The other day I was missing my friend Gin who is from India. She and her husband had been our neighbors and friends. Alas, we live in a mobile society and her husband’s work took them to a new state.
Many Indian recipes are either gluten-free or easily converted to gluten-free. My Crock Pot Chicken Tikka Masala also happens to also be semi-Paleo. So, it works for more than one restricted diet. I also think it would be great for guests, too.
If you’ve never had Indian food, then this is the dish to try. It’s almost guaranteed to be on every Indian restaurant’s menu. The ingredients are easy to gather and {my favorite part} it has this rich, creamy tomato sauce blended among the spicy flavors. Deeee-lish-ussss!
This recipe is semi-Paleo because I soaked my chicken in yogurt {thank you Gin for that tip!} prior to putting it in the Crock Pot. If you want it to be true Paleo, skip the yogurt soaking.
While this recipe is designed for a slow cooker, you can certainly make it on the stove top, too. I would recommend a cast iron dutch oven like a Le Creuset. Perfect for browning the onions, spices, and meat before adding the sauce ingredients.
- 4 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 small Chopped Onion
- 2-3 T. Chopped Garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 T. Ground Ginger*
- 1 T. Garam Marsala*
- 1 t. Paprika*
- 1 t. Coriander*
- 1 t. Cumin*
- ½ t. Cayenne
- 1 28 oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 C. Yogurt**
- 2 T. Arrowroot Powder or Corn Starch
- *These spices can be increased by ½ t. after cooking for a bit. That way you get the flavors exact and one flavor doesn't overpower the entire dish.
- **You can soak the chicken in ½ C. yogurt and save the other
- ½ C. when thickening the mixture. Yogurt can be substituted with coconut milk for people on the Paleo diet.
- Combine all of the ingredients EXCEPT the bay leaf, yogurt and arrowroot powder in the slow cooker.
- Stir until the chicken is coated. Add the bay leaf to the top of the mixture.
- Cover and turn on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
- When the dish is almost finished, remove the bay leaf.
- Mix the yogurt and arrowroot powder together and add to the slow cooker.
- Allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes. Do not overcook or the yogurt will separate.
- Serve with rice and gluten-free Naan.
Notice my gluten-free Naan sitting next to my plate of Chicken Tikka Masala. It’s standard fare to serve Naan with this dish.
- ½ C. Super Fine Almond Flour
- ½ C. Tapioca Flour
- 1 C. Milk (substitute coconut milk for dairy-free)
- Salt (optional)
- Add the flours to a bowl and blend together with a fork.
- Make a small well in the middle and add the milk.
- Stir until it forms a nice batter.
- Pre-heat pan (non-stick works best). If you aren't using a non-stick pan, be sure to add oil to pan.
- Pour ¼ C. batter into heated pan and watch the naan puff up.
- When it begins to brown and has a firm shape, flip over to the other side.
- When fully cooked remove from pan.
Typical Naan is NOT gluten-free, but this recipe happens to be GF and it’s so easy to make. I’m including the recipe below. The secret here is to let the Naan steam a little. Otherwise, it becomes gluey because of the tapioca starch. This recipe is considered Paleo, however, I think that the absence of rice flour makes it cook better than a typical gluten-free recipe.
Some of the ingredients for the Naan might not be available at regular grocery stores so I’ve included an affiliate list so you can search for them in your area.
That looks divine!
I love Indian food with its warm aromatic spices, so great that you did this in the slow cooker.
I love Chicken Tikka Masala! I need to try out your version, it looks great, and it’s awesome that it’s so healthy! Dropping by from SITS.
I made this last night. It was really wonderful! Thank you!
Oh my word, this needs to be in my crock pot right now! Or maybe tomorrow, lol. Thank you for a delicious looking recipe to add to my meal plan. I can’t wait to try it!
I guarantee, you will love this recipe. It is so warm and spicy ~ who could resist.
This looks fabulous and I’m excited to try it because my current recipe for Tikka masala is loaded with butter and cream. The family loves it but I feel a bit guilty serving it-can’t wait to try your version. Also, yum to coconut milk!
Oh, I’m here from DIY Show Off.
This looks fantastic. I’m planning on trying it this weekend or next week, before the Turkey rush. And, a side note, can I just say how fantastic it is to see some gray hairs on a blog? Love it, I’ll be following you. We need more women with a bit of life experience on the web.
Hi there, this recipe looks delicious and I would like to make it. However, in the ingredient list it says: 1 28 oz. can
1 can of what? Crushed tomatoes I assume, but can you please confirm?
Correct. I had to change the recipe template recently; it must have dropped this info in the transfer. Should be fixed now.