Easy healthy butter chicken recipe without cream. Use thighs or breasts to make this. If you loved our Instant Pot butter chickenthis is a tomato based version of that favorite Indian dish. Full of flavor on top of rice.

If you love Indian food but looking for a healthier version to make at home we have a great for you. refer to our directions as far as cooking it in your crockpot. If you need an easy version the one below we created is great. One of our favorite Easy Crockpot recipes.

Slow Cooker Healthy Butter Chicken recipe

We first made this as an easy Instant Pot recipe and it did come out good. But if you're looking for a healthier side of things this one is great. Of course there are traditional Indian butter chicken recipes and if you already have one then by all means use your recipe.

We find that if you visit a few different restaurants, they all have their own tweak to this. Some serve over rice while others serve it more like a soup with homemade naan on the side. There is a lot of variance to this and we will explain a few of them below as well as how to make it dairy free.

When it comes to Indian food it is all about the spices right??!! Many of them you probably have in your cabinet but there are a few you may need to pick up or order online. Once we bought them all we was able to make all the things, well beyond this dish.

Yes it amps up the flavor in chicken but if you want a vegetarian dish our Instant Pot cauliflower curry is good too. We will share those below, and they are necessary when getting that authentic flavor you love. You can in fact make a dish with the same bold authenticity without the heavy cream or calories though.

This is a great tomato based version without any of that. We have had both and they are definitely different dishes. If we had to choose our favorite we guess we would say the yellow, dairy based, cream version (but it isn't that great for the waistline). This one reminds us of a sort of Indian Crockpot chicken cacciatore of sorts.

Ingredient notes

Chickenbreasts or boneless skinless slow cooker chicken thighs can be used – boneless skinless is best since you are cubing it into bite size pieces
Onions are great in all the dishes because they add flavor and texture with little money out of pocket. Yellow or white would be the best choices for this.
Garlic goes in everything we make too. Minced out of the jar works fine unless we roast it which is beyond good.
Tomato sauce and paste will give it that thick rich base.
Curry powder is one that if you love this you will surely use it again. In lentils, rice, other chicken dishes, it won't go to waste y'all.
Cumin – we bought it online since our store didn't have it.
Paprika and ginger
Cayenne pepper a bit will give it a tad of a kick but of course you can amp it up if you want it to be spicy. Another option would be red pepper flakes which tends to be hotter, or dry Sriracha.
Salt and pepper is optional and we typically will wait to add it when this is done, to each their own on these.
If you have and enjoy the taste of garam masala you could add 1/4 tsp of that too.

Swaps

You could use chicken breasts or chicken thighs for this one. We will say that the latter one does have more flavor and typically costs less money so that is a win win. If you need it free from dairy products this is a great one to try since there isn't any. To add a bit of creaminess you could add a bit of light coconut milk to it.

Healthy Butter Chicken Recipe

By Slow cooker healthy butter chicken recipe without cream. Use thighs or chicken breasts to make this easy tditional Indian dish we love. Prep: 15 minutes minsCook: 4 hours hrsTotal: 4 hours hrs 15 minutes minsServings: 5 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breastsboneless, skinless, cut into cubes
1/2 c onion, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 can tomato sauce 15 oz.
1 can tomato paste, 6 oz
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger ground
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cumin ground
1/4 c cilantro, fresh, to top

Instructions

Place diced chicken pieces, onions, garlic, pepper, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and spices into your slow cooker. Mix well to coat chicken with everything.
Put lid on and cook on low for 6-8 hrs or on high for 4 hrs. (we prefer slow and longer).
Serve on a bed of rice or with a side of naan, top with cilantro.

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Entree, Main CourseCuisine: Indian Tried this recipe?Mention @thetypical_mom or tag #thetypicalmom!

Is butter chicken good the next day?

Yes. We hate wasting good food so we are there with you in wanting to save what is left and enjoy it again for lunch the next day or so. We do like to enjoy it within 24 hours but that isn't always possible. If you do have leftovers you want it to come to room temperature and then store in a sealed container in the fridge. It should be eaten within 3 days.

How do you reheat butter chicken?

The best way to reheat it would be on the stove over medium heat in a pot with a lid. Warmed in the sauce it won't get dried out like in the microwave but that is another method. If you need to nuke it no problem. It may splatter a bit though so you will want to use a plate or paper towel over the top. Use a microwave safe dish and cover.

Then heat on regular 100% power in 45 second increments stirring in between the times. Do this long enough for it to be warmed to your liking. If you have naan or pita bread you can warm that a tad to bring that back to life, or make a fresh pot of rice (that doesn't save well if you ask us).

How do you serve butter chicken?

There are a few options, in a bowl as is with some naan on the side or here's how to make solid Instant Pot white rice. Basmati rice is traditionally served with this but long grain and Jasmine work well too, we use what we have on hand.

Is butter chicken a healthy dish?

This is healthier than a cream based version. Breast white meat is lower in fat but when poultry is on sale because we will make it as an easy chicken thigh recipeeither is great. Everyone enjoys for sure. Recipe for this method of cooking is below in the printable card.