Paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe - My Natural Family (2024)

Rebecca Baron 26 Comments

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This Paleo slow cooker chicken tikka masala recipe is so easy with only a few ingredients and it tastes like I was cooking in the kitchen for half the day. This recipe is a simplified version of traditional Indian cuisine.

I'm not going to lie and say it's exactly the same as you would get in India. However, it's easy, simple and very healthy. Thisrecipe uses coconut milk as the main ingredient.

Paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe - My Natural Family (1)

Browning the chicken in a pan first, along with the onion and spices develops a deeper flavor and richer sauce. The Garam Masala can be found in any Indian grocery store, but I was even able to find it in my small town grocery store, so maybe it is becoming a more prominent spice.

As pictured, this recipe is not Paleo or Whole30 (because of the naan bread) but it's easy to eat it like soup out of the bowl or put over cauliflower rice or cauliflower mash. I've even seen Paleo naan bread recipes on Pinterest if you would like to try that.

To make it Clean Eating, serve it over brown rice or quinoa *. Traditionally this would be served over basmati rice, but all my family prefers jasmine rice. We like it because it has the most substance and is a little sticky and chewy. I never liked white rice until I tried jasmine and now I love jasmine rice.

My children all love this Paleo chicken tikka masalarecipe. We all love to go to the Indian restaurant near our house and the only thing my children want is tikka masala. I love eating there because my children actually eat real food instead of an expensive, tasteless, unhealthy kid's meal.

Getting a couple of dishes to share usually ends up costing as much as that. I like it because I get to try a wide variety of foods. I think MY favorite Indian food is either Indian saag recipe or Indian chicken korma coconut milk recipe, depending on the restaurant. Click the links above to get my recipes for both of those.

The chicken masala we get from our favorite Indian restaurant uses chicken breast, but I don't like chicken breasts in the slow cooker because it's very easy to get dried out and tough. However, chicken thighs get soft, tender and juicy in the slow cooker. I think the tomato-based sauce actually helps tenderize the chicken thighs. If you don't want to use coconut milk, you can use another milk alternative, such as almond milk - or cream is good too.

Have you tried tikka masala before? Share in the comments below, we would love to hear from you! Share with all your friends you think might like this recipe!

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Recipe

Paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe - My Natural Family (2)

Paleo slow cooker chicken tikka masala Recipe

★★★★★5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Rebecca Baron
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 240 minutes
  • Total Time: 255 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian
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Description

Browning the chicken in a pan first, along with the onion and spices develops a deeper flavor and richer sauce. The Garam Masala can be found in any Indian grocery store, but I was even able to find it in my small town grocery store, so maybe it is becoming a more prominent spice.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 6 Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless) (cut into 1"pieces)
  • 1 Yellow Onion (diced)
  • 2 tsp Garlic (minced)
  • 2 tsp Coarse Real Salt * (Kosher)
  • 1 ½ Tbl Garam Marsala
  • ½ tsp Paprika
  • 3 Tbl Tomato Paste
  • 1 28 oz can Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 15 oz can Coconut Milk *
  • Fresh Cilantro (to garnish)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a saute pan. Add the chicken and cook until it is golden brown on all sides. Add the chicken to the slow cooker and put the pan back on the heat.
  2. Add the onion to the pan and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, Garam Masala, and paprika and saute for another minute. Stir the tomato paste in and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes to the pan and bring to a simmer.
  3. Pour the diced tomatoes over the chicken in the slow cooker along with the can of coconut milk. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Remove the lid of the slow cooker for the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
  4. Serve over brown rice and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Keywords: Slow Cooked, Spicy

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Rebecca Baron

      I haven't tried it myself but it should work fine. Please come back and comment if you try so others will know if it works.

      Reply

  1. Virginia

    Wonderful ! I added a head of cauliflower at the beginning so it would take on the flavor and omitted any cauliflower rice (I’m on a Ketogenic lifestyle). It makes almost like a stew. Will make great leftovers for lunch at work this week.

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      Such a good idea! We're in love with cauliflower at our house and it would be so good in this recipe since it absorbs flavors so well.

      Reply

  2. Cassandra @ Uncommonly Well

    I loved this so much! The flavor is amazing and it's SO easy. To make it even faster I threw the chicken thighs in whole and shredded them at the end. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      Great idea! I'm glad you like the recipe. Thanks for commenting.

