Meat & Poultry Chicken Chicken Main Dish Chicken & Rice Slow-Cooker Butter Chicken 4.5 (8) 6 Reviews Browning the chicken and sautéing the aromatics before everything goes into the crock pot is key to building the flavors in our version of this popular curry. By Adam Dolge Adam Dolge See More Adam Dolge is an award-winning journalist, writer and recipe developer. He is the author and food photographer for the blog The Real Recipes, where he shares recipes inspired by his experience working for food magazines and professional test kitchens. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 23, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H., RD Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H, RD, is a Chinese and Jewish chef and dietitian who has worked in all facets of the food world. She is a recipe developer, culinary nutritionist and marketing specialist with more than 15 years of experience creating editorial and digital content for top food and kitchen brands. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Jump to recipe Close Credit: Photographer: Jacob Fox, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila Prep Time: 0 mins Active Time: 40 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Servings: 6 Nutrition Profile: No Added Sugar Mediterranean Diet Sesame-Free Nut-Free Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Gluten-Free Jump to Nutrition Facts Coconut milk adds creaminess and subtle sweetness to this curry dish.Chicken thighs supply protein to build and maintain muscle.Garnishing with lime wedges and sliced scallions brings a fresh finish to the meal. Photographer: Jacob Fox, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed and tested at its original yield and has not been tested at other yields. Note that only the ingredient list is scaled, so you may need to make adjustments to ingredient amounts, cooking times and equipment sizes in the recipe steps. Scaling could also impact the nutrition analysis. Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed 1 cup chopped yellow onion 1 tablespoon grated garlic 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 2 teaspoons garam masala 1½ teaspoons ground cardamom 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt ½ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon ground pepper 1 (6-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato paste ½ cup unsalted chicken broth 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk ¼ cup plus 6 teaspoons heavy cream 1¾ cups water 1 cup long-grain brown rice Lime wedges & sliced scallions for garnish (optional) Directions Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add trimmed chicken thighs; cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker. Do not wipe the skillet clean. Photographer: Jacob Fox, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila Add 1 cup onion to the pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon garlic and 2 teaspoons ginger; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 teaspoons garam masala, 1½ teaspoons cardamom, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cumin and ¼ teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste; cook, stirring constantly, until it deepens in color, about 2 minutes. Stir in ½ cup broth, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker. Photographer: Jacob Fox, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila Add 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk to the slow cooker; stir until well combined. Cover and cook on High for 1 hour 50 minutes or on Low for 3 hours 50 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion should register 165°F). Stir in ¼ cup cream; cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Photographer: Jacob Fox, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila About 40 minutes before serving, combine 1¾ cups water and 1 cup rice in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir and cover; reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Serve the chicken and sauce over the rice. Drizzle each serving with 1 teaspoon cream. Garnish with lime wedges and scallions, if desired. Recipe Updates Based on earlier review and comments of this recipe, we’ve retested and made the following adjustments (and updated the nutritional analysis accordingly):Increased oil (to help carry the flavor and add richness)Increased garlic, garam masala, cardamom, salt and tomato paste (to boost flavor)Added cumin, black pepper and chili powder (to boost flavor)Decreased broth (to thicken the sauce)Added heavy cream (to add body to the sauce)Updated February 2025 EatingWell Magazine, January/February 2019 Save Rate Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 497 Calories 28g Fat 19g Carbs 45g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 6 Serving Size 1 cup butter chicken & ½ cup rice Calories 497 % Daily Value * Total Carbohydrate 19g 7% Dietary Fiber 2g 9% Total Sugars 6g Added Sugars 0g 0% Protein 45g 90% Total Fat 28g 36% Saturated Fat 12g 62% Cholesterol 225mg 75% Vitamin A 111µg Vitamin C 9mg 10% Vitamin D 1µg Vitamin E 3mg 19% Folate 21µg Vitamin K 8µg Sodium 558mg 24% Calcium 70mg 5% Iron 4mg 22% Magnesium 78mg 19% Potassium 918mg 20% Zinc 4mg 36% Vitamin B12 1µg Omega 3 0g Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate. * Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.) (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.