So when I read this recipe for Slow Cooker Butter Chicken from Damn Delicious.net it threw me off a bit.  I couldn’t figure out why people kept referring to Butter Chicken when this recipe has no butter in it.  Then I did some research.  The British used butter and heavy cream to make this Indian dish more palatable.  This recipe has no butter or cream so I guess it is “healthier” than the original dish.

I wasn’t sure how this dish would go over in our house.  My children like tons of flavor in their dishes and a bit of spice but I thought even this may be too much for them.

Verdict:

Almost everyone really liked this dish.  A dollop of Greek yogurt on top definitely cuts the heat and made it much more palatable for everyone.  My son ate two servings even after he said it would have been better with white rice.  It would have, but, wild rice was all I had on hand.

I was the one who ate my serving and then didn’t go back for more.  It was good but so very spicy that I couldn’t eat much of it.  I wanted to but my stomach said, no.

I also learned that Naan, the bread shown on the side of the plate above, is shipped to grocery stores frozen.  I never knew that.  The grocery store did not have any on display so I asked if they had any in back and they did but it was frozen.  I gladly took it home and stuck it in the freezer so I could just pull it out when I needed it.  It was perfectly fine.  Good to know.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 1/2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• Cooked hot rice for serving
• Naan for serving
• Extra Greek yogurt for topping

Directions:

1. Spray bowl of slow cooker with non-stick spray.
2. Place diced onion in bottom of slow cooker.
3. Place diced chicken over onion.
4. Stir together Greek yogurt, coconut milk, tomato paste, garam masala, curry powder, cayenne pepper, ginger, salt and pepper together in a bowl.
5. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken.
6. Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours.  Stir once in the middle if you can, but not necessary.
7. Serve over rice with a side of Naan.  Use Greek yogurt to help cut the spiciness.