Slow Cooker Butter Chicken (Paleo & Whole30)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy
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
Currently making this for the second time for tonight’s dinner. I make it on the stove top and double the sauce (because it’s SO good) since I tend to wait too late to decide what’s for dinner and then the slow cooker would have us eating at 8pm :/
In any case – we love Indian and LOVE this recipe. As newbies to Whole30/ Paleo, thank you for the recipe! It’s now on regular rotation in our house.
I’m SO glad to hear you’re enjoying it!!!
Hey I’ve loved so many of your recipes and I help with content for a newsletter for runners. Could I put a link to your site and use a image of one of you recipes. You’re my go to for healthy and tasty so I’d love to spread the word while also giving you the credit and hopefully new taste testers!! Let me know-
Thanks for all your delish dishes
Maren – You are welcome to feature a photo and link to my blog for recipes any time, just please don’t publish my recipes within the content of your blog. Thanks for thinking of me!
I just made this for the first time. The sauce smelled amazing while it was cooking but, by time I took it from the crockpot, the aroma was gone and the taste was bland. Do you think I cooked it too long?
Jason – Oh, I’m sorry! It could perhaps be that it simmered too long, but it sounds like you might like yours with a bit more punch for next time. You might try adding 1.5 the amount of spices for next time, or if it’s heat you’re after, you can up the amount of cayenne or give it a splash of sriracha. I hope that helps!
Would using chicken thighs impact the amount of cooking time? It sounds like a good recipe and I’m excited to try it. Thanks!
Nicole – Nope! I’ve made it using chicken thighs with these same directions without a problem. 🙂
Oh good! I’m using chicken thighs too. ?
Hi!! I love making Indian food so I can’t wait to try this in the crock pot!!! Question: I have a little container of Garam masala that I made up. Can I use that and just measure out the same amount?
I’m sure it would be delicious with your garam masala mix!
I tried this recipe for the first time the other night, because I have a butter-chicken-loving boyfriend who lives with me, a love for Indian food, and an interest in trying to avoid gluten and dairy for the general dietary/digestive health of us both. We loved it!
I have homemade garam masala around most of the time and wanted to use it in this recipe for its depth of flavor. Here is what I did, which worked extremely well (note that I had doubled the recipe, so you’ll want to do half if you are making a single batch):
4T garam masala
4t curry powder
4t curry Paste
2t cayenne pepper
1/2t salt
2t turmeric
Cheers!
Ooh! Thank you for sharing Tiffany!
Hello! I was making a meal plan last week and wanted to try butter chicken, and found your recipe! I just made it tonight in our slow cooker and it was AMAZING. There’s barely enough left for lunch tomorrow and I just have me and my husband! I used about double the amount of frozen chicken breast, and since the ones I use are frozen with an ice glaze, I doubled the spices but not the coconut milk or tomato paste, since I knew the chicken would give of liquid too. I used coconut cream (because that’s all I had oops) and I couldn’t find cardamom at the store, so I followed a suggestion online and did equal parts cinnamon and nutmeg. Stirred everything together, spread it over the chicken and let it cook. While I was waiting for the rice to cook I stirred the chicken to break it up and added some frozen peas (because that’s how I roll lol). It was SO tasty. I ate a huge plate and so did husband. We’ll definitely be making this again! I want to get some cardamom so I can try it the proper way! LOL
Sam – I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it so much! We gobble it right up every time I make it! I hope you love it even more when you get a chance to try the cardamom. Happy weekend!
I want to make this recipe for a pot luck this Sunday. I have a slow cooker, but may not have the the time to use it for this recipe. Is it possible to make a stove top version of this?
Andrea – Sure! You can make it in a large pot or Dutch oven. Follow the beginning instructions (sautéing the onion, adding the spices, tomato paste, coconut milk, etc. Add the chicken, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to a low simmer and simmer until chicken is tender. Shred with a fork and that’s it!
Thank you! I actually decided to make it tonight (Friday) before I went out for the evening. I wasn’t going to be home tomorrow to be able to start the slow cooker and be able to turn it off in time. Figured if I made it tonight, it might be even better by the time I bring it to my pot luck on Sunday.
I just got home now at 11:30pm and O M G!!!! It turned out soooo awesome!! I have travelled to Nothern India twice and I would put this up there with one of the best butter chicken dishes I’ve ever had.
Glad to know I have the shorter stove top version of this dish too. So I can make it and not have to wait so long to eat it!! 🙂
I tripled the recipe this time since I’m feeding 12 people. Hope I will actually have some left by Sunday to share at the potluck. 😉
I’m going to serve this with
cauliflower rice since I’m follow the Keto way of eating.
