Slow Cooker Butter Chicken (Paleo & Whole30)
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Let’s make Slow Cooker Butter Chicken! This paleo butter chicken recipe is so easy and delicious, it’s become one of the all-time most popular recipes on this site! You’ll want to slurp the sauce with a spoon. (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo, Whole30)
Photos + post updated January 2021. Original post published October 2014.
Since they’re related to (and living with) a food blogger, my family is constantly eating a stream of new recipes. Some are winners that make it to the site, others are misses that send me back to the drawing board. Since we try to cut down on as much waste as possible, we eat almost everything I make for the blog. (Even most of the failures. Some failures just aren’t edible.) So it’s not super often that we repeat meals.
But some recipes are so good, they make it into the regular rotation and never leave. This Slow Cooker Paleo Butter chicken is one of those recipes. I first made this wayyy back in 2014 (when Milo was just 1!), and we’ve been making it on a regular basis ever since.
In the years since I first published this Slow Cooker Butter Chicken recipe, it’s become one of the most popular recipes on my site, has been featured around the internet, and was even been published in a magazine. I GET IT! It’s easy, it’s crazy delicious, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you licked your plate clean (been there!).
The sauce is velvety smooth (even without the traditional butter!), and it’s got a gorgeous flavor you’ll dream about after. Here’s what you need to get started…
Our Paleo Butter Chicken Recipe At A Glance:
Here’s What goes Into Our Slow Cooker Butter Chicken Recipe:
- CHICKEN BREAST OR CHICKEN THIGHS. You can make our paleo butter chicken with either boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs. Chicken breast is my go-to, though thighs can be less expensive and can stay even more moist (even with the longer cooking time).
- ONION + GARLIC + GINGER. This trio of aromatics adds TONS of flavor to our butter chicken sauce and sets the stage for all the layers of flavor we’ll build in. I love using frozen garlic + frozen ginger. The flavor is identical to fresh and there aren’t any additives! Next up, we have…
- WARM SPICES + SEASONINGS. The next layer of flavor comes from warm spices like cumin, cardamom, and coriander, along with some salt and a little cayenne (or not! It’s up to you!). The flavor and aroma is mouthwatering, and the cayenne gives *juuust* a little heat without making this super spicy. (Prefer it spicy? Add more!)
- TOMATO PASTE + CANNED COCONUT MILK. Tomato paste makes this sauce velvety smooth and stirs into the coconut milk like a dream. I beg, plead, and implore you to use full-fat coconut milk for this paleo butter chicken recipe! It gives the sauce such delicious texture (especially since we’re not using butter), and helps carry the flavors. You can even use coconut cream if you like, but I don’t recommend light coconut milk or refrigerated coconut milk for this recipe.
- A FEW FRESH FINISHES. Lastly, you’ll brighten up the dish by adding a squeeze of fresh lime juice and some fresh cilantro. It makes it look gorgeous and keeps the chicken cozy without feeling heavy.
What To Serve With Paleo Butter Chicken:
- RICE OR CAULIFLOWER RICE. I looove having something to soak up all that lovely sauce from the paleo butter chicken. Depending on your dietary needs, you can serve this with cauliflower rice or white rice. I love it either way! (Note: for Whole30 be sure you use cauliflower rice.)
- GREEN VEGGIES. Green veggies are a natural side dish pairing with our Slow Cooker Butter Chicken and we’ve made all kinds over the years. Simply cooked broccoli (steamed or roasted), some green beans, asparagus, zucchini… it’s all good! Pick your favorite and go to town!
- THAI CUCUMBER SALAD. We’re blurring lines cuisine-wise here, but one of my recent faves is to serve my Slow Cooker Paleo Butter Chicken with my Thai Cucumber Salad. The cool, crisp, refreshing flavors of the salad are a delightful pairing with the warm, creamy, rich sauce of the butter chicken.
- FRESH PINEAPPLE OR MANGO. Or, you can cool off your mouth with some cold fruit. Pineapple and mango are lovely, though you can certainly use whatever is in season or looks good at the market!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Slow Cooker Paleo Butter Chicken:
CAN I JUST “DUMP-AND-GO”? Yes. If you are short on time, you can absolutely pour all the sauce ingredients into the crock of your slow cooker, give it a whisk to smooth it out, then add the chicken. I prefer starting the sauce on the stovetop as shown because the onions are more meltingly tender and the sauce is less likely to have any lumps, but LOTS (hundreds) of readers have successfully made this paleo butter chicken as dump-and-go recipe. You do you!
