A lightened up version of an Indian food classic, you’ll love this slow cooker dairy-free butter chicken recipe made with coconut oil and coconut milk. It’s loaded with flavor and absolutely delicious served over cauliflower rice. Paleo, grain-free and dairy-free.
In case you haven’t noticed, we LOVE Indian food over here! I basically add curry to everything. Prime example = my curried shakshuka.
Anyhow, one of Isaac’s favorite Indian dishes is butter chicken, which isn’t the healthiest of options when it comes to Indian food. Honestly, most Indian food can feel kind of heavy, with rich sauces, lots of rice and naan. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of this and enjoy it very much when we go out for Indian, but I also like being able to make and enjoy a lighter version at home on the regular.
Side note: we have an awesome Indian restaurant in Richmond called Lehja that actually makes really clean Indian cuisine. They’ll even make things vegan if you request it.
With that in mind I set out to make an at-home version of butter chicken with really clean ingredients.
Don’t let the name fool ya, this butter chicken doesn’t have any butter. We’re using Nature’s Way Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil instead and it works like a charm. In traditional butter chicken recipes the chicken is marinated in a yogurt mixture, but I wanted this recipe to be 100% dairy-free so we’re using coconut milk and skipping the marinating process altogether. Don’t worry, cooking in slow cooker ensures the meat has plenty of time to soak up lots of flavor from the tomato sauce.
Nature’s WayCoconut Oil replaces the butter, but provides the same robust richness. It also works perfectly for sautéing the onion, garlic and ginger before placing everything in the slow cooker.
Although butter chicken isn’t traditionally cooked with veggies I took it upon myself to add green beans to my version. Not only do they add another texture and some volume, you’re also getting a pop of color and additional nutrients.
Isaac and I loved the way this dairy-free butter chicken turned out. Not only did the kitchen smell amazing while the chicken cooked away in the slow cooker, but we enjoyed this dish for dinner three nights in a row and each night was better than the next.
I loved having it over cauliflower rice with a heavy sprinkle of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime. It was so delicious I almost didn’t miss the naan…. almost.
In terms of spice level this butter chicken isn’t super spicy, but there is a bit cayenne pepper. You can leave this out if you want a milder dish or add more for extra spice.
If you make this slow cooker dairy-free butter chicken let me know how it turns out by leaving comment and star rating below. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other readers.
A lightened up version of an Indian food classic, you’ll love this slow cooker dairy-free butter chicken recipe made with coconut oil and coconut milk.
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Nature’s Way Coconut Oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch knob of ginger, chopped
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 Tablespoon garam masala
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (chopped into chunks)
15 oz can full fat coconut milk
15 oz can tomato sauce
1 cinnamon stick
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups thawed frozen green beans (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
Add oil to a large skillet or saucepan and cook onion and garlic until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add fresh ginger, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, cinnamon and cayenne and toss to combine. Cook for another 1-2 minutes. (This step can be done in the base of your slow cooker if it allows.)
Transfer onion and garlic mixture into your slow cooker. Add chicken, coconut milk, tomato sauce, lemon juice and cinnamon stick to the slow cooker as well. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Add green beans when there’s about 1 hour left in the cooking process.
Serve over cauliflower rice (or regular rice) with fresh cilantro and a wedge of lemon for squeezing.
This was really yummy however didn’t taste like tradition butter chicken to me as it wasn’t sweet enough.i only had coconut cream so added a bit of water to the cream to make up the milk. It also wasn’t as vibrant in colour as your pictures more brown not sure if it was because of the garam masala I used.
My Lovie LOVES butter chicken. I loved the simplicity of this recipe. It freed me up to make some homemade hummus and naan (for the first time). Blew him away! Thanks!!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Claire!! I’m so glad you tried my recipe and enjoyed it. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
So I finally made this yesterday and just WOW!! It was amazing, no hyperbole. I have to avoid dairy because my kid is allergic to dairy (and eggs and nuts) but I love Indian cuisine and she likes the little she’s tried (Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala which she tried and tolerated but hasn’t tried since due to it containing some nut ingredient) so I have constantly been searching for and trying different recipes.
