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Home » Recipes

Spicy Indian Chicken Curry Slow Cooker Recipe

Jan 5, 2023Last Modified: January 5, 2023

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This page may contain affiliate links. I receive a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase using my link. This post is about an awesome Spicy Indian Chicken Curry Slow Cooker Recipe!

Spicy Indian Chicken Curry with basmati rice garnished with cilantro in a silver balti dish with a spoon resting in the bowl. There is a salad in the background.

I just LOVE slow cooker recipes and also Indian food! It's a great thing that Indian curries and slow cookers are a match made in heaven. Slow cookers are the ultimate kitchen appliance for creating top notch meals and slow cooking really helps to bring out the flavors in different dishes.

So, just dream of your slow cooker creating a TOTALLY DELICIOUS Indian chicken curry while you enjoy your day. Come home to the most amazing aromas and prepare to indulge in a succulent and spicy chicken curry as good as what you would get at your local Indian restaurant.

Jump to:
  • Why You Will Love This Spicy Indian Chicken Curry Slow Cooker Recipe!
  • 🥘 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • Suggestions For Serving
  • FAQ
  • Here Are Some Other Indian Recipes You May Enjoy!
  • Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!
  • Spicy Indian Chicken Curry Slow Cooker Recipe

Why You Will Love This Spicy Indian Chicken Curry Slow Cooker Recipe!

You'll love this crockpot chicken curry because:

  • The flavors are bold, spicy, and delicious!
  • You can go about your day while your crockpot (slow cooker) works to give you the tenderest chicken bathed in a mouthwatering spicy curry sauce.
  • Your home will be filled with the most amazing aromas!
  • It's so satisfying, colorful, and fun to put this recipe together.
  • Yogurt helps make this curry nice and creamy and also helps to tenderize the chicken while cooking.

So if you're ready for a BOLD and SPICY slow cooker chicken curry recipe, then read on to find out what you'll need for this dish!

🥘 Ingredients

A white bowl filled with raw chicken thigh pieces, small bowls individually filled with ginger, garlic, thai chilies, salt and pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and black peppercorns, garam masala, cayenne pepper, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, one onion, 2 tomatoes, and a glass bowl with yogurt.
The beautiful ingredients included in this recipe

As can be seen above, there is a beautiful and delicious array of spices and ingredients in this great recipe. Many of these spices are used extensively in Indian cooking.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

  • Boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
  • Onion, finely minced
  • Fresh Ginger, peeled and finely minced
  • Garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
  • Thai chilies finely minced; you can adjust the amount of chilies to your liking
  • Roma tomato diced (select a large Roma tomato)
  • Plain yogurt

Ground Spices

  • Garam masala (ground spice) - could also sub regular curry powder
  • Red chili powder
  • Coriander (ground spice)
  • Turmeric (ground spice)
  • Cayenne pepper (ground spice; adjust the amount of cayenne to suit your tastes)
  • Salt
  • Black Pepper

Whole Spices

  • 2-3 inch cinnamon stick
  • 5 each green cardamom pods
  • 5 each cloves
  • 5 each black peppercorns

Garnish

  • Cilantro (garnish)
  • Lemon juice (added at the end for a bit of brightness!)

Without doubt this is a fairly long list of ingredients. However, please be assured that the prep for this spicy chicken curry for the slow cooker comes together easily and quickly.

PLEASE NOTE: Using the quantities of ground and whole spices as stated in the recipe card will give you a BOLD and FIERY curry. If you prefer a less spicy hot and milder curry, I recommend you scale back the quantities by half. You can always add more to taste later if you like.

This recipe uses a fresh Roma tomato. You could also add a little bit of tomato paste or sub tomato puree for the Roma tomato if you like.

🔪 Instructions

The hardest part of this Spicy Indian Chicken recipe is gathering the ingredients. So once you've collected all of the ingredients we'll roll up our sleeves and take care of the prep!

Begin by trimming the fat from the chicken thighs and cut into bite sized pieces. Place the chicken into the slow cooker.

Bite sized pieces of raw chicken thighs in a blue slow cooker.
Place bite sized pieces of chicken thighs in your slow cooker.

Next, finely mince the onion, garlic, ginger, and Thai chilies (if using). This is easiest in a food processor. Place this mixture in the bottom of a mixing bowl. Add the yogurt, and then the ground spices (garam masala, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, salt and pepper). Stir to combine well.

