Dairy free Crock Pot Chicken Tikka Masala + VIDEO!

A restaurant worthy tikka masala that requires very little effort thanks to the slow cooker. I’ve literally been trying tikka masala recipes for years–tried probably everyone on the internet, and surprisingly (and thankfully!) the easiest one was the best tasting. This recipe is naturally gluten and dairy free too, so more people can enjoy it. This Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe is also free of: soy, fish, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts, making it free of the top-8-allergens. (You could also sub in cauliflower or chick peas for the chicken to make it vegan.)

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Why I love this Dairy-free Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe

I lived in China for a semester, and believe it or not, that was the first time I tried Indian food. We found an Indian food restaurant and I remember being like “wow, what is this stuff?”.

Since my son’s milk allergy, nut allergies and wheat allergy, it’s been hard to find a safe Indian food restaurant that I don’t have to worry about milk or nuts being in a dish.

So, I was determined to find a safe way to make Chicken Tikka Masala at home. Boy, I did not know what a long journey I was going on. I’ve tried every top recipe–from big bloggers, to recipes with thousands of reviews and they were always so plain. I did the kind you have to marinate an entire day before, or food processor tons of fresh herbs and they were all disappointing.

Let me tons and tons of fails be put to use as you can skip to the head of the line with this easy meal. made the best way. I love that you can literally throw it in the slow cooker and let it do it’s thing. All you have to do is blend the sauce and make the rice once you’re ready to eat. The chicken is tender and the sauce is perfection. My whole family loves it so much that my oldest son always calls dibs on it, to take in a thermos for lunch at school.

What ingredients do you need for this easy chicken tikka masala recipe?

There’s nothing too crazy about this dish, and I love that it tastes mostly pantry ingredients and very little fresh ingredients so you can make it in a pinch without having to run to the store, once you have these spices on hand.

• Olive oil
• Boneless skinless chicken breast (or chicken thighs if you prefer)
• Yellow onion
• Tomato puree / or tomato sauce
• Canned coconut milk (found in the Asian isle–full fat!)
• Salt and black pepper
• Lemon juice
• Plain dairy-free yogurt
• Chili powder
• Ground turmeric
• Garam masala
• Pureed ginger
• Jarred minced garlic
• Tomato paste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish, if desired
• Rice to serve it with

What supplies do you need to make Dairy free Chicken Tikka Masala?

You need very little supplies, which helps with easy clean up:

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cutting board and knife for chopping cilantro
• A pan and lid for making the rice
• A slow cooker, also known as a Crock Pot, for cooking the Tikka Masala in

How is this Chicken Tikka Masala dairy free?

Most Indian cuisine use Greek yogurt or plain yogurt to tenderize the chicken and marinate it in. Thanks to the slow cooker, you don’t need to tenderize the chicken. You do need just a few Tablespoons of dairy-free yogurt to make the creamy sauce, but none to marinate the chicken in before hand which saves you a ton of time! You’ll notice most Indian recipes finish off all of the sauces with heavy cream (which is why they’re so yummy.) It’s easy to get around this with this dairy-free option: full fat coconut milk, found in the can in the Asian isle at my grocery stores. (You could also use cans of “coconut cream” found in the Asian isle too. I wouldn’t recommend light coconut milk, but you do you if you feel you want less calories.)

What dairy-free plain yogurt do I use for this Indian recipe?

I like to use So Delicious Unsweetened Plain Coconut Milk Yogurt. I find it is a great substitute for Greek yogurt. If you have any leftover (since my recipe only calls for a little) throw the rest in a delicious smoothie! There was one time I was out of dairy-free yogurt and in a pinch I used mayo (I know–not a traditional tikka masala ingredient), and it worked just fine in case you ever find yourself in a pinch too!

What kind of chicken should I use in this dairy-free chicken tikka masala?

You can use chicken breast or chicken thigh, but I’d recommend boneless and skinless for ease. You can either cut chicken pieces into bite sized before putting in the slow cooker. I did this in the pictures, and it feels more restaurant worthy to me. But, sometimes I’m in a rush and only have frozen chicken breasts, and will throw those in. In that case, I just take the chicken out and shred it once it’s tender.

An extra step that is worth it!

As you’ll notice, you will be using a lot of onions and while I finely dice them, and they get soft during the slow cooking, it just doesn’t feel as restaurant worthy to have a chunky sauce. So, I do take an extra step to puree the sauce. I simply take the chicken out, and then you can puree the sauce either by using a hand immersion blender, or by pouring the sauce into a blender and blending it until totally smooth. It also helps sneak tons of onion into my onion hating son’s mouth without him every knowing it. #MomWin It only takes a couple of minutes and gives you a silky sauce.

Marinating the Chicken

Typical tikka masala recipes require you to marinate the chicken before cooking it. Since the crock pot cooks nice and slow all day, I didn’t feel there was a need to marinate, since it’s basically marinating and cooking at the same time. This step has been cut out and it makes it so nice to not have to worry about putting it in the fridge the night before. This Slow Cooker Tikka Masala is so easy!

What can I use instead of cream in tikka masala?

Traditional tikka masala calls for cream in the recipe. This is a no-go because this is a dairy free tikka masala. So, you can use two substitutes: a plant cream (like Country Crock Plant Cream or Silk’s Heavy Whipping Cream) or you can use full fat coconut milk. Your choice. Any of those will work great in this slow cooker recipe.

What is a substitute for yogurt in tikka masala?

Regular tikka masala recipes call for yogurt in the marinade. Because this recipe has no milk in it, we replace it with a plain (non-flavored) dairy-free yogurt. The one I use is a brand called So Delicious. I use their Unsweetened Plain Coconut Milk Yogurt Alternative that I find at Walmart and many general stores and it works great.

What do I serve with this Slow Cooker Tikka Masala?

In restaurants you’ll usually have it paired with white rice, which is what we like to do. If you want more whole grains, you can use brown rice. Or, for a low carb option, you can use cauliflower rice. You’ll also usually see a side dish of naan bread, but we skip that due to my son’s wheat allergy. I figure it has plenty of vegetables (the tomatoes and onions) blended into the sauce that I don’t bother with any other side dishes. I’m all about simple!

Do I have other dairy-free slow cooker recipes?

Yes, I do! Here are some other dairy-free crock pot dinner recipes that you will love as well:

• Slow Cooker Green Chile Enchilada Soup
• Slow Cooker Pork Tacos
• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Salads
• Slow Cooker Pork Chops
• Slow Cooker Pizza Soup
• Slow Cooker Creamy Green Chile Chicken
• Slow Cooker Minestrone

If you’re a fan of Indian food and want to an instant pot Indian Butter chicken, be sure to check out my Instant Pot cookbook, where that is one of the most popular dishes in the entire cookbook!

How to store leftover coconut chicken tikka masala?

Store any leftover chicken and tikka masala sauce together in an airtight container in the fridge. Store the rice separate. This should store well for 3 days.

Do I have a video showing how to make this chicken tikka masala?

Yes, I do. I hope this overview recipe video shows you how simple it is to make this popular Indian dish. If the video does not auto populate, it should be at the bottom of the recipe card. And, if all else fails, you can see it on my YouTube channel.

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