This recipe is not only very easy to make but turned out terrific even the first time. It has that butter chicken flavor that I’ve gotten accustomed to from my favorite Indian restaurants and actually it is quite similar in taste to Trader Joe’s Butter Chicken (frozen dinner), which I like. I skipped the Cayenne and the flavor and heat was perfect for the family. Kids liked it and adults loved it.
Not a hint of coconut odor/taste like a Thai curry, which was my greatest worry about it. I did double the recipe after reading some comments but the recipe as written is probably enough for family of four meal, but I like my 5L slow cooker to have enough volume inside and now I have leftovers for another meal.
Anyway, THANK YOU so much for making and sharing your awesome recipe, IT ROCKS!! Hopefully someday you can try developing a dairy-free chicken tikka masala recipe too, or dairy-free anything actually! 🙂
Ahh this makes me so happy to read, Phil!! 🙂 I’m so glad you found my recipe and that it was a hit. And I actually do have this vegan tikka masala recipe on the blog. You can totally sub in chicken for the tempeh if you want. I hope you enjoy that recipe as well! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. The comments are super helpful to other EBF readers, so I appreciate it.
This is by far my favorite slow cooker recipe! It’s so easy and so much flavor! My boyfriend wants it for dinner once a week! Thanks so much for this amazing recipe!
Delicious and flavorful! I followed Mandy’s instant pot directions and it turned out perfectly! Added the green beans at the end and put on sauté for a few minutes.
Brittany, This was absolutely delicious! The only thing i can say is that i am making it again tbis week but I’m quadrupling it. I served it over Basami Rice. This recipe results in a very small amount. Truly not enough for sharing! LOL! ❤❤❤
Haha quadrupling it is a good idea!! I’m so glad you love this recipe, Lisa. Thank you for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. The ratings are super helpful to other readers, so I appreciate it. <3
Truly wonderful! My kids even love it and they do not know it’s dairy free compared to how are used to make it . The coconut oil gives it a little bit of a tie flare in taste. I use avocado oil to sauté everything in the beginning, just for a different plant based fat ( Plus it tastes more neutral than the coconut ). THANK YOU!
I’m so glad you and your kids enjoyed this recipe, Jennifer! And thank you for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. The ratings are super helpful to other readers, so I appreciate it. <3
I can’t get hold of a tomato sauce like that one here. Would it be possible to substitute for tomato paste? and if so, should i use less seeing as its more concentrated? thank you!
This recipe is amazing! I was lazy and used garlic, onion and ginger powder instead of the real thing. Just threw everything in the slowcooker and done! So yum.
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! I made it in the slow cooker for 3.5 hours on high, and substituted the chicken breasts with chicken thighs.
Made this today for a comforting Sunday dinner. Turned out incredible!! Thank you so much for this recipe. Tweaked the recipe ever so slightly. I added cayenne powder and about a tsp. of ground cardamom. I also added a decent size handful of fresh cilantro with everything in the crockpot, not at the end. Delicious!!
Hi, This looks delicious. However, I cannot use coconut milk. It makes me nauseous. I drink Cashew milk and use that in recipes. Would that work in this? I love Butter Chicken but almost every recipe calls for coconut milk (I guess because it is an Indian dish). Any suggestions?
I made this in the instant pot and thought I’d share my adaptation-
Step one- I did everything the same except I sauteed in the instant pot on high Step 2- I added the tomato sauce and let that reduce/thicken for about 5-7 minutes, then stirred in the coconut milk and added the chicken – I then put the lid on the pot and set to high pressure for 10 minutes – When the timer went off I manually released the pressure – I then finished the dish with the lemon juice I forgot the cinnamon stick, but it was still delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
This was simply delicious and had the whole family wanting more! My toddler can’t do dairy, nut or gluten therefore this dish was perfect for him. My 8 year old had seconds and thirds, we’ll my husband and I did too 🙂 Instead of adding green beans into the butter chicken, I sauteed them with olive oil, garlic and salt & pepper and served it as a side dish. Thank you for this recipe! Can’t wait to have people over, to make this intoxicating dish again and again.
