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Slow cooker curry is a great budget-friendly family meal that you can put straight into the slow cooker in the morning and pretty much forget all about it in till you get home.
A chicken curry doesn’t have to be spicy either, it can be sweet or creamy depending on what other ingredients you put in.
These recipes make a great fakeaway curry too. You can really go to town using what you have in your cupboards already. There really is nothing like making a family meal from scratch.
You can serve any of these chicken curry recipes with wholemeal or white rice, homemade naan bread, or even some poppadoms.
If you are looking for other slow cooker meal ideas that are budget-friendly then have a look at:
31 Aldi Slow Cooker Recipes For The Whole Family – This is our full list of Aldi slow cooker recipes that are easy to make for the whole family. They have very little prep time and are budget-friendly.
31 Easy Family Slow Cooker Recipes – If you are a beginner cook then starting with a slow cooker is a great idea. These are really simple slow cooker recipes that you can cook on a budget with the whole family.
Gammon Slow Cooker Recipes That Are Budget Friendly – Sometimes it’s hard to find time to cook a good meal for the whole family. Use your slow cooker and come home to a tasty meal.
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Can I put raw chicken in the slow cooker?
Yes, you can put raw chicken in the slow cooker. It works better if you cut it up into small chunks. Put the slow cooker on a medium heat to start with, then add the chicken chunks. Continue to prep the rest of your ingredients. Add them once the chicken is white on the outside. Once added, the chicken will continue to cook inside with the rest of the ingredients. It will help keep the chicken moist.
Why does curry go watery in the slow cooker?
Unlike pan cooking, the moisture in the slow cooker can not evaporate, which means it stays in the slow cooker, which makes your slow cooker curry watery. You can stop this from happening by removing the lid about an hour before you wish to serve, meaning that the water can evaporate and the curry sauce will thicken.
Can you slow cook chicken curry?
Yes, you can slow cook chicken curry. Slow-cooking curry means that you get made-from-scratch slow-cooked dinners when you need them. Slow cooking curry means helps to intensify the flavor of the curry and makes the chicken really tender.
Start by making sure the chicken is cut into chunks as this helps the chicken to cook quicker. Don’t worry about it over cooking, as the sauce will keep it moist.
To start any of these chicken curries you will need:
A slow cooker – We love this Morphy Richards Slow Cooker Sear and Stew 460012 3.5L Black Slowcooker. It’s hob proof, has a glass dishwasher-safe lid, and is shatterproof.
A sharp knife-like these Hecef Kitchen Knife Set. They are stainless steel and great for all cutting needs.
Chopping boards
Measuring Jug
Most of these slow-cooked chicken curry recipes come in at under £1 a head and can be made with what you have in the cupboards already.
We use frozen chicken breast and defrost it when we need it but you can use thighs too.
All these chicken recipes are super easy to make and are perfect for beginners too.
If you are looking for more budget-friendly recipe ideas then make sure you have a look at:
The Ultimate £1 Per Head Budget Meal Planning List – This is our complete list of £1 a head family meals that include easy slow cooker meals and oven meals.
Feeding a Family on a Budget: This Weekly Shop is Just £18 – This isn’t a post for every week but can help you to get through a rough week when money is really tight.
One Month of Family Meal Ideas on a Budget – This gives you a complete month of budget-friendly meal ideas that you can use.
Slow Cooker Chicken Curry Recipes
These slow cooker chicken curry recipes are great for the whole family to enjoy. They are quick, easy, and can be cooked with frozen chicken breast (that’s be defrosted first) or any cut of chicken meat.
1. Chicken Jalfrezi
This curry serves 4 people and is of medium spice. It takes 4-5 hours to cook but you can make it in the morning or throw it into one pan when you get home.
We use frozen chicken breast. We are by defrosting the chicken and chopping it into chucks. We then add 150g of frozen onions and 100g of frozen peppers.
We like using frozen vegetables as they are pre-cut already.
We then add a tin of chopped tomatoes and 2 garlic cloves. We also add in a teaspoon of dried ginger, 2 tbsp tomato puree.
Once everything is in, set the slow cooker to high and cook for 4-5 hours. Near the end of the cook, if you think there is to much liquid, take the lid off the slow cooker for a bit to get rid of the steam.
In a seperate sauce pan, cook the rice for 25 minutes or until it is soft.
You can add yogurt right at the end just before you serve if you like it creamy.
2. Firecracker Chicken
This firecracker recipe is based on four people. It takes 4-5 hours to cook in the slow cooker and you can put it all in together.
Read how to make our amazing Firecracker Chicken recipe here.
We use frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts which we defrost, then we add 200g frozen onions, 3 garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon of ground ginger. Then add 100g frozen peppers, then 1 tbsp lemon juice. We then cup one bunch of spring onions into circles and add them into the slow cooker.
Then add two tbsp tomato puree, four tbsp soy sauce then two tbsp hoisin sauce.
Leave to cook for 4-5 hours. If there is liquid at the bottom, you can eother take the lid off or add one tbsp plain flour to thicken it up a little bit.
We then serve ours with 150g wholemeal rice which normally takes around 25 minutes to cook.
3. Chicken Balti
This serves four people and isn’t as spicy as it sounds. If you prefer it light then don’t add any chillis or paprika. This takes about 4-5 hours to cook and goes perfect with egg fried rice.
Defrost 4 frozen chicken breasts and chopped into chucks. Put them into the slow cooker with 150g frozen onions, 200ml tinned tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of dried ginger, 1 tbsp tomato puree and a pinch of dried paprika.
