There’s times when we just feel like heading to the takeaway shop and grabbing a tasty curry, but if you have a slow cooker, you can create a delicious butter chicken easily at home, and the result is just as good – if not better – than what you’d buy at the shop. (And let’s not forget it’s a whole lot more affordable too!)  You won’t be disappointed.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbs vegetable oil
• 4 large skinless chicken thigh fillets
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2cm piece of ginger, finely grated
• 1/2 cup butter chicken curry paste
• 410g can tomato puree
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1/2 cup light thickened cream for cooking
• Coriander leaves and basmati rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large frypan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for three minutes on each side or until golden. Transfer to the bowl of a 5.5L slow cooker.
2. Add onion to pan and cook for five minutes or until softened. Add garlic, ginger and curry paste and cook for two minutes or until fragrant. Add puree, stock, cinnamon and cardamom and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for five minutes. Carefully pour mixture into slow cooker bowl and cover with lid. Cook on high for three hours or until chicken is tender.
3. Remove lid and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until sauce has slightly thickened. Spoon 1/2 cup sauce mixture into a bowl and add cream, stirring to combine. Return cream mixture to slow cooker bowl and gently stir to combine. Cook for two minutes or until heated through.
4. Scatter coriander leaves over butter chicken and serve with rice.