Indian-Inspired
Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
Chicken simmers low and slow in a coconut-tomato curry sauce with warm spices. Serve with rice and a squeeze of lime for a hands-off dinner.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 6 hr
- Total
- 6 hr 15 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Photo: rovingI (CC BY). Source
Why you’ll love it
- The slow cooker softens the chicken and blends the spices with almost no stirring.
- Coconut milk keeps the sauce rich without heavy cream.
- Tomato paste and broth balance the sweetness of the coconut.
- You can start it in the morning and dinner is ready at night.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Add onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, cumin, and salt to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- 2
Whisk coconut milk, tomato paste, and chicken broth in a bowl until smooth, then pour over the onion mixture.
- 3
Add chicken pieces and stir so everything is coated in the sauce.
- 4
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours (or on high for 3 to 3.5 hours) until the chicken is tender.
- 5
Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
- 6
Serve over rice and top with cilantro.
Pro tips
- Stir once halfway only if you are home; it is not required for good results.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for a thicker sauce.
- If the sauce is thin at the end, cook uncovered on high 15 to 20 minutes.
Easy substitutions
- chicken thighs
- chicken breast chunks, check earlier for doneness
- curry powder
- garam masala plus extra cumin
- cilantro
- fresh mint or skip the herb topper
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate in airtight containers up to 4 days. Freezes well up to 2 months.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low, stirring often, or microwave in bowls until steaming.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 380
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Moderate · Slow Cooker · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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