Slow Cooker Tikka Masala

The easy to delicious ratio on this dish is really low, I'll be honest with ya.  It took a long time to prep, dirtied my dutch oven AND the crock pot (I keep forgetting about those slow cooker liners sitting in my cabinet!), and had a lot of ingredients, including garam masala that required a trip to the natural foods store.  But....it was delicious! It was a great change of pace!

 

Slow Cooker Tikka Masala (from Tasty Kitchen, but originally here)

• FOR THE CHICKEN:
• 9 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs (I used chicken breasts)
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Yogurt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion, Peeled And Diced
• 6 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
• 3 Tablespoons Garam Masala
• 1 piece Fresh Ginger, About 2-3 Inches, Peeled And Grated
• 4 cups Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• TO SERVE:
• Rice
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken  into 1- 1 1/2 inch pieces. Sprinkle the coriander, cumin and salt over the chicken, then stir in the yogurt until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover lightly and let sit for 10 minutes before proceeding.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Raise the heat to medium high and quickly brown about 1/4 of the chicken. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker as it is finished, and repeat until the chicken is all in the slow-cooker.
Prepare the sauce. Return the pan to the heat and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and kosher salt, then stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to lightly brown around the edges.
Stir in the garam masala and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) before raising the heat to high and adding the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Stir well, scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow-cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, or until the chicken is very tender.
Use a fork or whisk to stir the cornstarch into the heavy cream until smooth. Pour into the slow-cooker and stir gently until the color is even. Replace the lid and let cook for 10 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.
Serve over hot rice, topped with a generous amount of chopped cilantro.