Slow Cooker Chicken Chilli Garlic

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Chicken chilli garlic curry is one of the most popular curries on British Indian restaurant menus. This is the slow cooker chicken chilli garlic curry recipe from my latest cookbook The Curry Guy Slow Cooker. It’s really easy to prepare and tastes just as good if not better than what you will find at your local curry house.

Slow cooker chicken chilli garlic curry next to naans.

About this slow cooker curry

You might wonder if you can actually cook an Indian restaurant classic like this in a slow cooker and have it taste right. I can assure you that you can. In fact, because of the slow cooking process, many people prefer it.

Curry house style curries were developed with speed and economy in mind. They are cooked fast in a hot pan using pre-cooked and prepared ingredients like tandoori chicken tikka and base curry sauce. This not only speeds up the cooking process but adds delicious layers of flavour.

With this slow cooker chicken chilli garlic curry, you cook everything from scratch. You may not get the same caramelised flavour as you would in a hot pan, but the flavour you get from slow cooking the ingredients makes up for it!

Ingredients

For ease, get all your ingredients together and prepared before you start cooking. The full list of ingredients and measurements is in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.

See recipe card for quantities.

Rapeseed (canola) oil
Garlic
Green finger chillies
Chicken
Onions
Salt
Garlic and ginger paste
Kashmiri chilli powder
Curry powder or Mixed powder
Tandoori masala
Passata
Chicken stock or water
Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
TO GARNISH
Coriander (cilantro)

Step by step photos

Check out my step by step photos below. This one is really easy! You will find the ingredient measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Frying the garlic and chillies in the slow cooker using sauté mode.

Step 1: Using your slow cooker in sauté/searing mode or a frying pan over a medium heat, heat the oil and add the garlic slivers. Fry the garlic slivers until they are turning golden brown and are beginning to get a bit crispy. Just before the garlic is cooked to your liking, stir in the chopped chillies and fry for about 30 seconds.

Searing the chicken in the slow cooker using sauté function.

Step 2: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic and chillies onto a plate lined with kitchen paper, then set aside. Sear the meat for about 4 minutes all over and then transfer to a plate with a slotted soon

Sautéing chopped onions in the slow cooker using sauté function.

Step 3: Now add the chopped onions and salt to the oil and fry for about 7 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and beginning to turn golden brown.

Fried garlic, chillies and onions in a dish.

Step 4: Transfer about one-third of this onion and chilli mixture to the plate with the slivered garlic and chillies.

Adding garlic and ginger paste to the remaining onions.

Step 5: Stir the garlic and ginger paste into the remaining onions and fry, stirring continuously, for about a minute.

Adding the ground spices to the onion mixture in the slow cooker.

Step 6: To this, add the Kashmiri chilli powder, curry powder or mixed powder and tandoori masala and stir well to combine.

Adding the tomato purée to the onion mixture.

Step 7: Add the passata, stock or water and bring to a simmer.

Returning the chicken to the slow cooker with the chicken stock or water.

Step 8: Return the seared chicken to the slow cooker.

Slowly. Cooking the curry in the slow cooker.

Step 9: In your slow cooker, stir the chicken into the sauce, cover with the lid and cook on the high setting for 3 hours or low for 6–8 hours until the chicken is cooked through. Add the fried chilies, onions and most of the sliced garlic. Hold some back to garnish.

Finished slow cooker chicken chilli garlic curry, seasoned with salt to taste and lime juice.

Step 10: Add the kasoori methi by rubbing the leaves between your fingers over the sauce, then season with salt to taste. To serve, garnish with the reserved garlic, chillies and onion, the chopped coriander and more thinly sliced fresh green finger chillies, if you like.

What do you serve with slow cooker chicken chilli garlic curry?

This chicken chilli garlic is delicious on its own served simply with rice or naans. You might like to make you slow cooker curry into a feast. While it’s cooking, try making one of these curries to go with it.

