Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken
Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken
Time About 5 hours Yield 4 to 6 servings
Meredith Here for The New York Times
This butter chicken, made in the slow cooker, is fast for the cook: Just prep it earlier in the day, even during your morning routine, getting your onion and spices going on the stove while simultaneously making lunches for grumpy children, folding dish towels, feeding the dogs and wondering once again why no one else has done any of the above. If you're preparing pork or beef in the slow cooker, you'll want to brown the meat first, but that's not necessary with boneless cuts of chicken. The meat will be cooked within 4 1/2 or 5 hours, but if you need to let it sit a little longer — up to 7 hours total, on low heat — it will still be delicious, though the chicken may be very soft and shred a tad.
view this recipe on NYTCooking.com
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 cup coconut milk (if necessary, whisk to combine the liquid and solids before measuring)
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
- Cooked basmati or jasmine rice, for serving
- Naan, for serving (optional)
Preparation
- Step 1In medium skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions to skillet, and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and ginger, and cook another 2 minutes. Add garam masala, tomato paste and salt; cook and stir 2 minutes.
- Step 2Place chicken pieces in a slow cooker, then add tomato paste mixture, lime zest and juice, coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir everything together, cover and cook on low heat setting for 4 1/2 to 5 hours, until the chicken is cooked through. (You may let it cook up to 7 hours if necessary, but the chicken may be very soft and shred.) Garnish with cilantro and serve with basmati or jasmine rice, and naan if you have some.