Description
A laid-back, flavor-packed weeknight dinner featuring tender chicken thighs in a spiced tomato-coconut sauce, perfect for serving with naan or rice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for searing chicken)
- ½ teaspoon salt (for chicken)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper (for chicken)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1.5 tablespoons)
- 1.5-inch piece fresh ginger, grated or minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for sautéing aromatics)
- 1.5 tablespoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to preference)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk (divided)
- ½ cup chicken broth or water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or maple syrup)
- ½ cup heavy cream (or additional full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free)
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish, optional)
- Naan bread or basmati rice (for serving, optional)
- Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Pat dry and cut chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces; season with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet and sear chicken in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
- Reduce heat, add olive oil and sauté diced onion for 5–7 minutes until soft and golden.
- Add minced garlic and grated ginger; cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and smoked paprika; stir and toast spices for about 1 minute.
- Transfer the aromatic mixture to a slow cooker, scraping any browned bits from the pan.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and half of the coconut milk; stir to combine.
- Add chicken broth and brown sugar, stir until well combined.
- Add seared chicken pieces, gently stir to coat and submerge in sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or on HIGH for 3–4 hours.
- Once cooked, stir in the remaining coconut milk and heavy cream, adjusting seasonings as needed.
- If a thicker sauce is desired, simmer uncovered on HIGH for 15–30 minutes or stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken.
- Serve hot with basmati rice, naan, and garnished with fresh cilantro.
Notes
This dish can be made dairy-free by substituting heavy cream with additional coconut milk or full-fat coconut yogurt. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 360 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
Keywords: coconut, chicken, tikka masala, slow cooker, Indian cuisine