North Indian Curries: If you are serving a group, why not make a few other popular rich Indian curries such as Butter Chicken, Chicken Lababdar, Laal Maas and Lamb Dhansak

South Indian Curries: These are all very popular and delicious! Chicken Chettindad, Goan Chicken Curry, Kuzhambu Chicken Curry, Goan Chicken Vindaloo, Chicken 65, Kerala Lamb Curry, Kerala Fish Curry,

Breads: Tandoori Naans, Tandoori Roti Chapatis Spiced Chapatis, Stovetop Naans

Dals: Chana Dal, Tarka Dal, Spinach Dal, Dal Makhani

Storage

Fridge: Allow your dish to cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Flavours often develop even more after a night in the fridge.
Freezer: Portion and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently on the hob or in the oven until piping hot.

Top Tip

Don't add too much liquid: Don't be tempted to add more liquid than suggested in my recipe. The liquid will not reduce and the ingredients release liquid too. If you add more liquid, you

FAQ

Do you need to brown the chicken and pre-fry the ingredients?

Although you could simply throw all the ingredients in your slow cooker and let it cook the curry for a few hours, browning the chicken and frying the aromatics will make the curry much more flavourful!

Which cut of chicken works best for chicken chilli garlic?

In my opinion, chicken thighs work best. They have more fat and flavour so the chicken remains juicy and delicious. You could use breast meat but be careful. Breast meat has a tendency to dry out and become stringy if cooked too long so watch the chicken carefully if using breast meat.

Can you use frozen chicken in this slow cooker recipe?

Yes but be sure that it is cooked through before serving. It should have an internal temperature of 75°C/165°F.

Can this recipe be made vegetarian

Yes. You can substitute root vegetables like potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes. You can also try softer vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, peas and spinach. Root vegetables can usually cook a good long time. With softer vegetables, I usually add them toward the end of cooking so that they don't turn to much.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

A good side of rice always goes down well.

Have you tried this slow cooker chicken chilli garlic curry recipe?

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Yield: 4

Slow Cooker Chicken Chilli Garlic Curry

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
15 garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
3 green finger chillies, thinly sliced
800g (1 lb 12oz) chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp Garlic and ginger paste
1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp Curry powder or Mixed powder
2 tbsp Tandoori masala
200ml (3/4 cup) passata
100ml (scant 1/2 cup) chicken stock or water
1 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
TO GARNISH
More thinly sliced green chillies (optional)
Coriander (cilantro), chopped (optional)

Instructions

Using your slow cooker in sauté/searing mode or a frying pan over a medium heat, heat the oil and add the garlic slivers. There’s no need to wait until the oil is bubbling hot. Fry the garlic slivers until they are turning golden brown and are beginning to get a bit crispy.
Just before the garlic is cooked to your liking, stir in the chopped chillies and fry for about 30 seconds.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic and chillies onto a plate lined with kitchen paper, then set aside.
Add the chicken pieces in one layer in the pan. You might need to brown the chicken in batches. Don't overcrowd your pan or the chicken will stew rather than sear. Sear the meat for about 4 minutes all over and then transfer to a plate with a slotted soon.
Now add the chopped onions and salt to the oil and fry for about 7 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and beginning to turn golden brown. Transfer about one-third of this onion and chilli mixture to the plate with the slivered garlic and chillies.
Stir the garlic and ginger paste into the remaining onions and fry, stirring continuously, for about a minute. To this, add the Kashmiri chilli powder, curry powder or mixed powder and tandoori masala and stir well to combine.
Add the passata, stock or water and bring to a simmer. At this point, you can either leave the sauce as it is or blend it until smooth using a stick or countertop blender. This will give you a sauce that is similar to the ones you find at curry houses, but blending is optional.
In your slow cooker, stir the chicken into the sauce, cover with the lid and cook on the high setting for 3 hours or low for 6–8 hours until the chicken is cooked through.
Hold back a little of the slivered garlic, chillies and onion to use as a garnish before pouring the rest into the cooker. Add the kasoori methi by rubbing the leaves between your fingers over the sauce, then season with salt to taste.
To serve, garnish with the reserved garlic, chillies and onion, the chopped coriander and more thinly sliced fresh green finger chillies, if you like.