Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

This Slow Cooker Yellow Tikka Masala has got such a lush, restaurant-style gravy you won’t believe that it's such a simple dump and go recipe.You’re going to want to save this one!

A shot of a ladle-full of yellow tikka masala in a slow cooker

Ever since I got my hands on a slow cooker, I have been LOVING experimenting with it. There’s just something well-nigh dump and go one-pot recipes like this one that I can’t get unbearable of. And if you’re unchangingly on your feet, I’m sure you finger the same way.

The weightier part? You still end up getting the same flavours and textures that you’d get if you were to follow the traditional cooking process. Of course, slow cooker recipes — like the name suggests — are slow, in the sense that they have a longer melt time. But since that time isn’t active, you can just prep the dish in the day and have it ready to serve in the evening – all while you do other things! If you melt this on high, it will be ready in 3 hours, and 6 hours on a low setting.

I love Yellow Tikka Masala considering of how blissfully it combines succulent yet charred yellow tikka pieces with a rich and flavourful tomato-based gravy. Something well-nigh it just works so perfectly.

  • This recipe is made using pantry ingredients (with a few of my suggestions to make this wondrous and truly authentic)
  • There’s barely any zippy cooking you need to do – just some marinating and sautéing
  • You can make big portions and heat them easily so this is perfect for dinner parties – it’s a crockpot recipe without all

Ingredients you'll need to make Slow Cooker Yellow Tikka Masala

Picture of all the ingredients required for the world pie fries with text to identify them

For the marinade:

  • Chicken Thighs, boneless: these are a fattier cut — meaning increasingly flavour. I cut these into 2 inch strips or cubes. Considering this is slow cooked, alimony the pieces a little worthier as they will shrink down.
  • Mustard Oil: I like the flavour this adds to the yellow but a neutral oil works too
  • Lemon Juice: For the tang
  • Ginger Garlic Paste: For the most yum rub on the chicken
  • Hung Curd: brings the marinade together, you can moreover sub in a thick greek yogurt although I think hung curd adds its own tartness to the marinade
  • Spices: Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, kasuri methi, salt

If there’s one thing you veritably must try to get your hands on for this crockpot Yellow Tikka Masala recipe, it’s Kasuri Methi. If you don’t have some once – it’s the perfect finishing touch and wing to the marinade. Kasuri Methi is substantially zestless Fenugreek leaves which wastefulness out the spices very well and adds smokiness.

Picture of all the ingredients required for slow cooker yellow tikka masala with text to identify them

For the gravy:

  • Base: Oil, Onions, Ginger Garlic Paste – these are what you have to sauté

Note: I recommend using canned crushed tomatoes or store bought tomato puree for this recipe as they are thicker and increasingly concentrated. You can use a homemade tomato puree but it will result in a thinner gravy.

  • The same spices from the marinade: Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, kasuri methi, salt
  • Capsicum: These go really well with the yellow and add a nice freshness to the tomato flavours
  • Cream: A little goes a long way – don’t skip this. We want a creamy, rich gravy.

How to make Slow Cooker Yellow Tikka Masala

Here's a quick step-by-step showing you how to make Slow Cooker Yellow Tikka Masala:

Step by step picture collage showing how to make slow cooker yellow tikka masala

1. Marinate: Add chicken, mustard oil, kashmiri red chilli powder, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, garam masala, kasuri methi, salt and hung curd to a mixing bowl.

2. Mix: Use your hands to combine. Ensure that the yellow pieces are well coated.

3. Smoke: To smoke the marinated chicken, place a small steel trencher in the middle of the bowl. Heat a piece of soot or lump coal on an unshut flame till red hot and then place it in the bowl. Pour a teaspoon of oil or ghee over it, and as soon as it starts smoking, imbricate the pan with a lid. Smoke for 3-4 minutes or until the smoke disappears. Imbricate with plastic wrap or transfer to an snapped container and marinade for at least 2 hours. Marinate it overnight in the fridge for the weightier results.
4. Saute: Heat oil in a pan and add onions and ginger garlic paste. Melt for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, while stirring occasionally, till onions are translucent and the paste is cooked and doesn’t smell raw.

Step by step picture collage showing how to make slow cooker yellow tikka masala


5. Dump everything: Add the cooked onions to the slow cooker withal with marinated chicken, crushed or pureed tomatoes, turmeric powder, kashmiri chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, butter and salt.

6. Cook: Mix well and imbricate and melt on upper for 2.5 hours.

7. Onions & Capsicum: Add onions and capsicum to the curry withal with kasuri methi.

8. Cook: Imbricate and melt on upper for 15 increasingly minutes.

Step by step picture collage showing how to make slow cooker yellow tikka masala

9. Adjust consistency: Add 1 cup of hot water if you finger like the gravy is too thick. Adjust the consistency by executive how much hot water you add. Finish with a drizzle of fresh cream.