      Reply

  3. Julie Dragoo

    I’m making this for the second time today! My family LOVES it and it’s so easy!! I do put the tomatoes and onions and spices as well as the coconut milk in the blender somthere are no chunks and then just pour over the chicken....the crock pot does the rest! Thank you so much!!

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      What a great idea! Thanks for the comment.

      Reply

  4. Jalene

    Thanks for posting! Found this recipe on Pinterest. I'm excited to try it. On step 3 it says tomato sauce but the recipe calls for diced tomatoes. Is that what you meant? Also, do I drain the diced tomatoes or leave the liquid? Thanks for your help!

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      Good catch! Sometimes I change the recipes around so much I miss things. I don't drain the diced tomatoes, but what do sometimes is blend the diced tomatoes, so it's more like a tomato sauce and there aren't chunks. My children don't like the chunks as much and it's more like spaghetti sauce when you blend it, so they like it better.

      Reply

  5. Laura

    I am currently doing Whole30 and just made this recipe last night. Served with cauliflower rice and it was FANTASTIC! Best compliant meal I've made so far -- bonus is that it made lots of leftovers too!

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      So good to hear. I'm glad it worked out for you!

      Reply

  6. Kathy

    How many chicken thighs should I use? The recipe shows " ? 6 "

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      Hum. It's not showing that now. Maybe I already found and fixed it . . . but it should be six.

      Reply

  7. Amy S Kamm

    OMG. Late to the party on this one, but just discovered this recipe and made it tonight. Holy smokes, is it GOOD!!!!!! Thank you for posting! No more trips to substandard Indian takeout restaurants for me!

    Reply

  8. Sabra

    Can I double this recipe?

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      Yes you can but I would be careful cause I am not sure it would fit in one crock pot. Use your best judgment.

      Reply

  9. Anne

    How do you convert the recipes for your pressure cooker?

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      For most crock pot recipes instead of cooking it on low for 6-8 hours, you just put it in the pressure cooker and push the button for what it is you're cooking, like there's a meat button. You push that and it cooks the meat for however long it thinks it takes. Meat is usually around 15 minutes after it gets up to pressure, so like 25 minutes or so. But I often put frozen meat in so that's why it takes a little longer. Rice takes 12 minutes and it's chewy and sticky. I love it.

      Reply

  10. Rebecca | LettersFromSunnybrook.com

    Oh yumm! Garam Masala is a staple in my pantry already. I look forward to trying this version of Tikka Masala. One of our local grocery departments has bulk sales on different chicken chicken cuts each week. Next time they have thighs on sale, I'm stocking up! Naan bread is simple to make too, for on the side.

    Reply

  11. Theresa @DearCreatives

    Thanks for sharing your crock pot recipe.

    Reply

  12. Sarah R.

    YUM! Love me a good slow cooker recipe.

    Reply

  13. gina Caracciolo

    Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my FAVORITE meals!!! Can't wait to try this!!

    Reply

    • Rebecca

      Please let me know what you think of it if you try it.

      Reply

  14. Karly

    This looks incredibly delicious!

    Reply

  15. Amy@europe's Calling

    I love slow cooker meals. This would be a good one to try!

    Reply

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Paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe - My Natural Family (2024)

FAQs

Is chicken tikka masala healthy or unhealthy? ›

It's one of the most-ordered entrees at Indian joints. But like many Indian dishes that were originally low fat, the modern recipe for chicken tikka masala is anything but. An average portion has whopping 1,249 calories and 90.8 grams of fat. A lot of that comes from the ghee and heavy cream.

What is the difference between chicken tikka masala and chicken tikka curry? ›

The only major difference that can be seen is that tikka masala contains more masala or spices in it. Tikka and tikka masala are of Indian origin. In tikka preparation, boneless chicken pieces are baked along with skewers in an oven made of clay called a tandoor.

Which is healthier butter chicken or tikka masala? ›

Regarding nutrition, Butter Chicken and Tikka Masala are high in calories, fat, and sodium. Butter Chicken has more fat and calories than Tikka Masala due to the use of cream and butter in the sauce. However, Tikka Masala has more sodium than Butter Chicken due to the use of canned tomato puree.