This is definitely going into my regular line up of monthly meals! Thanks soooo much!!
Hi! I was thinking of dicing the chicken first so the flavors really penetrate. Do you think that would change the cooking time? Also, do you feel like if there is a long gap until eating (6-7 hrs) it’s better to just turn off the slow cooker or keep on warm. Wasn’t sure if it could dry out.
Shereene – You can absolutely dice the chicken. It may be done as much as an hour earlier if done this way. If you’ve got that long gap between the end of the cook time and serving time, I’d definitely turn off the slow cooker and store the chicken in the fridge till you’re ready to eat it, since chicken has a tendency to dry out. I hope that helps!
Have you found any good substitute for all the garlic you use? I have a garlic sensitivity but can consume onions.
Amanda – You could just leave it out. There are enough other delicious flavors going on that it’ll still be delicious! If you’re nervous, I’d just up the spices a tiny bit.
Thank you!
Hi! I was curious if anyone has done this in an instant pot?
Was wondering the same thing!
I don’t have an instant pot, but I tried to do a search to get an answer–I’m wondering if this post could help? If you scroll down a bit she’s got some tips for converting slow cooker times to instant pot times. If you do try it, I’d LOVE to know what worked for you so I could include those instructions in the future! Best of luck!
I’m going the Instant Pot route tonight. I’ve made this in the slow cooker (so, so good), but wasn’t organized enough today to get that going. It’s almost dinnertime, so Instant Pot, it is. I’m just going to follow the recipe – saute in the pot, everything else in, lid on, hit the poultry button, and hope for the best.
How did this work out?
This looks amazing and I think my girls would go for it! Only problem is I don’t have a slow cooker (and have no room in my kitchen to put one). I DO have an Instant Pot though. I’m still a relative newbie with the Instant Pot. Do you think this recipe would work with this appliance? and if so, how would I need to modify cooking time/preparation? Thanks!
I used instant pot! perfection!
How long did you put in your Instant Pot? And did you do natural release or quick release? Thanks for the delicious recipe!
I followed the link posted earlier about converting slow cooker recipes for the instant pot and used the suggested 15min manual high pressure setting with a quick release. Unfortunately, the chicken stuck to the bottom and was a tad burnt. The flavour was still amazing (a little too tomato-y but easily fixed with more salt 😊) and it shredded beautifully. Next time (oh yes, there will be a next time), I’ll reduce the cooking time and increase the spices and salt. I already can’t wait!!
I’m sorry to hear it was a little burned! I just got an instant pot for Christmas, so I’m hoping to work on IP directions to lots of my slow cooker favorites. Hopefully, I’ll have some great instructions soon!
Hi Emily, I’ve not used cardamom before and can only find it in pods. Is that what you use? Ir is it the seeds or ground?
Jaclyn – I use ground cardamom rather than the pods. You can actually grind your own (for a super fresh flavor!) or you can add garam masala instead if that’s easier for you. I hope that helps!
Delish. made ours in our instant pot. yum.
Oh good! I’m so glad it turned out! How long did you cook it for?
Hi, I was wondering if ghee could be used in place of the coconut oil and/or coconut milk? I always thought “butter” chicken had butter in it, so I’m curious as to how this gets the “butter” sensation? Wouldn’t all the coconut (oil and milk) give it a coconut flavor? And if the coconut doesn’t make it taste too much like coconut, would I be able to use coconut cream instead of full-fat coconut milk? I’d think that would give it a creamier texture, right?
Also, I’m planning on making this in an Instant Pot pressure cooker – I’m thinking I can just throw everything in together & set it & forget it.
Thank you for your recipes!!
Rob- Great questions. Yes! Ghee works really well. A friend of mine who does a lot of Indian cooking told me that she’d heard that the “butter” part of butter chicken was about the sensation–rich, velvety, etc. I haven’t the slightest idea if that’s true, but ghee works wonderfully. Feel free to use it!
I haven’t found this dish to be coconut-y. The spice blend is really what I taste here, and the coconut milk provides more richness than coconut flavor. I LOVE using coconut cream. The sauce gets extra silky and delicious. Love it!
Thanks for the recipe! I’m doing whole 30 right. Le and this was delicious. Next time I make it though, I think I will leave out the lime. While still delicious, I think I preferred the sauce before the addition of the lime. IMHO 😊
Angela – I’m glad you liked it and glad you found a (non-lime) solution you’ll enjoy even more in the future! 🙂