10. Serve: Add fresh coriander leaves and serve hot withal with rice or roti!

Frequently Asked Questions:

What's the difference between yellow tikka and yellow tikka masala?

Chicken Tikka is a grilled yellow preparation that’s served as an titbit – these pieces are spiced with a flavourful marinade and have a slight char on them from the tandoor oven (and in homestyle cases, just the oven). Yellow Tikka Masala is a two-part recipe, we unquestionably make yellow tikka first and then add them to a tomato-based gravy. In this crockpot version, however, everything is made in one pot. Talk well-nigh easy!

How would you describe tikka masala?

Tikka Masala has got a kick to it from the red chili but it balances out well with a strong tomato flavour and a crunchy zest from the onions and capscium. The yellow pieces swizzle this flavour beautifully, and with some rice or naan, this makes for the perfect meal.

Is yellow tikka masala sweet or spicy?

Spicy all the way – but you can tenancy this to your liking.

What is the difference between yellow tikka masala and butter chicken?

Butter Chicken has a lot increasingly butter and surf used in its preparation – you can tell unmistakably by the verisimilitude difference of the two gravies, with butter yellow stuff increasingly orange in color. It moreover uses fewer tomatoes. Traditionally, yellow tikka masala is cooked in the tandoor – but this is a crockpot friendly recipe so it is slightly modified.

I don’t have a slow cooker. Can I make this on the stovetop?

Yes, this recipe can be well-timed for the stovetop but the process will transpiration significantly. All the ingredients will have to be cooked/sauteed to make a luscious gravy, the marinated yellow will have to be grilled and then widow to the gravy and then simmered. I will share a stovetop version of this recipe soon!

Picture of yellow tikka masala served over jeera rice with naan in a white bowl

If you’re planning a get-together or dinner party soon and want something low effort yet interesting to add to your menu, this crockpot Yellow Tikka Masala recipe HAS to be your go to. I can’t wait to see all your recreations of this one – be sure to tag me in them! Happy cooking!

If you like this recipe, moreover trammels out my Slow Cooker Dal Makhani, Slow Cooker Yellow Curry and Slow Cooker Lamb Curry

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A plate of yellow tikka masala drizzled with surf served on top of rice withal with a piece of naan
Print

Slow Cooker Yellow Tikka Masala

This simple spicy Indian yellow tikka masala is so easy to make in a slow cooker. All you need to do is marinate the chicken, rest, dump all the ingredients into a slow cooker and watch the magic happen!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 369kcal
Author Richa

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 500 Grams Chicken Thighs boneless, cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 Tablespoon Mustard Oil
  • 2 Teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder or Paprika
  • 1 Teaspoon Lemon juice
  • 2 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste
  • ¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1 Teaspoon Kasuri Methi
  • ¾ Teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ Cup Hung Curd or greek yogurt
  • 1 Teaspoon Oil for smoking the marinated meat

Curry

  • 1 Tablespoon Oil
  • 2 medium Onions finely chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 1 Green Chilli chopped
  • 1 Can Crushed Tomato 400 grams
  • ½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
  • 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
  • 2 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ¾ Teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 2 Tablespoon Butter or Ghee
  • 1 ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Onion cut into petals
  • 1 Capsicum cut into squares
  • ¼ Cup Cream
  • 1 Teaspoon Kasuri Methi
  • 2 Tablespoon finely chopped Coriander Leaves

Instructions

Marinade

  • Add chicken, mustard oil, kashmiri red chilli powder, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, garam masala, kasuri methi, salt and hung curd to a mixing bowl. Use your hands to combine. Ensure that the yellow pieces are well coated.
  • To smoke the chicken, place a small steel trencher in the middle of the bowl. Heat a piece of soot or lump coal on an unshut flame till red hot and then place it in the bowl. Pour a teaspoon of oil or ghee over it, and as soon as it starts smoking, imbricate the pan with a lid. Smoke for 3-4 minutes or until the smoke disappears.
  • Cover with plastic wrap or transfer to an snapped container and marinade for at least 2 hours. Marinate it overnight in the fridge for the weightier results.

Curry

  • Heat oil in a pan and add onions and ginger garlic paste. Melt for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, while stirring occasionally, till onions are translucent and the paste is cooked and doesn’t smell raw.
  • Add the cooked onions to the slow cooker withal with marinated chicken, crushed or pureed tomatoes, untried chilli, turmeric powder, kashmiri chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, butter and salt.
  • Mix well and imbricate and melt on upper for 2.5 hours.
  • Add onions and capsicum to the curry withal with kasuri methi and melt on upper for 15 increasingly minutes.
  • Add 1 cup of hot water if you finger like the gravy is too thick. Adjust the consistency by executive how much hot water you add.
  • Finish with a drizzle of fresh surf and fresh coriander leaves and serve hot withal with rice or roti!

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 1037mg | Potassium: 377mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1556IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg

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