Is chicken tikka masala gluten free? ›

When you're craving some authentic Indian cuisine, the Chicken Tikka Masala is probably the first thing you think of. Well, we have good news, because the gluten-free nature of this ensures that everyone can enjoy it.

Is tikka masala inflammatory? ›

Aromatic, flavorful and colorful are just some words I'd use to describe Tikka Masala. Full of anti-inflammatory and aromatic spices, this dish is amazing. Your home will be filled with the aromas of India while this dish is cooking!

Can I eat chicken tikka for weight loss? ›

Chicken tikka masala is recommended for anyone looking to lose weight, reduce body fat levels but maintain or increase lean mass. It is advised to consume chicken tikka masala throughout the day to increase daily protein intake or before/after a workout as a source of protein.

Is Garam Masala the same as tikka masala? ›

Tikka masala is pieces of meat or chicken marinated with spices, whereas garam masala is the term used for 'hot spices' that are not spicy but can keep the body warm. Garam masala powders may contain chilli and peppers, although they can be aromatic but are not spicy.

Is tikka masala British or Indian? ›

Origins. The origin of the dish is not certain, but many sources attribute it to the South Asian community in Great Britain; some sources also cite Glasgow as the city of origin. Chicken tikka masala may derive from butter chicken, a popular dish in the northern Indian subcontinent.

Is tikka masala hotter than butter chicken? ›

Butter Chicken is much more creamy and rich due to the addition of a generous amount of butter. The Butter Chicken sauce is pureed until smooth, while Chicken Tikka Masala keeps the tomatoes and onions in chunks to add more texture to the sauce. And, Butter Chicken is much less spicy than Chicken Tikka Masala.

Is chicken korma or tikka masala better? ›

In short, both Chicken Shahi Korma and Chicken Tikka Masala are creamy and tasty. However, the chicken korma dish has fewer species and a creamier flavor, while chicken tikka is more flavorful due to the use of hot spices and varies in different tastes and flavors.

Is chicken tikka masala bad for cholesterol? ›

High Fat and Cholesterol Content

Saturated fat can increase your risk for heart disease and raise your cholesterol levels, and each serving of chicken tikka masala contains 28 grams of saturated fat, or 138 percent of the daily value.

Why is tikka masala good for you? ›

Dietary fiber is in large quantities in several spices used in tikka masala. You can get a fair amount of fiber per serving by blending several high-fiber items. Iron: Tikka masala is a good supply of minerals thanks to spices like cumin and paprika, which are renowned for being excellent sources of the element.

What veggies go well with tikka masala? ›

Vegetables – there are so many vegetables that go well with tikka masala. Use 2 cups of your favourite fresh or frozen vegetables. I use a mix of knobby cauliflower florets, diced carrot or sweet potato and frozen peas. Spinach leaves are a great addition too, or even a can of lentils or chickpeas for added protein.

Is Indian food Whole30 compliant? ›

Back to Why Indian Food is so Whole30 friendly.

Fats – For those of you who don't know, ghee or clarified butter comes from India! Obviously, I was thrilled that ghee was Whole30 compatible. Other Whole30 cooking fats that are common in Indian cuisine are coconut oil and coconut milk.

Can celiacs eat Indian food? ›

Some Indian restaurants carry their own specific gluten-free menu or items labeled gluten-free on their regular menu. If you do not see anything labeled gluten-free, do not assume they don't have any options as many Indian dishes are inherently gluten-free.

What makes chicken tikka masala unhealthy? ›

High Fat and Cholesterol Content

Saturated fat can increase your risk for heart disease and raise your cholesterol levels, and each serving of chicken tikka masala contains 28 grams of saturated fat, or 138 percent of the daily value.

Why is chicken tikka masala good for you? ›

Protein: Chicken tikka masala is a good source of protein due to the chicken. Protein is essential for muscle health and overall nutrition. Spices: The spices used in Indian cuisine, such as turmeric, cumin, and coriander, can h.

What is the healthiest Indian dish? ›

Best 5 Lowest Calorie Indian Food You'll Love
  1. Tandoori Chicken. A classic Indian dish, tandoori chicken is both low in calories and bursting with flavour. ...
  2. Vegetable Biriyani. Vegetable biriyani is a delicious and healthy Indian dish with flavour and low calories. ...
  3. Chana masala. ...
  4. Raita. ...
  5. Aloo gobi.

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