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cooked chicken thigh pieces in a thick muted orange tomato-yogurt sauce beside a modest mound of brown basmati rice in one plain bowl, with no cream swirl, naan or garnish
Melissa Hart

Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala

Yogurt belongs at the end of this tomato-based tikka masala, where it can soften the spice without spending hours splitting in the crock. The chicken thighs cook until tender in a sauce of ginger, garlic and warm spices; temper the yogurt with hot sauce before stirring it back in off the heat. Brown rice gives the sauce somewhere to land, and a measured portion leaves room for a substantial serving of chicken. Estimated calories: about 460 per serving, including everything listed.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs visible fat trimmed
  • 1 can 14.5 oz no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 3/4 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup dry brown basmati rice
  • 1 1/2 cups water for rice

Method
 

  1. Stir tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, oil, garam masala, paprika, cumin, turmeric and salt in a 4-quart slow cooker. Add chicken thighs and coat with the sauce.
  2. Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours until the chicken reaches at least 165°F and is tender enough to separate with a fork.
  3. Begin the rice during the final hour: bring rice and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a covered saucepan, reduce to low and cook for 40 to 45 minutes until tender, then rest covered for 10 minutes.
  4. Lift chicken out, cut into large pieces and return it to the sauce. Turn off the cooker and let the sauce stop bubbling for 5 minutes.
  5. Whisk yogurt in a bowl with 1/2 cup hot sauce added gradually. Stir the tempered yogurt into the cooker without boiling it again.
  6. Divide rice and chicken sauce among 4 bowls.