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Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

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Slow cooker chicken tikka masala is perfect for an easy family dinner or meal prep for the week. It’s creamy, spicy, and pairs perfectly with a side of basmati rice and naan.

A bowl of chicken tikka masala topped with fresh cilantro and served with basmati rice and naan.

If you love Indian takeout as much as we do, you’re going to love this easy recipe for slow cooker chicken tikka masala (also check out our butter chicken recipe). While it may not be quite as good as your favorite takeout spot, it’s a budget-friendly alternative that you can make in a big batch for family dinner or your weekly meal prep!

And if you’re looking for a vegetarian alternative, check out our cauliflower tikka masala recipe.

What To Expect

  • Great for: Easy comfort food dinners and weekly meal prep.
  • Ready in: 18 hours (overnight marinade, and then 6 hours in the slow cooker).
  • Serves: 6 servings.
  • Flavor profile: Sweet tomato with a bold hot pepper flavor, and melt-in-your-mouth savory chicken.
  • How to make it: Marinate the chicken, cook it in the slow cooker, stir in the final ingredients, serve.

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Featured Review

Best Indian recipe I’ve ever made – and I’ve tried a lot. Tastes authentic!

– Hanna

What Is Chicken Tikka Masala?

Chicken tikka masala is an Indian-inspired dish that was most likely created in the UK (its origins are still debated). If you’re new to South Asian cooking, this approachable recipe is a great stepping stone for getting comfortable with the unique flavors of Indian cuisine.

There are two parts to a traditional chicken tikka masala: the chicken tikka and the masala. The chicken tikka is boneless pieces of chicken marinated in Indian spices and yogurt, then cooked in a tandoor oven. Masala actually means spice blend, but in the context of chicken tikka masala it represents the creamy curry served with the chicken (a sauce so delicious we had to make a fusion pasta! Check out our tikka masala pasta). 

We don’t have a tandoor oven (and we don’t expect you do, either), so we rely on our slow cooker to make tender chicken in a creamy sauce that just melts in your mouth!

Key Ingredients

Ingredients for chicken tikka masala: chicken, lemon juice, yogurt, salt, minced garlic, fenugreek, tomato paste, butter, heavy cream, tomato puree, kashmiri red chili powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, powdered ginger, and garam masala.
  • Plain yogurt – We recommend using something with a thicker consistency, like Siggi’s. And if you can’t find a plain yogurt, vanilla works well too, it’s a substitute we turn to often. We’ve tried using Greek yogurt and found that it does not work well for this recipe as it yields a clumpier texture (you want the curry to be nice and smooth).
  • Kashmiri red chili powder – Kashmiri can be harder to find at regular grocery stores. We have been successful at local spice stores or Indian grocers. Alternatively you can use cayenne pepper, however it won’t be as spicy.
  • Fenugreek – Fenugreek can also be hard to find in the grocery store. Dried leaves or ground fenugreek both work in this recipe. If you can’t find it, simply omit it from the recipe.
  • Sides – We love serving this recipe with steamed basmati rice and warm, buttered naan. There’s nothing better than dipping fluffy, buttery naan in the creamy tikka masala sauce.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

A glass mixing bowl filled with chunks of chicken marinated in yogurt, lemon juice, and spices for making chicken tikka masala.

Step 1: Marinate the chicken. Combine the chicken salt and lemon juice. Then add in the yogurt, minced garlic, kashmiri red chili powder, onion powder, powdered ginger, garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and coriander and stir until the chicken is evenly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken marinade overnight in the fridge.

A black slow cooker with marinated chicken tikka masala and tomato puree in it.

Step 2: Cook. The next morning, first add the tomato puree, and then the marinated chicken to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.

A black slow cooker filled with chicken tikka masala, tomatoes, heavy cream, butter, and fenugreek leaves.

Step 3: Once it’s done cooking. Add in the heavy cream, tomato paste, butter, fenugreek, and salt. Stir until the butter is melted and the ingredients are fully incorporated.

A black slow cooker full of freshly made chicken tikka masala.

Step 4: Once the sauce is creamy, and orange in color, it’s ready to be served. We enjoy serving it with a side of steamed basmati rice and buttered naan.

Expert Tips

  • Indian spices – Some spices (like kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, and fenugreek) may be difficult to find but they’re totally worth the hunt – it’s these unique flavors that really make this dish! Some grocery stores carry these, but if you can’t find them head to your local spice store or Indian market.
  • Yogurt – It’s best to use a thick and creamy yogurt (we like using Siggi’s) for the chicken marinade. Thinner yogurts will thin out the curry during cooking. Note: we don’t recommend using Greek yogurt for this recipe, as it leads to a grainy texture instead of the smooth, creamy curry you want!
  • Make some sides – Chicken tikka masala is best enjoyed with sides to help soak up all the delicious sauce. We recommend steamed basmati rice and fresh naan.
  • Storing and reheating – This is such a great meal prep recipe for busy weeks. We like to make a batch on Sunday or Monday, eat it for dinner that night, then portion out the leftovers with extra rice for lunches throughout the week. It’ll keep for about 5 days in the fridge stored in an air-tight container. When you’re ready to eat it, simply microwave one serving for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
A bowl of homemade chicken tikka masala and basmati rice topped with cilantro and served with a side of homemade naan.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala FAQs

Chicken tikka masala is generally considered a mild to medium spicy dish. However, our version does have a kick to it (thanks to the kashmiri red chili powder), it’s nowhere near as spicy as many curries. If you’re not a big fan of spicy foods, you can always scale back the amount of chili powder in this recipe.