This really is easy to make and you can add anything on the side from rice to pompadoms.
4. Katsu Curry
We love this katsu curry recipe. It does need a bit more prep work with the chicken but it is worth it. It’s a great fakeaway recipe that comes in at under £1 a head for four people.
Read how to make our Katsu Curry here.
Start by defrosting 3 frozen chicken breasts and cutting them into strips. In a food processor, whizz up 100g of breadcrumbs. Add the breadcrumbs to a bowl, crack an egg into a different bowl. Then add the chicken to the egg then to the breadcrumbs. Make sure the breadcrumbs are fully covering the chicken.
Cover when done and add to the fridge until you are ready to serve.
In the slow cooker, add 100g frozen onion, 1 tin of carrots, 3 garlic cloves cut or grated, 900ml chicken stock, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp honey.
Cook on low for 1-2 hours and have a look. If you need to add some plain flour then you can to help thicken the sauce up. I wouldn’t put in anymore than 3 tbsp of plain flour.
When the sauce is nice and thick, put the chicken into a frying pan with a tiny bit of oil. The breadcrumb chicken needs to be turned and should be golden brown.
You can then cook 200g wholemeal rice which will take around 20-25 minutes to become fluffy.
5. Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
This slow cooker Chicken Tikka Masala is a really easy creamy curry that’s great for kids. It comes in at under £1 a head for four people so perfect if you are on a budget too.
Read how to make our Chicken Tikka Masala curry here.
Start by searing the chicken in the slow cooker. Dice up the onion, garlic, and ginger. Add them once the chicken is seared. Then add the tinned tomatoes, lemon juice, and salt. Set to cook on low and leave for six hours.
Add the cream at the end and serve.
6. Slow Cooker Chinese Chicken Curry
This family-friendly meal is a great fakeaway recipe for a Friday night. It’s not very spicy and you can use frozen vegetables if you are short of time.
This is how we made our own Slow cooker Chinese chicken curry
Instead of putting it in a wok, add it to the slow cooker and let it simmer.
We start by adding 2 frozen chicken breasts cut into chucks, then 125g frozen onions, 1 tbsp of ginger, 2 garlic cloves and 400ml stock.
You may need to add some flour in at the end to thicken to the sauce if it is a bit watery.
We then cook 180g of rice in a seperate pan for around 20-25 minutes.
7. Slow Cooker Chicken Madras
This is a really easy curry to make and perfect for those nights when you can’t really be bothered to cook. It can all be chucked into the slow cooker and left until you are ready to eat. It normally takes about 6-8 hours and you may need to take the lid off the slow cooker during the last hour to stop the sauce going watery.
Cut 100g chicken into chunks and sear in the slow cooker. Add the spices. the chili powder is optional. Add the chopped tomatoes and a can of water.
Cook on low for six hours. Once done, you can serve with rice, mango chutney, or poppadoms.
We use 100g frozen onion, 2 garlic cloves, ½ red chilli, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1-2 tsp hot chilli powder, 3 chicken breasts and 400g can chopped tomatoes.
8. Chicken Vindaloo
This is quite a spicy chicken curry recipe and does need a bit of prep work.
Cut the chicken into cubes. For the sauce add ½ tsp flaked cinnamon stick, ½ tsp chili flakes, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, 50g onion and ½ tsp salt. Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until it becomes a smooth paste. Add the chicken to a bowl. Let it marinate overnight.
When ready, add the chicken and sauce into the slow cooker with 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 2-3 garlic cloves, 2 tsp finely grated ginger, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp cayenne pepper and ½ tsp black mustard seeds.
Cook for low for 4-6 hours and serve when ready.
9. Slow Cooker Chicken Korma
This is a mild and creamy korma curry that is perfect for kids who hate spice.
Read how to make our Chicken Korma recipe here.
Put the slow cooker on and add 2 garlic cloves, 1tbsp ground ginger, 100g onion, 3 chicken breasts cut into chucks, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp chili powder, 2 tsp sugar and 300ml chicken stock.
Cook for 4-6 hours until it looks almost dry but not burnt. Once ready, add 150ml double cream and stir. Serve this with rice.
Related Posts:
- 101 Aldi Recipes That Will Give You Dinner Ideas For Tonight
- The Ultimate £1 Per Head Budget Meal Planning List
- 13 Leftover Chicken Recipes That Are Under £1 a Head
Ways to save money
If you are looking for more chicken curry slow cooker ideas or even family meals in general then have a look at Spicentice*.
They send out packets of spices with easy-to-follow instructions so you can make a meal from scratch.
They are great to use if you are new to cooking from scratch or if you are looking to get your family eating new budget-friendly meals and have no clue where to start.
We tried them at the start of this year and loved them. We got stuck in a food rut and they helped by giving us ideas while keeping our food budget really low.
We made the below meals using Spicentice. Try them for yourself here:
Easy Chicken Fajita Recipe: A Family Meal for 94p a Person
Spaghetti Meatball Recipe For 73p a Head
Vegan Shepherd’s Pie For Just 82p Per Portion
Beginner Chilli Con Carne Recipe for Just 95p a Head
Laura x
If you enjoyed this post and would like some more family friendly budget recipes or meal plan ideas, then head over to the budget food section here on Savings 4 Savvy Mums where you’ll find over 30 cheap posts dedicated to helping you cook and shop wiser for less. There’s enough tips to help you save over £300 a month! You could also pop over and follow my family food Pinterest boards for lots more ideas on how to eat well and spend less; Family Meal Plans on a Budget, Budget Family Meals & Budget Slimming World Recipes for Families.
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