NEED A SLOW COOKER? If you’re in the market, we have two that we love. (#foodblogger). First up is this one. It’s programmable, and will automatically switch the heat to the WARM setting when it’s done. You can even use the included programmable thermometer so that the heat switches to warm as soon as it’s reached the right internal temperature (which means NEVER overcooking your meat). It also comes with a lid clip to keep the lid in place (which means no sloshing if you’re carting it to a friend’s house or potluck). Our other fave is this one (our exact color isn’t sold anymore, but it’s a similar model). It’s inexpensive, easy to use, and looks cute, too!
IS BUTTER CHICKEN SPICY? It can be, but isn’t always. You can control the heat here by adding more or less cayenne pepper. The amount I suggest starting with (1/4 tsp.) will add some warmth and mild heat, but I wouldn’t say it’s super spicy.
FYI: SOME SLOW COOKERS RUN HOT! I’ve had a few readers in the last few years (just 2-3) tell me their sauce burned a bit toward the end of the cook time. If you’re nervous, I suggest keeping an eye on it toward the end or try using the LOW setting instead of the HIGH setting.
Looking For More Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes? You might also like…
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili (Paleo + Whole30)
- Slow Cooker Chicken Curry (Paleo + Whole30)
- Slow Cooker Thai Chicken and Butternut Squash Soup
- Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stew (Paleo + Whole30)
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala (Paleo + Whole30)
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Taco Soup (Paleo + Whole30)
SHOP OUR FAVORITE TOOLS + INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING BUTTER CHICKEN:
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken (GF, DF, Paleo, Whole 30)
- Total Time: 3.5 hours
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Slow Cooker Butter Chicken – This paleo butter chicken is so easy and delicious! It’s become one of the all-time most popular recipes on this site–you’ll want to slurp the sauce with a spoon! (Gluten Free, Paleo, Whole30)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast (or chicken thighs)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 tsp coconut oil (or ghee)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4–1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 (14oz) can coconut milk (full fat, please)
- 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
- juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 Tbsp.)
- 1/4 cup cilantro, or to taste
Instructions
- In a medium saute pan, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent and fairly tender. Add garlic, ginger, spices, and salt. Cook 1 minute longer, till all the spices are fragrant and amazing. Stir in coconut milk and tomato paste and stir until well combined.
- Add chicken to the slow cooker. Pour sauce over everything.
- Cook on high heat for 3-4 hours or on low heat for 6-8 hours.
- Shred or dice chicken into the sauce, squeeze in lime juice, top with cilantro, and serve with your favorite vegetable, rice, or naan.
Notes
“DUMP & GO” DIRECTIONS: If you are short on time, you can pour all the sauce ingredients into the crock of your slow cooker, give it a whisk, then add the chicken and set it to cook.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 3-4 hours
- Category: Main Dish, Chicken
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Indian, Indian-American
Made this last night and my hubby and 2 girls (6 and 2) gobbled it up! I actually made a double serving since we like leftovers for lunch and followed the recipe almost to a T. However, I did not have cardamom in the house so I used a 1/4:1 ratio cinnamon as a substitute. Since a double serving calls for 2 tsp cardamom, I used a 1/2 tsp cinnamon and it went perfectly with the dish. I also added a 1/2 tsp garam masala since we like a little bit of heat and added an additional dash of salt to our liking. The recipe is definitely a keeper!
My family and I LOVED this dish. But both my husband and I felt that it was too rich, ie. our stomach were very upset after (like a lead weight). I’m on the Whole30 — any suggestions on how to lighten it up? Do you think it would have been the tomato paste or the coconut milk? We typically don’t have problems with either, so I’m thinking it’s the combination…
Pam – I’m so glad you loved the dish and SO SORRY that it felt too heavy afterward! You could try using light coconut milk (which is lower in fat and will result in a thinner, less heavy sauce), or decrease the amount of tomato paste for next time.
Also curious – What else did you eat with the meal besides the butter chicken? Sometimes those kind of combinations get me too! Best of luck in the rest of your Whole30!
I had steamed cauliflower! and my husband had rice and cauliflower. hmm. curious. Maybe it was the quality of the coconut milk – I used goya brand. Though honestly, I bothered me even worse the next day when I had a little with a fried egg for breakfast….well, planning to triple and make again for my book group, because it was SO good. I added a little gram masala at the end to give it a little more flavor. The spices seem to fade after the cook a bit.
That is so strange! I’m so sorry you had that reaction. I hope it doesn’t give you the same trouble next time with your book group!
Perhaps I missed it, but do you put the chicken in frozen or thawed? Don’t know if it really makes a difference, but trying it out and want to make sure. Thanks!!
Leslie – No problem! I always put it in thawed. I know many friends and readers have put it in frozen. They just add an extra hour or two to the cook time and haven’t had a problem. Best of luck and happy cooking!
