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This slow cooker Indian butter chicken is an easy and flavorful recipe that can be made into a speedy freezer meal! This recipe is paleo, whole30, and can be made AIP.

What is Indian Butter Chicken?

Butter chicken is a super flavorful dish that’s made with chicken and a creamy, tomato sauce that’s beautifully spiced! It’s savory, buttery, and tastes amazing with a side of rice and some vegetables.

This slow-cooker version of butter chicken is made to be paleo, whole30, and can even be modified to be AIP!

How to make Indian Butter Chicken in the Slow Cooker

  • Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, ghee and seasonings (reserving the cilantro) and stir well to thoroughly coat the chicken.
  • Set the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 1/2-2 hours or low for 4-6 hours, ensuring that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 F.
  • Stir in the coconut cream and lime juice. Stir until melted and the sauce is creamy.
  • Serve topped with fresh cilantro with a side of rice or cauliflower rice.

How to make this butter chicken a slow cooker freezer meal

With a baby on the way, I’ve been working on adapting recipes for the freezer! Freezer meals are typically made by combining all of the ingredients uncooked, frozen, and then defrosted and cooked in the slow cooker for easy prep. It’s a great way to prep meals for new moms, busy families, and really anyone looking to make prep easier.

Simply add all of the ingredients (reserving the coconut cream and fresh herbs to serve) into a freezer bag, a silicone stasher bag, or a glass Tupperware that’s freezer safe, and set it in the freezer for 2-3 months. Remove from the freezer and defrost in the fridge until fully defrosted. Add to the slow cooker and cook as directed.

Can you make this butter chicken in the instant pot?

You should be able to! I haven’t tried it yet, but you should be able to just use the poultry setting on your instant pot.

What to serve with the butter chicken

This recipe pairs well with cauliflower rice, or regular white or brown rice if you tolerate it. I also like to have it with broccoli.

The Ingredients You’ll Need for this Recipe

Chicken breast

Tomato sauce and chicken broth

You can just use nomato sauce for AIP.

Ghee

Or you can use coconut oil for AIP and if you don’t tolerate any dairy.

Turmeric, garlic, cumin, ginger, garam masala 

You can just stick with the turmeric, garlic, and ginger for this recipe if you’re AIP!

Coconut cream

You’ll use hardened coconut cream from a can of coconut milk refrigerated overnight, or coconut cream by itself.

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Paleo Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Michelle
  • Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Description

This slow cooker Indian butter chicken is an easy and flavorful recipe that can be made into a speedy freezer meal! This recipe is paleo, whole30, and can be made AIP.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 lb chicken breast, cubed
  • 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce (sub nomato sauce for AIP)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tbsp ghee, melted (sub melted coconut oil)
  • 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper (omit for AIP)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin (omit for AIP, sub more ginger for more spice)
  • 1 tsp chili powder (omit for AIP)
  • 2 tsp garam masala (omit for AIP)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream
  • Juice of one lime
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Add the chicken to the slow cooker. Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, ghee and seasonings (reserving the cilantro) and stir well to thoroughly coat the chicken.
  2. Set the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 1/2-2 hours or low for 4-6 hours, ensuring that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 F.
  3. Stir in the coconut cream and lime juice. Stir until melted and the sauce is creamy.
  4. Serve topped with fresh cilantro with a side of rice or cauliflower rice.

Notes

To adapt for the freezer, add all of the ingredients (reserving ghee, coconut cream and cilantro to serve) to a freezer safe bag and freeze for 2-3 months. Allow to defrost fully and cook as directed.

To adapt for the instant pot, use the poultry setting and ensure the chicken is fully cooked.

All nutritional information are estimations and will vary. Estimations do not include optional ingredients.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: Indian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 357
  • Fat: 11.6g
  • Carbohydrates: 7.1g
  • Fiber: 1.7g
  • Protein: 40.2g

Keywords: slow cooker butter chicken