A white mixing bowl filled with a yellow colored yogurt based seasoning paste. There is a yellow spoon with a wooden handle resting in the bowl.
Combine minced garlic, chilies, ginger, onion, ground spices and yogurt in a mixing bowl.

Now add the rest of the ingredients: diced tomato and the whole spices (cinnamon stick, cloves, black peppercorns, green cardamom). If you are adding tomato paste or subbing tomato puree for the fresh tomato, add it at this time. Stir to combine well.

A white mixing bowl filled with a yellow colored yogurt based seasoning paste, diced tomatoes, a cinnamon stick, green cardamom, cloves, and black peppercorns. There is a yellow spoon with a wooden handle resting in the bowl.
Add the whole spices and the diced tomatoes to the yogurt and spice mix.

Pour this combined mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker, and stir to combine well. Then place the cover on the slow cooker and set it to cook for 5.5 hours on low.

Adjusting For Taste and Gravy Thickness

Have a look at your dish around 5 hrs in. If you would like more gravy, add a bit of water. If the gravy is too thin and you would like it thicker, remove the cover and cook without the cover for the last 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you desire by adding more salt, pepper, etc.

Also, if the spices are too strong for you, you can add a little water or some chicken broth until you achieve your desired taste.

Raw chicken pieces coated with a yogurt based seasoning paste and tomatoes in a blue slow cooker with a yellow spoon with a wooden handle resting on the side.
Add the spice mixture and tomatoes to the chicken and stir to combine.
Raw chicken pieces coated with a yogurt based seasoning paste and tomatoes in a blue slow cooker with a glass lid poised over the slow cooker.
Cover your slow cooker and cook for 5.5 hrs on low.

You will have an aromatic, delicious and rich spicy Indian chicken curry at the end of cooking time. It's fiery hot, as well as spicy in that it is full of complex spices.

Spicy Indian Chicken Curry garnished with cilantro in a slow cooker with a blue silicone spoon with wooden handle resting in the slow cooker.

Remove and place in your serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro and add a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness if you like!

Spicy Indian Chicken Curry with basmati rice garnished with cilantro in a silver balti dish with a wedge of lemon poised over the chicken. There is a small blue bowl behind the balti dish.

Suggestions For Serving

Spicy Indian Chicken Curry with basmati rice garnished with cilantro in a silver balti dish with a spoon resting in the bowl.

Enjoy this fiery and spicy chicken curry with the king of rices, basmati rice. It also pairs well with brown rice, garlic naan, or even pita bread. And cauliflower rice is a great option if you are watching your carbs.

I hope that this will become a favorite Indian chicken curry recipe of yours!

FAQ

Is it ok to put raw chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes, it's absolutely fine to put raw chicken in a slow cooker. Slow cookers will safely cook raw chicken over a long period of time and will give you tender chicken to enjoy!

How can I store leftover chicken curry?

Store leftover chicken curry in an airtight container in your refrigerator. This should keep for around 4 days.

How can I thicken slow cooker curry sauce (gravy)?

If you find that your curry sauce (gravy) is too thin, you can remove the lid of the slow cooker around 30 minutes prior to the end of the cooking time and cook off some of the liquid.

How can I make more slow cooker curry sauce (gravy)?

If you find that your curry sauce (gravy) is too thick, you can add a little water or chicken broth towards the end of cooking.

Here Are Some Other Indian Recipes You May Enjoy!

If you love Indian food, then here are some other Indian recipes that you may enjoy:

  • Indian Spiced Green Lentils
  • Chicken Biryani Made Simple
  • Healthy and Delicious Indian Spiced Cabbage

Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!

If you'd like to come along on this food journey with me, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.

Cheers!

Grace

Spicy Indian Chicken Curry with basmati rice garnished with cilantro in a silver balti dish with a spoon resting in the bowl.

