Slow cooker chicken tikka masala

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This slow cooker chicken tikka masala is something that has been requested several times now, over on my Instagram and so I thought I’d best get it written up!

We are pretty big fans of slow cooker chicken recipes in this house! Also, I love making fakeaways. This is a great way to enjoy those takeaway classics you love with fewer calories, for less money and without having to wait for a stranger to knock on the door!

Ingredients for slow cooker tikka masala:

1 red onion

15ml olive oil

1 tablespoon of Tikka Masala Mix

2 cloves of garlic

Salt + pepper

300g chicken thigh (boneless)

30g tomato puree/tomato paste

200ml chicken stock

100g soured cream

Method for slow cooker chicken tikka masala:

I start by using the browning function on my multi-cooker to prepare the vegetables. If you don’t have this function you can either use a frying pan on a hob, or skip this step and just prepare the ingredients and throw into your pot and set to cook.

Only use slow cookers with their own specialist browning/heat setting, never place your pot on the hob.

Add the olive oil to your pot or pan. Finely chop your red onion. Lightly fry this, until translucent. This usually takes me around 3-4 minutes.

Add the Tikka Masala spice mix and stir until well coated.

Crush or grate the garlic. Cook for 1 minute.

Add your chicken thigh. Stir to ensure everything is mixed evenly. You want to cook the chicken until it is lightly browned on the outside, but it doesn’t need to be cooked through.

Season well with salt & pepper.

Add the tomato puree and stir, cook for 1 minute.

Add the chicken stock.

Cook on high for 4+ hours or low for 8+ hours.

15 minutes before serving stir through the soured cream and mix well.

Once sufficiently warmed back through serve with add a little coriander to the top.

Serve alongside your favourite rice (we make slow cooker rice sometimes) and with a nice naan bread, or other suitable accompaniments. We love Bombay potatoes or onion bhajis!

Can you cook a slow cooker tikka masala with a jarred sauce?

Yes, absolutely! I’ve done this lots of time, and it still has a lovely flavour.

Can you cook slow cooker chicken tikka masala with vegetables?

Yes, you can add butternut squash (as I have done), and near the end you can add spinach. Lots of other vegetables will work great too, including potatoes, white onions and kale.

I would suggest adding kale or spinach near the end, as these wilt down fast and you don’t want to cook them for hours really.

Don’t want to use soured cream? Want to make a slow cooker chicken tikka masala without cream?

Give coconut milk a try! You can even use a light one. The sauce may be a little thinner but it’ll still taste delicious, and will be a little healthier too if you choose a light one. Or you can use yoghurt instead.

Add right near the end, the same as the soured cream, otherwise it will split and look unpleasant, although the taste will still be nice.

Why not check out some of my favourite slow cooker cookbooks and accessories while you’re here?

How to cook chicken tikka masala in the slow cooker:

Want to try some of my other recipes?

• Gousto Review box 2
• Simple cheese straws
• Dairy free fruit lollies with Nuby UK
• Homemade croutons – Make use of your oven when cooking
• Peanut Brittle

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