Slow Cooker Chicken Curry Recipe

Indian chicken curry in slow cooker pot with a ladle into it holding chicken piece.

4.42 from 12 votes

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry Recipe

This dump and go Slow Cooker Chicken Curry masala is simple yet so deliciously perfect one pot dish. Cooked in the crockpot, this curry has the right balance of spices, spot on flavors with tender juicy chicken - all goodness and happy tummy!

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Gluten Free, Non Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 244kcal

Author: Farrukh Aziz

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

2.2 lbs Chicken on Bones cut in medium sized pieces
¾ cup Onion grated or finely chopped
1 cup Tomato pureed
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste or minced
1 teaspoon Green Chillies chopped or minced
¾ cup Greek Yogurt whisked well
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
3 tablespoons Oil
2 tablespoons Ghee
Live Charcoal + 1 tsp Ghee or Oil
Cilantro For Garnish

Spice Powders

1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
2 teaspoons Red Chilli Powder
¾ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
1½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
½ teaspoon Nutmeg grated

Whole Spices

1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
1½ inch Cinnamon Stick
4 Green Cardamom
4-5 Cloves
6-7 Black Peppercorns
2 Bay Leaves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Clean, wash and strain the chicken well.
Add chicken into the slow cooker pot.
Add the ingredients into it along with only ¼ cup of water. If you want gravy to be thick, then you do not need to add water at all.
Cover with lid and cook on high for 3.5 hours. I got perfectly cooked intact chicken in 3 hours and few minutes. The time may range from 3-4 hours on 'High' or 5-6 hours on 'Low'.
Once cooked, add lemon juice and mix.
Switch off and unplug the slow cooker. Place a steel bowl or foil piece over the chicken. Put live charcoal in bowl and pour ghee over it.
Immediately cover the cooker with lid and let it sit for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes, discard the coal and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve this delicious crockpot chicken curry masala with roti, naan bread or rice along wtith some salad on side.

Notes

I have added a bit of water as my family loves it with a nice gravy. But, if you want gravy to be thick, then you do not need to add water at all. In fact I would suggest let the chicken cook without the lid for last 15-20 minutes to evaporate water, if you like to have thick gravy.

Ensure chicken pieces are cut in uniform size for even cooking.

You can use chicken thighs, chicken breast as well as chicken drumsticks to make this curry.

You can replace the spices powders with 3 tablespoons of curry powder. However I would still insist you on using the same spices powders and garam masala that I have used here.

I have used Kashmiri Red chilli powder as it gives lovely colour yet less in heat. You can swap red chilli powder with cayenne pepper and / or paprika.

Grated Nutmeg lends nice earthy flavor to the curry, do not skip it.

For dairy free curry, skip yogurt, ghee and proceed with the rest.

You can add tablespoon or 2 of butter instead of ghee.

Modify the amount of spices and chillies as per your liking.

You can use Serrano peppers instead of green chillies.

I have used my homemade tomato puree. You can used canned ones or simply blend the ripe tomatoes along with 1 teaspoon of tomato paste and use.

Smoking the curry with charcoal is totally optional, but of your really like smoky Indian style curry, then I would recommend go for it. You can use lump coal.

Switch off and unplug the slow cooker before smoking the curry.

Nutrition