We love Lehja….we usually eat there 2-3 time a month. I would love to figure out how to make their Crab-Scallop “MelJol”. We also love their House Kabab Medley.
Hi! Good question. It’s in between crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Most tomato sauces are puree tomatoes slow cooked with salt and seasonings. Here’s the one I used: https://thrivemarket.com/muir-glen-organic-tomato-sauce
I’m thinking you’d probably just use the meat setting on your pressure cooker, which is likely about 15-20 minutes. I have a pressure cooker too so I should try the recipe in it!
Hi Ylva! I have a programmable slow cooker from Hamilton Beach that I love. It awesome because you can set the cook time and then have it automatically switch to the “keep warm” setting. You can also sear/sauté in the removable base of the pot, which is so convenient for soups. Here’s the one I have: http://bit.ly/2dWfmqd
This recipe is fantastic! I followed it as written but also added a head of chopped kale along with the green beans. My batch did not need 6 hours on low–more like 4.5 to 5–I believe because the chicken was cut up into pieces and with the ease of using frozen green beans. Along with the cauliflower rice, it is satisfying but light. Will definitely make it again.
Hi Angela! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe and I so appreciate you taking the time to come back and leave this comment as well. I love your addition of chopped kale. I’m all about adding extra leafy greens to everything!
Not yet, but I think it would work out great with firm or extra firm tofu. I also have this amazing mattar tofu if you’re looking for an Indian dish with tofu.
I followed this recipe exactly and it was perfect! It tastes very similar to butter chicken, and the coconut milk and cauliflower rice substitutes prevent the dish from feeling heavy; no bloating feeling here! The creator of this recipe is a genius! Sorry, my computer glitched! That was meant to be a 5 star!!
subscribe
Leave a Comment
Could I make this in the oven as well? What temp is the slow cooker on?
I think it would work better on the stove top than the oven. The slow cooker should be set to high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
This was really yummy however didn’t taste like tradition butter chicken to me as it wasn’t sweet enough.i only had coconut cream so added a bit of water to the cream to make up the milk. It also wasn’t as vibrant in colour as your pictures more brown not sure if it was because of the garam masala I used.
★★★★
this looks so delicious I’m going to cook it tonight. Thankyou.
Let me know what you think of it, Jan!! 🙂
My Lovie LOVES butter chicken. I loved the simplicity of this recipe. It freed me up to make some homemade hummus and naan (for the first time). Blew him away! Thanks!!
★★★★★
Love, love, love this. My first curry from scratch ever and it is amazing! Thank you! 👏
★★★★★
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Claire!! I’m so glad you tried my recipe and enjoyed it. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
So I finally made this yesterday and just WOW!! It was amazing, no hyperbole. I have to avoid dairy because my kid is allergic to dairy (and eggs and nuts) but I love Indian cuisine and she likes the little she’s tried (Trader Joe’s Chicken Tikka Masala which she tried and tolerated but hasn’t tried since due to it containing some nut ingredient) so I have constantly been searching for and trying different recipes.
This recipe is not only very easy to make but turned out terrific even the first time. It has that butter chicken flavor that I’ve gotten accustomed to from my favorite Indian restaurants and actually it is quite similar in taste to Trader Joe’s Butter Chicken (frozen dinner), which I like. I skipped the Cayenne and the flavor and heat was perfect for the family. Kids liked it and adults loved it.
Not a hint of coconut odor/taste like a Thai curry, which was my greatest worry about it. I did double the recipe after reading some comments but the recipe as written is probably enough for family of four meal, but I like my 5L slow cooker to have enough volume inside and now I have leftovers for another meal.
