotic. I love the spices and flavors in Indian cuisine but used to feel daunted by the thought of attempting it at home.

One of the Indian dishes I love is Chicken Tikka Masala, a delicious creamy blend of tomatoes, spices and tender chicken. It is served over rice, and is wonderful sopped up with warm naan.

As a side note, there is apparently some debate on the origins of the dish. Some say it was actually created in Glasgow, Scotland. That may seem strange, but the British have long had a love affair with curries and other Indian delicacies. Some say that Chicken Tikka was Indian, and became Chicken Tikka Masala to satisfy the British desire for a gravy or sauce for the chicken dish. In fact, it is now officially considered a British national dish. Wherever the dish originated, it has now won the hearts and stomachs of many the world over.

Traditional Chicken Tikka Masala can take a lot of time and many steps to make. But wonderful home chefs who have come before me have worked out how to get the same flavors by using your slow cooker. While the chicken cooks low and slow, it becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender and the spices meld beautifully.

If you haven’t tried Indian at home, this is a great dish to get you started. I do have to warn you that it is spicy, but a different kind of heat. There is a blend of so many spices in this one dish and you may assume that just the 1 tsp of Cayenne Pepper won’t make it that hot. But be careful because the Garam Masala has some heat in it also.

The first time I made this dish at home, I followed a recipe that suggested 1-3 tsps of Cayenne Pepper and I split the difference and went with 2 tsps. It was HOT. I had invited my parents to share it with us and my Dad, who doesn’t eat very spicy foods, politely ate while his face grew more red by the minute. He was so gracious, but so miserable.

I have now learned to tone it down to 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper. If it is still too spicy, you can serve it with plain yogurt to cool it down to taste.

You start with chicken tenderloins, which I like to clean thoroughly, removing any skin or fat that may be left. I cut mine into cubes about an inch in size. Set the chicken aside for the moment. Then you dice your onion, finely chop your garlic and grate the ginger. Blend the onion, garlic, ginger and spices with the tomatoes, yogurt and lemon juice. Pour that into the slow cooker and add your chicken, set the slow cooker to 8 hours on low and go about your business.

At about the 7 hour mark, you can begin to think about preparing your rice. You can choose Basmati whatever rice you have on hand. I chose brown rice because I love the texture and frankly, that’s what I had on hand. I cooked my in my Instant Pot, but stove top works just as well.

After your rice is cooking, you can blend the cornstarch with the heavy cream and add it to the slow cooker. Cook another 15-20 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken a bit.

Serve over rice with a nice warm piece of naan. If desired, add some fresh cilantro. Honestly, it is not very pretty, but it is absolutely delicious.

AuthorMelissa JoyDifficultyBeginner

Yields6 Servings

Prep Time30 minsCook Time8 hrsTotal Time8 hrs 30 mins

Fresh Ingredients:

3 lbs Chicken Tenderloins, cleaned and cubed

1 Small Sweet Onion, diced

5 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp Freshly Grated Ginger

1 ½ cups Plain Greek Yogurt

2 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 cup Heavy Cream

Pantry Staples:

1 29 oz. Can of Crushed Tomatoes

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp Garam Masala

1 tbsp Cumin

½ tbsp Paprika

2 tsp Salt

¾ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

¾ tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Cayenne Pepper

2 Bay Leaves

½ tbsp Cornstarch

Dice the onion and place into a large bowl.

Finely chop the cloves of garlic and add to the onion bowl.

Grate the ginger root with a microplane grater and add to the bowl.

Next, line up all of your spices, then add each to the mixing bowl.

Add crushed tomatoes to the bowl, along with the Greek yogurt and lemon juice. Stir everything to combine.

Pour half of the tomato mixture into the bottom of a 6 qt. slow cooker.

Add the diced chicken to the slow cooker, then top with the rest of the tomato mixture.

Place the bay leaves on top of the mixture and put the lid on. Set the cooker to low for 8 hours, or high for 4-5.

Toward the end of the cooking time, mix the cornstarch into the heavy cream until blended. Add it to the slow cooker and stir. Allow the mixture to cook 15-20 minutes more, until it thickens some.

Remove the bay leaves before serving. Serve on top of warm rice with some delicious naan.

Ingredients