Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Are you still full? I know that I am, hence the struggle of what to post today. I thought about pulling out my juicer and experimenting a bit but then decided that ’tis the season of eating and we are only getting started. So away we go!
This Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala from The Iron You, is a departure from the Thanksgiving leftovers that may still be languishing in your fridge. No repurposing here, we are starting anew. It is rich and saucy and as spicy as you like. All of the ingredients go into your slow cooker and you won’t have to think about food until dinner. Who knows, maybe by then we’ll all be hungry?
Don’t be afraid of the variety of spices in this recipe, they are necessary to deliver an authentic Indian flavor. The only adjustment that might be needed is the cayenne. My kids are all somewhat spice sensitive and two of the three enjoyed the Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala with the full 1/2 tsp of cayenne but my oldest couldn’t handle the heat. A reminder that everyone’s palate is different. If your family’s spice tolerance is low, adjust the cayenne or eliminate it. You can always add a little–or a little more–after tasting the rich, creamy sauce in the end. You’ll want to serve a salad or vegetable with this dish. To avoid that additional step, you could throw some green beans (cut into 1-1/2″ pieces) and grape tomatoes into the slow cooker during the last 20 minutes of cooking. A one-pot meal is born.
And if you happen to have a rice cooker (as everyone should) you can have two electric devices chugging away, side-by-side, on your kitchen counter while you are off doing other things–it is Cyber Monday, after all!
Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
- 2 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2" chunks
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbls grated fresh ginger
- 1 (29 oz) can of tomato sauce
- 2 Tbls olive oil
- 1 Tbls garam masala
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1.2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust according to your heat preference)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 c heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk)
- 2 Tbls cornstarch
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- Spray the inside of your crockpot bowl with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Combine all ingredients (except for bay leaf, heavy cream, cornstarch and lemon juice) in a large bowl. With a spatula, stir to combine and coat the chicken pieces.
- Pour the mixture into the slow cooker and place the bay leaf on top.
- Cover and cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
- When done, in a small bowl combine the heavy cream with the cornstarch and whisk til smooth.
- Gently stir into the mixture. Let cook an additional 20 minutes to thicken up.*
- Finally, add the lemon juice and gently stir to incorporate.
- Serve warm with steamed rice or nan.
- *If adding vegetables, this would be a good time.
- Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.