This creamy Slow Cooker Chicken Curry recipe combines classic curry spices for authentic Indian flavor. It’s a healthy make-ahead recipe that only needs 20 minutes of meal prep. Assemble your meal in advance, and dinner will be ready when you are!
Easy Indian-inspired food at home
I love making Indian food at home. My other curries, like this one-skillet Easy Coconut Curry Fish or authentic Curry Chicken Drumsticks With Chickpeas, are delicious.
Flavorful, creamy curries, especially over a bed of basmati or brown rice with a side of garlic naan are my jam!
Typical curries get some of their texture and flavor from coconut milk. It tastes amazing but also adds a lot of fat to the sauce. I opted for plain yogurt in this recipe, and you'll be surprised at how much you love it!
Why you'll love this recipe
To make this curry recipe healthier, or low-fat, I knew I needed to cut out the rich coconut milk and replace it with something that wouldn't compromise texture or flavor. Enter nonfat yogurt! It makes the curry creamy, gives tangy flavor, and enhances all the spices.
There's so much more to love about this healthy curry!
- Easy to prep: When life is busy, getting a good meal on the table can feel overwhelming. With this recipe all you need is 20 minutes of prep and a reliable slow cooker.
- Set it and forget it: Take all the drudgery out of cooking! Your slow cooker will do all the work, and you get an authentic meal that tastes like you were cooking for hours.
- Rich and flavorful: I left out the fat, but not the flavor! This curry dinner recipe covers all my favorites: chicken, veggies, and traditional curry spices in a creamy sauce.
Jump to:
It was delicious and perfect!! Would be good to make on a winter day, so warm and lovely. Flavors are just excellent. I will put this one in my permanent rotation.
- Debra
Ingredients
Curries are made with relatively simply ingredients. Check out my tips below as you gather everything you'll need. See recipe card for quantities.
- Chicken breasts and thighs: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs.
- Small onion: Thinly sliced.
- Carrots: Sliced into thick rounds for even cooking.
- Curry powder: Classic yellow curry powder, or your favorite homemade blend.
- Cornstarch: Helps to prevent a watery curry.
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Ground turmeric: I added extra turmeric for a boost of classic curry color. And, did you know that turmeric is a fantastic anti-inflammatory? Healthy bonus!
- Cauliflower: Cut into large florets so they don't break down too much cooking.
- Minced garlic cloves
- Currants or raisins
- Plain nonfat yogurt: To achieve a creamy sauce, add tang, and enhance the spices. See my *note in the recipe card for more information.
- Chopped cilantro
- Rice, quinoa, or naan: Curry is delicious with an optional carbohydrate side. For a healthier choice, try brown rice or quinoa.
How to make slow cooker chicken curry
Once you have the spices in your pantry, making Indian food is a cinch and making it in the slow cooker is a bonus. Use these step-by-step instructions to get familiar with the recipe. Get comprehensive directions in the recipe card below.
Prep your ingredients
- Step 1: Cut the chicken breasts and thighs into 2-to-3-inch pieces.
- Step 2: Slice onions root to tip, and mince garlic.
- Step 3: Chop the carrots into big pieces.
- Step 4: Chop the cauliflower into large chunks.
Assemble curry
- Step 1: Place aromatics, chopped chicken and carrots, cornstarch and spices into the slow cooker.
- Step 2: Toss until all the ingredients are evenly coated in the cornstarch and seasonings.
- Step 3: Top with cauliflower florets, raisins or currants, and ¾ cup water. Cook 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low.
- Step 4: Combine 1 cup cooking liquid with yogurt.
- Step 5: Add cilantro and whisk until combined and creamy.
- Step 6: Pour the yogurt sauce into the slow cooker and stir gently to combine.
Tara's top tips
- Use chicken breasts and thighs: I love lean chicken breasts, but cooking them in the slow cooker is hit or miss. Adding in some boneless, skinless chicken thighs to the mix is perfect because they stay nice and tender in the slow cooker. I get my lean protein and meaty goodness!
- Other protein options: You can skip the chicken and add diced firm tofu an hour before the end of cooking. You can try pork tenderloin in place of the chicken as well.
- Dried fruit: If you're seriously opposed to having raisins or currants in your curry, omit them entirely or substitute them with chopped dried apricots. Using a little dried fruit provides a nice sweet contrast in the curry sauce!
- Large veggie chunks: I recommend slicing the carrots and cauliflower into large pieces so that they don't turn to mush from overcooking in the slow cooker.
