Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

Recipe

Serves: 4-6

• 8 chicken thighs (bone in), skin removed
• 120ml double cream

For the marinade:

• 400g natural yoghurt
• Juice and zest of 1⁄2 lemon
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp paprika

For the curry sauce:

• 40g butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled & chopped
• 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled & grated
• 1 green chilli, deseeded & chopped
• 1 tsp cardamom pods, cracked
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 100ml chicken stock
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

• Steamed rice
• Naan Bread
• Handful coriander

1. Put the chicken in a dish with all the marinade ingredients and leave to marinade for at least an hour or overnight.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan, or with the sauté setting on your slow cooker. Gently fry the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli for 5–10 minutes until very soft. Add butter and the spices and cook for a minute until melted and fragrant.
3. Tip into a slow cooker (if using a frying pan) and add the chicken thighs in their marinade, tomato purée and stock. Season well and cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Carefully remove the chicken to a warmed dish (it will be very tender and falling apart). The sauce will look a little split at this stage but don’t worry, it will come back together.
5. Either with the sauté function of your slow cooker or in a pan over a medium heat, reduce the sauce for 5–6 minutes until thickened nicely, then stir through the double cream. Bubble for a few more minutes until you have a rich creamy sauce. Return the chicken to the sauce and serve with rice, naan bread and lots of fresh coriander scattered over the top.