Our tikka masala sauce gets its flavor from tomatoes and a variety of spices (mainly garam masala and kashmiri red chili powder). A lot of tikka masala recipes traditionally use sautéed onion, but we rely on onion powder instead to preserve the smooth and creamy texture of our curry. Additionally, adding just a touch of butter at the end of cooking brings out the flavors even more!

Yes, you can put raw chicken in a slow cooker! A slow cooker is one of the best ways to cook chicken, especially when it’s paired with a sauce like this chicken tikka masala. It’s really not much different than putting raw chicken in a Dutch oven and baking it.

It’s better to cook chicken on the low setting in a slow cooker or crockpot. This keeps the chicken from drying out during cooking, so you end up with juicy, tender results. 

Related Slow Cooker Recipes

Looking for meal prep ideas? You may enjoy these big batch slow cooker recipes, too:

Tell us what you think!

We hope you enjoy this recipe! When you try it out, please leave a review and a star rating in the comments below. Happy cooking! – Nicole and Alex

A bowl of homemade chicken tikka masala with a side of naan

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

Nicole & Alex Langdon
Slow cooker chicken tikka masala is perfect for an easy family dinner or meal prep for the week. It’s creamy, spicy, and pairs perfectly with a side of basmati rice and naan.
4.75 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Marinating Time 12 hours
Total Time 18 hours 15 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 461 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

Chicken Marinade

  • 3 pounds chicken breast
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 6 tablespoons plain yogurt thick, like siggi's
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons kashmiri red chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon powdered ginger loosely packed
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

Curry

  • 28 ounces canned tomato puree
  • 1½ cups heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon powdered fenugreek or dried fenugreek leaves
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Optional Garnishes & Sides

  • Cilantro chopped, optional garnish
  • Basmati rice steamed
  • Naan

Instructions
 

  • Cut the chicken breast into 2-inch chunks and add to a large bowl.
  • Season chicken with salt and lemon juice, then mix until well-coated.
  • Add yogurt, minced garlic, kashmiri red chili powder, onion powder, powdered ginger, garam masala, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and ground coriander to the chicken. Stir until marinade is well-combined and chicken is coated.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge overnight.
  • The next day, pour the tomato puree into the slow cooker. Add the marinated chicken, then cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
  • After 6 hours, turn off the slow cooker. Stir in heavy cream, tomato paste, butter, fenugreek, and salt until well-combined.
  • Optionally garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with basmati rice and naan.
One last step:Please consider leaving a review to let us know how it was!

Notes

Indian spices: Some spices (like kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, and fenugreek) may be difficult to find but they’re totally worth the hunt – it’s these unique flavors that really make this dish! Some grocery stores carry these, but if you can’t find them head to your local spice store or Indian market.
Yogurt: It’s best to use a thick and creamy yogurt (we like using siggi’s) for the chicken marinade. Thinner yogurts will thin out the curry during cooking. Note: we don’t recommend using Greek yogurt for this recipe, as it leads to a grainy texture instead of the smooth, creamy curry you want!
Naan: A side of naan is a must with chicken tikka masala – it’s the perfect vehicle for soaking up all that delicious curry! We follow this recipe since it’s fairly quick and easy, and tastes amazing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 461kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 53gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 180mgSodium: 1210mgPotassium: 1654mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2097IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 110mgIron: 5mg
Like this recipe?Please leave a review below! We read and respond to every single comment.

If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.

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90% of Nicole’s thoughts are about food. She’s had a passion for cooking (and eating) for as long as she can remember! Growing up, she started cooking with her mom at a young age, learned family recipes from her Italian grandmother, took every opportunity to make cookies (so many bake sales), and always loved going out to restaurants to try new foods.

Nicole currently works part-time as a marketing professional for OmieLife while also working nonstop on The Candid Cooks. As a former mechanical engineer, Nicole has consistently found herself at the intersection of creativity and logical reasoning. She credits not only her passion for photography, design, and writing, but also her problem-solving nature and desire to learn, as the foundation on which The Candid Cooks was built.

Nicole’s hobbies include anything that gets her moving - mainly hiking, skiing, ice skating, and dancing - as well as reading fantasy novels and scrapbooking. Her favorite food is a big plate of nachos, as long as they’re cheesy enough!

4.75 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

    1. We hope you enjoyed it anyways and will give it another shot with some adjustments to your tastes! We find that too much salt makes it taste too salty for us and we generally don’t like our Indian food to have any sweetness, but if you prefer extra saltiness and sweetness then those are great adjustments to make.

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