What to serve with healthy crockpot chicken curry
This slow cooker Indian chicken curry is flavorful and low-calorie. It includes Vitamin C-rich cauliflower, Vitamin A-packed carrots, and anti-inflammatory turmeric.
Serve it with plenty of fresh cilantro and a side of Cilantro Lime Rice. I also like to serve it with naan bread.
If you're avoiding white rice, you can also serve this chicken curry over whole-grain brown rice or quinoa for added fiber and health benefits.
Equipment
I use my favorite slow cooker and let the healthy chicken curry simmer for several hours. I love how the flavors cook into the chicken and veggies.
Storage
Refrigerate: Slow cooker chicken curry will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Freeze: You can freeze this healthy chicken curry. Store in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost the curry overnight in the fridge before reheating completely for best results.
Bonus tip: I like to portion leftover rice and chicken curry into freezer containers for easy meals later. Pull just one serving out at a time for a quick lunch.
FAQ
Yes! The slow cooker is designed to cook raw meats at a lower temperature, slowly over several hours. The result is fully cooked chicken in a delicious curry sauce.
Slow cooker chicken curry can be cooked on either low or high depending on how much time you have. It will take 7 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Since a crockpot cooks curry at a lower temperature, less liquid evaporates compared to simmering it on the stove. As a result the sauce can become more watery.
When using the slow cooker for this curry, I toss the chicken in cornstarch to naturally thicken the sauce as moisture releases during the cooking process. I also use less liquid than I would in a stovetop chicken curry recipe. Lastly, adding the yogurt at the end of the recipe helps to make the sauce a thicker consistency.
You could certainly use a multicooker for this recipe. I have not tested the timing, but all of the elements would hold up well in that style of pressure cooker. I would suggest a shorter pressure cooking time because vegetables like cauliflower and carrots will become tender quickly.
More curry recipes
Looking for more flavorful curry recipes? Try these:
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📖 Full Recipe
Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken breasts and/or thighs (boneless, skinless, cut into 3-inch pieces)
- 1 small onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 to 4 carrots ( sliced into thick rounds)
- 4 teaspoons curry powder
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ head cauliflower (cut into large florets)
- ⅓ cup currants or raisins
- ¾ cup water
- 1¼ cups plain nonfat yogurt* (see note)
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
- Brown rice or quinoa (optional)
Instructions
- Add the chicken, sliced onion, garlic, and the carrots to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Add the curry powder, cornstarch, salt, pepper, and turmeric to the slow cooker and toss with chicken mixture, coating the chicken and vegetables well.
- Add cauliflower, raisins and ¾ cup water; cover and cook 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low, gently stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the yogurt and about 1 cup of the cooking liquid, from the slow cooker, with the cilantro and whisk to combine; add yogurt mixture to the slow cooker, stirring gently. Season with salt if desired.
- Serve curry with brown rice or quinoa if desired, with extra cilantro on top as garnish.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Mrs. Fab says
Is the chicken cooked or raw?
Tara says
In my recipes, unless I call for cooked chicken, it is assumed it is raw and ready to be prepared and cooked as the recipe methods calls for. Yes, the chicken called for in this recipe should be raw before you start the cooking process.
mrsfab says
Your “Nutrition Facts” is omitting serving size. Hard to calculate if you don’t include the serving size. You know, like is it per teaspoon or cup? ??♀️??♀️
I made this recipe but I can’t make it again if I don’t have the info to enter into my log.
Tara says
Hi MrsFab, the serving size is one sixth of the recipe. The recipe serves 6 and that is how the nutrition facts are calculated. When I make it again I can get a cup measurement for you.
Mary Bench says
This looks delicious for a curry-lover!
Corinne R says
When do you add the yogurt?
Tara says
hi Corinne
Add it in step two. You mix it with the liquid and stir it into the slow cooker.
Sam Bean says
We loved this version of Chicken Curry. I used 3 large chicken breasts cut into 3 inch strips and instead of the curry powder I used S&B Japenese Curry. (things I had on hand.) It was delicious. Thanks Tara!
Tara Teaspoon says
I love it when people get creative and use what's on hand with my recipes. That's the fun of cooking, thank you for sharing. Tara
Jasmin says
This recipe was perfect! So easy to make and delicious!
Debra Hultquist says
It was delicious and perfect!! Would be good to make in a winter day, so warm and lovely. Flavors are just excellent. I will put this one in my permanent rotation.