Anyway, THANK YOU so much for making and sharing your awesome recipe, IT ROCKS!! Hopefully someday you can try developing a dairy-free chicken tikka masala recipe too, or dairy-free anything actually! 🙂
★★★★★
Ahh this makes me so happy to read, Phil!! 🙂 I’m so glad you found my recipe and that it was a hit. And I actually do have this vegan tikka masala recipe on the blog. You can totally sub in chicken for the tempeh if you want. I hope you enjoy that recipe as well! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. The comments are super helpful to other EBF readers, so I appreciate it.
I may be missing something but does the chicken go in raw, or cooked? It doesn’t seem to say.
Good question! The chicken goes in raw. Can’t wait to hear what you think of this recipe.
This is by far my favorite slow cooker recipe! It’s so easy and so much flavor! My boyfriend wants it for dinner once a week!
Thanks so much for this amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Brennan. 🙂 Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, it means the world to me!
Good recipe! I followed everything, omitted the cayenne as I don’t like spicy dishes. It was still great! I would make this again 🙂
★★★★★
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Tina! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. It means the world to me. 🙂
Really good – easy as described and just yummy. Thank you!
★★★★★
Yay!! So glad you loved this recipe, Judy. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. The reviews are super helpful to other readers. 🙂
Delicious and flavorful! I followed Mandy’s instant pot directions and it turned out perfectly! Added the green beans at the end and put on sauté for a few minutes.
★★★★★
Yay!! That makes me so happy to hear. Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. It means the world to me. <3
This was truly amazing! Just enough kick.
★★★★★
Yay!! I’m so glad you tried and enjoyed this recipe, Emily! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment and star rating, I so appreciate it. <3
Hi! 🙂
I was wondering if you have ever tried marinating the chicken and using coconut yogurt?
Ohhh, I haven’t! But I’m sure that would be delicious. Definitely let me know how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
Brittany,
This was absolutely delicious! The only thing i can say is that i am making it again tbis week but I’m quadrupling it. I served it over Basami Rice. This recipe results in a very small amount. Truly not enough for sharing! LOL!
❤❤❤
★★★★★
Haha quadrupling it is a good idea!! I’m so glad you love this recipe, Lisa. Thank you for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. The ratings are super helpful to other readers, so I appreciate it. <3
Truly wonderful!
My kids even love it and they do not know it’s dairy free compared to how are used to make it .
The coconut oil gives it a little bit of a tie flare in taste. I use avocado oil to sauté everything in the beginning, just for a different plant based fat ( Plus it tastes more neutral than the coconut ).
THANK YOU!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you and your kids enjoyed this recipe, Jennifer! And thank you for coming back to leave a comment and star rating. The ratings are super helpful to other readers, so I appreciate it. <3
Hello,
I can’t get hold of a tomato sauce like that one here. Would it be possible to substitute for tomato paste? and if so, should i use less seeing as its more concentrated? thank you!
How much of this should you eat to keep with the diet? Like one cup of it or a different measurement? I don’t want to eat too much
I’d go with 1 cup to 1 1/2 cups for a serving.
This recipe is amazing! I was lazy and used garlic, onion and ginger powder instead of the real thing. Just threw everything in the slowcooker and done! So yum.
★★★★★
I made this over the weekend and it was delicious! I didn’t do it in the slow cooker as was short on time so I’m sure it could have been even nicer!
★★★★★
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! I made it in the slow cooker for 3.5 hours on high, and substituted the chicken breasts with chicken thighs.
★★★★★
Made this today for a comforting Sunday dinner. Turned out incredible!! Thank you so much for this recipe. Tweaked the recipe ever so slightly. I added cayenne powder and about a tsp. of ground cardamom. I also added a decent size handful of fresh cilantro with everything in the crockpot, not at the end. Delicious!!
★★★★★
Hi, This looks delicious. However, I cannot use coconut milk. It makes me nauseous. I drink Cashew milk and use that in recipes. Would that work in this? I love Butter Chicken but almost every recipe calls for coconut milk (I guess because it is an Indian dish). Any suggestions?
