Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is chicken cooked low & slow in a delicious, creamy tomato sauce with just the right spices is comfort in a bowl.  Weight Watchers friendly-2 SmartPoints! 

Earlier this week, I posted a recipe for my Whole Wheat Skillet Naan and shared my love of Indian food.  I started to eat Indian food years ago when I was vegetarian.  Although I’m no longer vegetarian, my love for Indian food continues to grow and I enjoy making it at home, especially classic Indian dishes.  My Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is a healthy twist on the classic Indian dish.  Chicken cooked low and slow in a delicious, creamy tomato sauce with just the right spices is comfort in a bowl.  This is a Weight Watchers friendly recipe and each serving is 2 SmartPoints.

Chicken Tikka Masala is by far one of my husband and I favorite Indian dishes.  I think tikka masala was also the first Indian dish I ever tried.  Have you ever had Chicken Tikka Masala before?  It’s a mixture of chicken in a creamy tomato sauce with Indian spices.  There are a variety of Indian spices used in Tikka Masala, such as, coriander (cilantro seeds ground up), cumin, cardamom, nutmeg, paprika, ginger, and cayenne pepper.  These spices are blended with tomato sauce and heavy cream, and when mixed with chicken, is amazing!

I’m a sucker for a type of tomato sauce, so this is probably why Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my favorite Indian dishes.  These spices mixed together are decadent, comforting, and will tempt you to lick the bowl clean!  What most people worry about with Indian food, is all the spices.  With Tikka Masala, it’s not spicy hot.  The spices are warming and pair perfectly with tomato sauce.

My version of Chicken Tikka Masala is a bit lighter on calories (and fat) than the traditional version… it’s also made in a crock pot which makes the flavors pop even more!  The base of the spiced tomato sauce starts with ginger, garlic, and onion.  Add ginger paste, garlic cloves, and onion to a food processor and mix well.

Add the mixture to a skillet and sauté for a few minutes.  To the skillet, add all the spices: tomato paste, garam masala, cayenne pepper, turmeric, paprika, cumin, ground coriander, and salt.  Mix the ingredients and let cook for a few minutes.  Cooking the spices really enhances their flavor.

Add chicken breast, spice mixture, brown sugar, and canned whole tomatoes to a crock pot.  Let cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

After the chicken has cooked, carefully remove from the crock pot to shred.  The chicken will be oozing with amazing, delicious flavor!!

This recipe calls for canned whole tomatoes.  I prefer to use canned whole tomatoes rather than crushed tomatoes because I like to break up the tomatoes myself so that the sauce is a chunky.  While the chicken is out of the crockpot, break up the tomatoes into pieces using a wooden spoon.  The tomatoes will be super tender so it will be easy!  Just break up the tomatoes to how small you want them.

Next, add light coconut milk and Greek yogurt.  Mix well then add the shredded chicken back to the crock pot and mix again.

Serve over brown rice and garnish with fresh cilantro!

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is a healthy twist on the classic Indian dish.  Chicken cooked low and slow in a delicious, creamy tomato sauce with just the right spices is comfort in a bowl.  This recipe would be great for a beginner to Indian food and as with a lot of food made in a crock pot, the left overs are even better!  I like to serve mine with my Whole Wheat Skillet Naan.  Only 41 calories and 2 Weight Watchers SmartPoints per serving!

Be sure to try my vegetarian version too-Tofu Tikka Masala!!

I hope you enjoy these bites of flavor!

Serves 5, 1 Cup Per Serving

0

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

2 SMARTPOINTS per serving

20 minPrep Time

8 hrCook Time

8 hr, 20 Total Time

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Ingredients

• 1 ½ Pounds Chicken Breast
• 28oz Canned Peeled Whole Tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• ½ White Onion
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Teaspoon Ginger paste
• 2 Tablespoons Garam Masala
• 1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Turmeric
• 2 Teaspoons Paprika
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin
• ½ Teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 1 Tablespoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Cup Light Coconut Milk
• ½ Cup Fat Free Greek Yogurt
• Cilantro, For Garnish

Instructions

1. In a food processor (or blender), add onion, garlic, and ginger. Pulse until well combined.
2. In a small skillet, sauce onion mixture for 5 minutes.
3. Add tomato paste garam masala, cayenne pepper, turmeric, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt and sauté for 2 minutes.
4. Add mixture from skillet to a crock pot along with chicken breast, canned tomatoes, and brown sugar.
5. Cover with lid and let cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
6. Gently remove chicken breast onto a cutting board to rest.
7. Add in coconut milk and Greek yogurt to crock pot and mix well.
8. Shred chicken breast and add back to crock pot. Mix well.
9. Serve over brown rice and garnish with cilantro.

Notes

Freezer friendly! Rice is not included in the nutrition calculation or Weight Watchers SmartPoints calculation.

Nutrition is based on the NEW Weight Watchers Freestyle Program guidelines. Nutrition calculated using Weight Watchers calculator.

NUTRITION: Serves 5- (2 SmartPoints Per Serving) CALORIES: 41 FAT: 2.8 SATURATED FAT: 1.6 CARBS: 4 FIBER: 0 SUGARS: 2.9 PROTEIN: 0.3

7.8.1.2

158

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