Is there a nutrition label anywhere for his recipe?
Kris – There’s not, I’m sorry. My current blogging budget doesn’t include nutrition software, but I like using the free calculator at MyFitnessPal (either the website or the app). You can import recipes from the web or add them manually and they do all the work for you!
I’m wondering how this might taste over spaghetti squash. Off to gather up the ingredients.
Fantastic recipie! Thanks!
Made this for dinner last night. Absolutely fantastic! I cook for a living (personal chef and catering co. owner) and am always looking for new dishes that combine a more healthful profile with a delicious end result (much more difficult than it sounds). In reading the recipe, I was concerned about the amount of Tomato Paste (a full 6-oz. can), but it worked out beautifully and helped thicken the sauce. I doubled the amount of Cayenne, halved the amount of Lime Juice and made it on the stove instead of the slow cooker. For my Paleo clients, I’ll serve over Cauliflower Rice, but my hubby and I ate it over Basmati last night and quickly deemed it one of our new favorites. Well done & thank you!
Nancie – THANK YOU! I’m so glad you enjoyed it and found a way to make it work for you and your clients!
OBSESSED is the word to capture how I feel about this recipe. I love the short list of ingredients that are all chalked full of flavor! I’ve been thinking of this and craving it nonstop since I made it last.
Rather than make it again and again, I am saving it to be part of one of my “regulars” in the food routine! I have scanned through your blog for more recipes and have to admit that your blog is the first that I have subscribed to and absolutely adore. Thanks for sharing your warmth and heartfelt stories along with incredible recipes. You have a true new fan!
You MADE MY DAY! Thank you for this thoughtful, sweet comment.
Agree that this is a delicious recipe – one little problem for me was that after about 1-1/2 hours in the slow cooker (set on “high” – I didn’t have time for the “low” setting), the sauce began to burn around the edges. I was worried about it getting worse as the cooking progressed, and I had to leave the house for a bit, so I added a cup of chicken broth. The sauce is thinner, but still tastes amazing. It didn’t lose any of the punch of those wonderful spices. Just wanted to share this variation in case anyone else has this issue (my slow cooker may run a little “hotter” than some others). Thanks for a great recipe – with a house of gluten and dairy intolerance, I love this addition to our repertoire of “standards.”
Robin – Thank you so much for your tip! I’m sure there are others who have this issue (slow cookers do run at different temperatures), and that’s a fabulous suggestion. Thanks so much!
Can I omit the tomato paste or substitute it? I can’t tolerate tomatoes but really want to make this.
Bonnie – Oh, I’m sorry! I haven’t substituted the tomato paste before for this recipe. It’s fairly essential for the flavor, but you could possibly try substituting pumpkin puree, as I used in this recipe.
This recipe is amazing! I just keep making it so we always have some in the fridge to heat up for lunch! My 3 and 5 year old love it too (although, I leave out the cayenne so it’s not so spicy). They also love your lettuce wraps and they are pretty much on a weekly rotation around our house. Thank you for providing so many wonderful gluten-free/dairy-free recipes. I have been GFDF for a few months now and I love that your recipes work for my dietary needs, but are also enjoyed by everyone without dietary restrictions! Your blog alone has made my new endeavor possible.
Tracie – You made my day! What a happy, sweet comment. I’m so glad that your family is enjoying the recipes! My goal is always that they’re delicious enough for people with dietary restrictions and those without. I’m glad that’s working for you! Here’s to many more happy dinners to come!
I am SO glad I found this recipe! I’ve made it 3 nights in a row. It’s so easy to make and delicious, I can’t get enough of it. Bonus points as my other half loves it too. Thank you!!
What a nice comment for a Monday! THANK YOU! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It’s one of my all-time favorites!
To make it vegetarian, would you recommend substituting the chicken for chickpeas? If so, how much and is there any other change you would make to the recipe if switching to chickpeas?
Lea – Yes! You can sub chickpeas and use the same sauce. Just make the sauce as directed, then stir in 1-2 cans of cooked chickpeas (depending on how saucy you like things). You won’t need to put it in the slow cooker, since cooking the sauce will get everything tender and well blended. Just stir in the chickpeas and you’re good to go!
OMG, this is SO delicious! Thanks so much for this recipe. It’s a new family favorite!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Jennifer!
This sounds delicious! Have you ever tried to make it on the stove in a Dutch oven rather in a crock pot? (I don’t own one.) Do you think there would need to be any substitutions made if cooked on the stovetop?
Amanda – You could totally make it on the stovetop! You’d follow the same directions, prepping the sauce first, then adding the chicken. You’d simmer on low, till tender. Or, you could bake it at 300 degrees (with the lid on) for 2-3 hours. Hope that helps!