Slow Cooker Chicken Bhuna
This Slow Cooker Chicken Bhuna offers rich, spiced flavors with minimal hands-on time, using simple ingredients to create a comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken, cut into pieces (bone-in thighs work best for moistness)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Can be swapped with ghee for richer flavor.
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 2 medium green chilies, chopped Seed or deseed to control heat.
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can of diced tomatoes)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- to taste salt Adjust to preference.
- fresh for garnish cilantro
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onions and sauté until golden brown, about 10–12 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic, grated ginger, and chopped green chilies. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Cook for 5–8 minutes until soft and oil separates from the masala.
- Transfer the spiced tomato-onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly.
Cooking
- Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thickened.
- If the sauce seems thin, cook on high for an additional 15–30 minutes to concentrate flavors.
- Taste and adjust salt before serving. Finish with chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
Always brown the onion base thoroughly for the best flavor. You can prepare the masala ahead of time and refrigerate. For a creamier texture, add yogurt or squeeze of lemon before serving.