Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Dec. 22, 2025
This Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is perfect for busy weekdays when you want an easy, delicious, Indian-inspired meal. Toss it all into your Crock Pot and enjoy.
Thirty-five years in Los Angeles resulted in Hubby and me becoming Indian food hounds. I mean, okay, we chase all things food. But still. I grew up 10 minutes from a city dubbed Little India.
Hardly a week went by before we’d have to answer the craving and go out for platefuls of chicken tikka masala, tandoori, and naan bread.
Eventually I discovered the method to making mind blowing chicken tikka masala. It hits the spot, now that we live cross-country from Little India. But that classic recipe requires a bit more stove-sitting than we sometimes can swing.
Because busy weeknights. Something about three boys, soccer games, baseball fields, crazy bulldog, and allthedriving. It kinda gets in the way of cooking.
So there’s this ⇓ ⇓ ⇓
This Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is a great way to get your Tikka fix without the fuss. My favorite way to do weeknights = prepping ahead. {Translation: slow cooker.}
Just toss all the ingredients together in your slow cooker the night before, and do your set it and forget it thing in the morning.
You’ll come home to supremely tender, flavorful, succulent chicken tikka masala. The aroma in the air will cause salivation.
And nothing is a better match with this dish than aromatic Basmati rice.
Enjoy this slow-cooker chicken tikka masala…hope you guys love it as much as we do.
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups yogurt, whole plain, divided
- 12 ounces tomato paste
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons garam masala
- 2 tablespoons ginger, freshly peeled and grated
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2-3 teaspoons ground chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground tumeric
- 3 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup cilantro, freshly chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Reserve 1 cup of the yogurt and set aside. Place all remaining ingredients, except for the chicken, into the slow cooker. Stir to combine mixture well.
- Use paper towels to pat-dry all chicken pieces to remove excess moisture. Add chicken to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low 2 1/2 -3 hours. Gently stir in reserved 1 cup of yogurt and cilantro. Serve over cooked basmati rice. Delicious with naan bread as well.
Notes
- The slow-cooker version requires more tomato paste than typical, as the thickness is needed for slow cooking texture.
- Pat the chicken dry before adding it to the slow cooker. This helps the sauce cling better and keeps the texture from getting watery.
- Use whole milk yogurt for the best creamy consistency. Low-fat versions can curdle under slow heat.
- Stir the sauce well before adding the chicken to evenly distribute the spices and tomato paste.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, remove the lid for the last 20–30 minutes of cooking to let some liquid evaporate.
- For extra richness, stir in a splash of cream or coconut milk along with the reserved yogurt at the end.
- Adjust the chili powder to your spice comfort level. Start mild, then add more heat once the dish is cooked.
- Freshly grated ginger and minced garlic make a big difference in flavor, so skip the jarred versions if possible.
- Add the cilantro right before serving to keep its flavor bright and fresh.
- This dish reheats beautifully. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stove.
- This recipe is part of our Chicken Slow Cooker Recipes Collection.
- We love serving it over some Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or alongside warm Naan Bread for a delicious family meal.
Nutrition (per serving)
Source: Chew Out Loud