This easy slow cooker chicken makhani recipe with cream, otherwise known as butter chicken, is to die for! If you are looking for an authentic Indian one pot meal to make for dinner tonight, this is it.

Close-up of creamy Slow Cooker Chicken tikka masala garnished with chopped cilantro.

We made this Instant Pot butter chicken recipe years ago and have been enjoying it ever since, but it was time to make it in the Crockpot this week. There is something about cooking meat in a rich tomato sauce that makes it SO good and this is no exception.

Another reason we love this is that you cook cauliflower with the meat and curry sauce so it is truly a one pot meal with everything together. If you have made this at your local Indian restaurant you know that the flavors can vary, and also the heat.

We love making crockpot recipes like this myself because we can add more spicy if we want or tame it down if the kids want less. It is easy to adjust to your tastebuds with the seasonings for sure but any way you “slice it” you'll be in for a real treat.

Ingredients for a good Slow Cooker Chicken Makhani dish, including chicken, spices, onion, garlic, butter, cauliflower, and tomato paste.

Ingredient notes

When it comes to the meat for this dish you have two options but we typically use boneless skinless chicken breasts. In order to get the meat to soak up the flavors of the sauce we cube it into large bite size pieces (plus it is easier to eat when done this way too).

Diced onionminced garlic and some diced ginger are best fresh or the latter two can be bought in a jar already cut up for you. We are not referring to dry powdered versions in this case or you won't generate the flavors you want.

Tomato paste and tomato sauce will create a thick rich sauce. We typically buy regular vs. low sodium because you will want a bit of salt so it is better to get it this way. Then to make it creamy you want buttersome plain Greek yogurt and heavy cream.

And then we add ALL the spices. These will be dry and powdered including curry powder garam masalaand chili powder is used for some heat. Add some cumin and turmeric too.

You don't have to roast cauliflower at 400 in this case, you cook it right in the sauce with the meat so it gets tender and absorbs all the YUM in the pot.

Chopped onions, spices, and tomato paste in a skillet with a wooden spatula—solid for starting a rich Chicken Makhani before transferring to the slow cooker.

Milk is being poured from a measuring cup into a slow cooker filled with a tomato-based sauce, solid for making Slow Cooker Chicken Makhani.

How Long to Cook Chicken Makhani in Slow Cooker

There are a few options. We like to cube our meat so it is done when the florets are tender. In that case you need 2 hours on high for 4 hrs. on low – until both are tender. If you left the breasts whole we would choose small sizes and the timing would remain about the same (bigger/thicker pieces will increase the timing of course).

How to Serve

We like to make some air fryer naan to serve on the side. Some prefer to serve it with some rice but either one works for us. To get the timing right we would start either about 20 minutes before this is done so you can serve it all together at once and everything is nice and warm.

A close-up of slow cooker chicken tikka masala, reminiscent of butter chicken, garnished with chopped cilantro in a white bowl with a wooden spoon.

Slow Cooker Chicken Makhani Recipe

By This easy slow cooker chicken makhani with cream recipe, otherwise known as butter chicken is to die for! One pot Indian meal we all love. Prep: 15 minutes minsCook: 2 hours hrsServings: 6 Save Recipe Saved! Pin Recipe Comment Print Recipe

Equipment

1 slow cooker

Ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil
2 pounds chicken breastsboneless skinless, cut into large bite size chunks
1 small onion, diced
4 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger minced
1.5 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1.5 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 can tomato paste, 6 oz
1 can tomato sauce 15 oz
4 cups cauliflower, bite size florets
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy cream, or half and half
1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions

Add coconut oil and onion to a skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until onions are soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and stir in garlic, ginger, curry powder, garam masala, chili powder, cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt and tomato paste.
Mix well and heat over low heat for a minute or two until flavors are fragrant. Remove from heat and spread into the bottom of a greased 6 quart slow cooker.
Cube meat into large bite size pieces and add on top in the slow cooker followed by the cauliflower florets. Spoon tomato sauce on top of cauliflower and dot with butter.
Cover slow cooker and heat on high for 2 hours or low for 4 (until meat and cauliflower is tender. Add half and half and yogurt and mix well. Serve topped with chopped fresh parsley over a bed of rice.