I made this in the instant pot and thought I’d share my adaptation-
Step one- I did everything the same except I sauteed in the instant pot on high
Step 2- I added the tomato sauce and let that reduce/thicken for about 5-7 minutes, then stirred in the coconut milk and added the chicken
– I then put the lid on the pot and set to high pressure for 10 minutes
– When the timer went off I manually released the pressure
– I then finished the dish with the lemon juice
I forgot the cinnamon stick, but it was still delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Could this be adapted for shrimp?
Can I prepare this the nite before and cook the following day?
This was phenomenal!!! Literally tasted exactly like the real thing if not better and so much healthier. Can’t wait for your E-Book!
Hi, this looks great! Can i use fresh tomatoes instead?
Thanks for the recipe. My daughter has a dairy allergy so this is wonderful. It’s always nice when she can try different ethnic foods.
This was simply delicious and had the whole family wanting more! My toddler can’t do dairy, nut or gluten therefore this dish was perfect for him. My 8 year old had seconds and thirds, we’ll my husband and I did too 🙂 Instead of adding green beans into the butter chicken, I sauteed them with olive oil, garlic and salt & pepper and served it as a side dish. Thank you for this recipe! Can’t wait to have people over, to make this intoxicating dish again and again.
Uh, is there an error in the ingredient list? 15 cans each of tomato sauce and coconut milk?
Never mind. Haha. I missed the “oz” part.
We love Lehja….we usually eat there 2-3 time a month. I would love to figure out how to make their Crab-Scallop “MelJol”. We also love their House Kabab Medley.
Just curious what a can of tomato sauce is ? Just like a can of crushed tomatoes or something thicker like paste ?
Hi! Good question. It’s in between crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Most tomato sauces are puree tomatoes slow cooked with salt and seasonings. Here’s the one I used: https://thrivemarket.com/muir-glen-organic-tomato-sauce
Looks super yummy! I have some light coconut milk on hand, do you think that could work in this recipe?
I have a pressure cooker, not a slow cooker, any idea how long to cook?
I’m thinking you’d probably just use the meat setting on your pressure cooker, which is likely about 15-20 minutes. I have a pressure cooker too so I should try the recipe in it!
Please let us know when you get a chance to try it in an instapot or other pressure cooker, as I am during to try this!
★★★★★
Hi, I’m thinking of buying a slow cocker and wanted to ask you for some advice before getting one.
Best,
Ylva
Hi Ylva! I have a programmable slow cooker from Hamilton Beach that I love. It awesome because you can set the cook time and then have it automatically switch to the “keep warm” setting. You can also sear/sauté in the removable base of the pot, which is so convenient for soups. Here’s the one I have: http://bit.ly/2dWfmqd
This recipe is fantastic! I followed it as written but also added a head of chopped kale along with the green beans. My batch did not need 6 hours on low–more like 4.5 to 5–I believe because the chicken was cut up into pieces and with the ease of using frozen green beans. Along with the cauliflower rice, it is satisfying but light. Will definitely make it again.
Hi Angela! I’m so glad that you enjoyed this recipe and I so appreciate you taking the time to come back and leave this comment as well. I love your addition of chopped kale. I’m all about adding extra leafy greens to everything!
Wow, looks sooo good!
Looks delicious! Has anyone tried making this with tofu instead of chicken?
Not yet, but I think it would work out great with firm or extra firm tofu. I also have this amazing mattar tofu if you’re looking for an Indian dish with tofu.
This looks delicious!! Can’t wait to try it!
This looks delicious!! Can’t wait to try it!
This looks great. I will try it this weekend, thanks!
I followed this recipe exactly and it was perfect! It tastes very similar to butter chicken, and the coconut milk and cauliflower rice substitutes prevent the dish from feeling heavy; no bloating feeling here! The creator of this recipe is a genius! Sorry, my computer glitched! That was meant to be a 5 star!!
★★★★★