This Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is SO flavourful and cozy! It’s a great hands-off dinner idea that cooks all day in the crockpot.
This is one of my favourite recipes to make in the winter. Just imagine yourself curled up in a blanket on the couch diving into a piping hot bowl of this tikka masala over rice!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy dump dinner: Just dump all the ingredients in the crockpot and let it slow cook all day for a hands-off meal.
- Indian takeout made easy: You don’t need any special spices, you should already have what you need at home!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter – margarine or olive oil would be good too.
- Yellow onion – white onion or shallots would also work.
- Chicken – use chicken thighs, tofu, chickpeas, lentils or stewing beef.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work in a pinch.
- Gingerroot – use 1 tsp. ground ginger powder instead.
- Brown sugar – use white sugar or honey instead.
- Garam masala – use a store-bought blend or make your own.
- Turmeric – use saffron or leave it out altogether.
- Cumin – add in some extra garam masala, curry powder or even chili powder.
- Chili powder – mix together paprika, cumin and cayenne in a pinch.
- Crushed tomatoes – diced tomatoes can be used instead.
- Sour cream – use canned coconut milk or 1/3 cup heavy cream. Plain Greek yogurt will work but tastes different.
- Cilantro – leave this off if you’re not a fan of cilantro.
- Naan – serve with pita or leave it out to cut down on calories.
How to make tikka masala
Step 1: Add everything to the slow cooker.
Add everything but the sour cream.
Step 2: Slow cook.
Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
Step 3: Make the rice.
Make the rice in a rice cooker or on the stovetop.
Step 4: Stir in the sour cream.
Stir in the sour cream then serve over rice.
Recipe tips
Here are my top tips for making this chicken tikka masala:
- Make your own garam masala: Use a homemade version for depth of flavour.
- Use fresh gingerroot: It has the best flavour. Ginger powder will work, but isn’t as good.
- Swap out the sour cream: Try canned coconut milk, heavy cream or Greek yogurt instead.
- Make it dairy-free: Use your favourite dairy-free butter substitute and replace the sour cream with coconut milk.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between chicken marsala and chicken tikka masala?
They’re two totally different dishes. Chicken marsala is an Italian dish with mushrooms and wine sauce, while chicken tikka masala is an Indian dish in a spicy tomato cream sauce.
Is it spicy?
It has a bit of spice to it, but it’s not overly spicy. To make it milder, use less chili powder. If you want to give it even more heat, add in some red chili flakes or cayenne pepper.
Can you make it in the Instant Pot instead?
This recipe is designed for the slow cooker, but if you’re looking for a faster option, you can try my Instant Pot chicken tikka masala recipe.
Serving suggestions
You can eat this slow cooker chicken tikka masala on its own or serve it with some sides. Here are some of my favourite options:
How to store & freeze chicken tikka masala
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge for 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
More delicious slow cooker recipes
Meal prep tools
- Glass meal prep bowls are so great for microwaving and reheating your food safely.
- A rice cooker will automatically cook the side dish of rice for you.
- Restock your freezer with free-range poultry from Butcher Box.
- These bento box containers are perfect for packing the rice and curry separately in the same container.
Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 lb chicken, diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp gingerroot, grated
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 (796mL) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Naan bread (optional)
Basmati rice
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except for sour cream, rice, cilantro and naan to slow cooker in the order they are listed above and cook on high for 3 hours, or on low for 6 hours.
- Remove lid and stir in sour cream. Add rice to large bowls and top with chicken mixture, then garnish with cilantro and serve with naan (if desired). Serve and enjoy!
Basmati rice
- Add all ingredients to a rice cooker or on the stove top and cook according to package directions.
Video
Comments & Reviews
Jennifer says
Taylor – this was delicious. Thank you for creating it! My feedback is that I felt the protein to sauce ratio was a little off. I could have doubled the chicken from 1 lb to 2 lbs and still had plenty of delicious sauce to soak up with rice or naan. Next time I make it, I plan to do that. Thanks again!
Roselyn Volkmer says
Does the nutritional value for each serving include rice or is the 400+ calories just for the tikka masala?
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Roselyn – it includes the rice!
Patricia Pellegrino says
i put the frozen chicken in cold water. Then I cut it into pieces. .Then I took the onion and cooked it in oil , added the chicken for a few minutes. Put it into the crock pot with all the other ingredients. cooked it for 6 hours,. It was wonderful. Thank you.
Taylor Stinson says
So happy you enjoyed!!! Thank you for reporting back 🙂
Patti says
Hi Taylor. I love your recipes. Thank you. This one looks really good. My chicken breasts are frozen. Should i defrost them first , or can i cut them up frozen and ad them to the pot?
Taylor Stinson says
Thank you so much Patti 🙂 You should definitely defrost your chicken first, it’s not safe to slow cook frozen chicken. Sometimes I will defrost quickly in the microwave at 30-45 second intervals. Hope that helps!
tara says
hi taylor! i have to make chicken tikka masala for 50 people tomorrow night 🙈 i was wondering if i could triple this recipe just by truly 3x each ingredient? and then i will probably use 3 crockpots haha. i would love to know your thoughts on increasing the serving size of this! thanks!
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Tara – wow that’s a lot of people!! You probably could actually triple the recipe in one crockpot and then have 3 crockpots going all at once. As long as you’re using standard size 6 quart crockpots you will be fine 🙂
Rosie says
Can you make this in the instant pot?
Taylor Stinson says
You sure can! Here’s a similar recipe with more exact instructions: https://eatinginstantly.com/instant-pot-chicken-tikka-masala/
Matt says
Hello! Was wondering can I replace the chicken with pork? Would it be ok adding some carrots and or other veggies. Would cooking time change with pork or adding other veggies.
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Matt – I’m really sorry but I don’t have much experience cooking pork in the slow cooker so I couldn’t advise on cook time changes. Most things cook in the slow cooker within 8 hours though so I imagine it would be fine but I just can’t guarantee the results. Same with the veggies – I think carrots would be fine but you may be better off cooking the veggies you plan to add separately so they don’t get overcooked or soggy.
Matt says
Thanks so much for the help. I’m dieting and a little tired of chicken. Your recipe looks great tho.
Taylor Stinson says
Thank you so much!!! 🙂 Happy to help! You could also try diced up chicken thighs…I know it’s still chicken but with it being a different cut you do get a different flavour and it works really well with this recipe.
Matt says
Wonderful idea! I do prefer thighs and legs. thanks and have a great day🙂
Taylor Stinson says
Happy to help! 🙂
Jaime says
How would you make this recipe spicy? Cayenne pepper?
Taylor Stinson says
Either that or red chili flakes would work 🙂
Jason says
I’ve seen some tikka dishes with jalepenos. I threw one in with seeds and that gave it some heat. long reds would also work.
Lauren says
What if you’re dairy free? Is the sour cream necessary. As for the butter I’d just substitute earth balance vegan butter since it’s not too much to notice a difference-and I guess I could use kitehills almond milk yogurt if the sour cream is neccessary for creamy-ness…what are your thoughts?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Lauren – you could leave out the sour cream but it really does add that extra creaminess that you’re looking for with tikka masala. You could also try mixing in 1 can of full-fat coconut milk at the end.
Maria says
Any chance you have the nutritional values?
Taylor Stinson says
Hey Maria – it’s up there now 🙂