Spicy Indian Chicken Curry Slow Cooker Recipe

Grace
Enjoy this Spicy Indian Chicken Curry Slow Cooker Recipe as good as what you would get at your local Indian restaurant! Slow cookers and Indian curries are a match made in heaven!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 5 hrs 30 mins
Total Time 5 hrs 50 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 people
Calories 591 kcal

Equipment

  • slow cooker
  • Food Processor optional but makes prep of garlic, onion, ginger, and chilies much easier

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb chicken thighs boneless and skinless, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 onion finely minced
  • 2 inch ginger peeled and finely minced
  • 12 cloves garlic peeled and finely minced
  • 8 Thai chilies finely minced; you can adjust the amount of chilies to your liking
  • 1 Roma tomato diced; select a large Roma tomato (you could also add a little bit of tomato paste or sub tomato puree for the Roma tomato if you like)
  • ¾ cup plain yogurt

Ground Spices

  • 1 tablespoon garam masala ground (could also sub regular curry powder)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder ground
  • 1 tablespoon coriander ground
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric ground
  • 1 tablespoon cayenne ground (adjust the amount of cayenne to suit your tastes)
  • ½ tablespoon salt may add additional to taste
  • 1 ts black pepper may add additional to taste

Whole Spices

  • 2-3 inch cinnamon stick
  • 5 each green cardamom pods
  • 5 each cloves
  • 5 each black peppercorns

Garnish

  • 1 cup cilantro chopped, for garnish
  • lemon squeeze of lemon

Instructions
 

  • Trim the fat from the chicken thighs and cut into bite sized pieces. Place the chicken into the slow cooker.
    Bite sized pieces of raw chicken thighs in a blue slow cooker.
  • Finely mince the onion, garlic, ginger, and Thai chilies (if using). This is easiest in a food processor. Place this mixture in the bottom of a mixing bowl. Add the yogurt, and then the ground spices (garam masala, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, salt and pepper). Stir to combine well.
    A white mixing bowl filled with a yellow colored yogurt based seasoning paste. There is a yellow spoon with a wooden handle resting in the bowl.
  • Now add the diced tomato and the whole spices (cinnamon stick, cloves, black peppercorns, green cardamom). Stir to combine well.
    A white mixing bowl filled with a yellow colored yogurt based seasoning paste, diced tomatoes, a cinnamon stick, green cardamom, cloves, and black peppercorns. There is a yellow spoon with a wooden handle resting in the bowl.
  • Pour this combined mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker, and stir to combine well.
    Raw chicken pieces coated with a yogurt based seasoning paste and tomatoes in a blue slow cooker with a yellow spoon with a wooden handle resting on the side.
  • Place the cover on the slow cooker and set it to cook for 5.5 hours on low. Have a look at your dish around 5 hrs in. If you would like more gravy, add a bit of water. If the gravy is too thin and you would like it thicker, remove the cover and cook without the cover for the last 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you desire by adding more salt, etc. If the spices are too strong for your liking, you can add a little water until it tastes perfect!
    Raw chicken pieces coated with a yogurt based seasoning paste and tomatoes in a blue slow cooker with a glass lid poised over the slow cooker.
  • Remove and place in your serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro and add a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness if you like!
    Spicy Indian Chicken Curry with basmati rice garnished with cilantro in a silver balti dish with a wedge of lemon poised over the chicken. There is a small blue bowl behind the balti dish.

Notes

This recipe uses a fresh Roma tomato.  You could also add a little bit of tomato paste or sub tomato puree for the Roma tomato if you like.
PLEASE NOTE: Using the quantities of ground and whole spices as stated in the recipe card will give you a BOLD and FIERY curry. If you prefer a less spicy hot and milder curry, I recommend you scale back the quantities by half. You can always add more to taste later if you like.
Have a look at your dish around 5 hrs in. If you would like more gravy, add a bit of water. If the gravy is too thin and you would like it thicker, remove the cover and cook without the cover for the last 30 minutes.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if you desire by adding more salt, etc. If the spices are too strong for your liking, you can add a little water until it tastes perfect to you!
A squeeze of lemon juice at the end gives the dish some extra brightness and is highly recommended. 

Nutrition

Calories: 591kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 41gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 228mgSodium: 1113mgPotassium: 863mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1825IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 139mgIron: 4mg
Keyword chicken curry, crock pot, Curry, indian curry, slow cooker
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About Me

Hi I’m Grace! I'm married and a mom to my fur baby, Toby, and food and travel are two of my greatest passions! Since our bank account does not allow us to travel or eat out as much as we'd like, I decided I would cook delicious meals that could give us a taste of all the places we'd like to go. My goal is to get you in the kitchen, and inspire you to cook and taste delightful meals that will transport you too. Let’s throw some actual travel in from time to time, all with an emphasis on keeping your wallet full and happy as well. Let’s get cooking and let’s start exploring!! I'm excited to be on this journey with you!!

By the way most of these recipes are Toby taste tested and Toby approved!!

Chief Taste Tester Toby

Toby Chief Taste Tester

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