Crock Pot Butter Chicken
The seasons have changed, a holiday (or two) has tumbled on by. I’ve been to 6 countries, over 15 cities and a wedding. I’ve learned of two pregnancies (not mine) and hosted a baby shower. The past two months have been nothing short of crazy, as you can see. But now, I’m back, in both senses of the word. I’m back HERE, for at least a second, to share some new recipes. And I’m back home, if only for a few weeks.
Granted, I’m going out of town every weekend, but that’s neither here nor there. In fact, let’s just skip the small talk and move onto things that are a little more epic, shall we say.
Like this butter chicken, obviously and the teensy, tiny, small little fact that I just turned 30.
YEAH. I’ll let you digest that little nugget of information for a second. In the meantime, I’m just going to talk about the creamy pile of bliss in front of your faces. It’s no surprise I’m a fan of ethnic flavors, and Indian is certainly no exception. I’ve always had a deep love affair for creamy curries and spicy chili blends, especially when paired with fluffy rice and naan bread. And my love for the country’s incredibly eccentric (and differing) flavors only intensified during a recent visit to the bustling city of Mumbai.
I have about 15 more Indian recipes I want to share, ones that are based on the vibrant dishes I enjoyed there. But for now, I’m sharing a simple staple – butter chicken. It teeters more on the Americanized version of Indian food than authentic, but it’s still an absolute classic. The best part about this recipe is you don’t need to stir or stew over the stove to make it – you can just toss it all into a slow-cooker and enjoy the insatiable aromas as they fill your home.
With a full-time job, a growing freelance career, a husband, two dogs and a social life, slow cooker meals are really all I can muster these days. But it’s still food, and homecooked food at that, so it beats the alternative.
I thought I’d be ready to discuss the big 3-0 by the time I got to this part of the page, but I’m not. So let’s skip it for another day. Perhaps a day when I’ve been drinking. Heavily.
Crock Pot Butter Chicken
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Serves about 6. Slightly adapted from All Recipes.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 – 6 hours
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
- 10 ounces coconut milk
- 4 ounces heavy cream
- Fresh cilantro and green onions for garnish
- + rice
Directions:
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until just translucent, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until just browned on all sides, about 6 – 8 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into the crock pot.
- Add in the green onions, spices and tomato paste; stir to combine. Add in the greek yogurt, coconut milk and heavy cream, stir to combine. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook on low, stirring occasionally, for about 5 -6 hours, or until chicken is fully cooked and sauce is thick. Serve with rice, fresh cilantro and green onions.
Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 400
Fat: 16.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 45 grams
Fiber: 2.8 grams
Protein: 16 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 11