Easy Creamy Crock-Pot Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)

I’m not sure if you do this as well, but I tend to go in and out food crazes — currently, the only thing I want to eat after running is garlic butter zoodles, which doesn’t sound so bad until you consider that I run every day.
I’ve gone through similar phases with scrambled eggs with avocado and feta, dinners of teriyaki glazed chicken and creamy mashed cauliflower, pan-fried dumplings with chinese eggplant, and for three tormented weeks Xi’an Famous Foods’ Hand-Ripped Noodles (so not paleo, so guilty delicious!)

But my love affair with Indian cooking is different. It’s not a craze, it’s not a kick; it's been going on forever and it's going to go on forever.
I crave Indian food for a million different reasons.
Nothing is soul-satisfying comforting to me as a bowl of Chicken Tikka Masala and rice, or gets me in a good mood as Aloo Masala.

Even on days like we’ve had this week; when the air is oppressively stagnant, damp, and thick — and common sense demands fresh fruit, raw vegetables, and smoothies — I dream of thick, spicy curries that make me sweat in the best way possible.

Butter Chicken (aka Murgh Makhani) needs no introduction. Together with Chicken Tandoori, it’s most probably the best known of all Indian dishes.
It’s sort of the ultimate Indian comfort food. Rich, buttery, creamy, not-too-spicy chicken that everyone loves.
As brilliantly pointed out by Sam Sifton “Butter chicken is the General Tso’s of Indian food, a great, ever-evolving, cross-continental dish found in Delhi, London, New York, Perth and most points in between [...]”

Making this Easy Creamy Crock-Pot Butter Chicken takes a little prep time, but once the prep is done, you let the Crock-Pot do its magic.
So simple you will probably be making this dish over and over again.
Serve it with basmati rice, quinoa, or Creamy Coconut Cauliflower Rice.
You won’t be disappointed.

I won’t try to convince you with words. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Easy Creamy Crock-Pot Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani)                            Print this recipe!

Adapted just a little from HalfBakedHarvest

Ingredients
Serves 6

1 ½ lbs / 680 gr skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 small onion, very finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 (6 oz / 170 gr) can tomato paste
1 (14 oz / 400 gr) can full fat coconut milk (I used BPA-free Natural Value)
½ cup Greek yogurt
4 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

In a large bowl combine coconut milk, Greek yogurt, and heavy cream. Stir in tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and all the spices.
Grease the inside of the Crock-Pot with olive oil.
Add chopped onion at the bottom, then chicken pieces, and then pour coconut milk mixture over it. Add butter in dollops, cover with a lid, and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
When ready, give a good stir, adjust seasoning and serve!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 354 calories, 22 grams of fat, 14 grams of carbs, and 26 grams of protein.