Including ways to save money on your shopping bill
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.
6-week money saving challenge
If you’re struggling to save money then why not join our FREE money saving course that takes you step by step through saving money as a family. All simple steps to help you build an emergency fund or save towards that mega holiday.
Join our FREE Money Saving Course here and I can’t wait to see how I can help you!
This is the perfect time to improve your finances.
With this free email course, we cover everything from setting financial goals to ways to earn some extra money in your free time. Over the next 6-weeks, you will receive an email that will help you save your family more money.
Come Join us now and watch your savings grow.
(By joining giving us your email address you are consenting to us emailing you about our other travel, home and lifestyle ideas. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of every email.)
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.
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.
How to slow cook chicken curry
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.
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.
Chicken Jalfrezi
This curry serves 4 people and is of medium spice. It takes 30 minutes to cook but you can make it in the morning and then throw it all in one pan when you get home. Make our Chicken Jalfrezi with egg fried rice and our homemade naan.
4 frozen chicken breasts £1.40
150g frozen onions 16p
1 red pepper 15p
1 tomato 16p
3 garlic cloves 9p
Small piece of ginger 2p
2 tbsp tomato puree 6p
2 tbsp cooking oil 3p
2 tbsp cooking oil 3p
Total: £2.09 that’s 52p per person for 4 people.
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 20 minutes to cook and does perfect with our egg fried rice recipe too.
4 frozen chicken breasts £1.40
150g frozen onions 16p
200ml tinned tomatoes 28p
3 garlic cloves 9p
Small piece of ginger 2p
1 tbsp tomato puree 3p
2 tbsp cooking oil 3p
1 tsp salt 2p
1 red chilli 5p
Pinch of dried paprika 3p
Total: £2.11 that’s 52p for 4 people.
Firecracker chicken
This firecracker recipe is based on four people. It takes only takes about 10 minutes to actually cook the sauce but the rice could take up to 20 minutes.
Read how to make our amazing Firecracker Chicken recipe here.
3 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (defrosted) £2.10
2 onions 20p
3 garlic cloves 15p
5g ground ginger 5p
1 red pepper 45p
1tbsp lemon juice 10p
1 bunch of spring onions 37p
2 tbsp tomato puree 5p
4 tbsp soy sauce 6p
2 tbsp hoisin sauce 6p
1 tbsp plain flour 10p
1 tbsp low cal cooking spray 5p
150g wholemeal rice 25p
Total: £3.99 that’s 99p for 4 people.
Katsu Curry
If you are looking for a fakeaway recipe that is also Slimming World friendly and easy to cook then this Katsu chicken curry is for you.
This chicken Katsu curry comes in at under £1 a head for four people. It can seem a little spicy so if your family needs it toned down then add a little Greek yogurt to the side of the dish.
Read how to make our Katsu Curry here.
3 frozen chicken breasts £1.20
1 onion 28p
2 carrots 10p
3 garlic cloves 5p
1 egg 10p
900ml chicken stock 5p
2tbsp soy sauce 5p
1tsp honey 7p
3tbsp plain flour 5p
100g breadcrumbs 15p
200g wholemeal rice 37p
Total: £2.19 that’s 54p for four people.
Chicken and Banana Curry
This chicken banana curry is a mild curry that is great for those nights when you really want a takeaway. It’s really easy to cook. You pretty much throw in all the ingredients and leave it to simmer.
This curry recipe does take about 30 minutes to cook but it is well worth the wait! This chicken and banana curry below is made for four people but you can scale it up with more chicken and add some frozen vegetables.
Read how to make this Chicken and Banana Curry recipe here.
2 teaspoons vegetable oil 5p
400g chicken breasts £2
100g frozen onion 20p
50g apple 50p
10g cloves of garlic 5p
2 tablespoons korma curry paste 7p
400ml chicken stock 5p
25g raisins 15p
25g chopped ready-to-eat apricots 20p
300g easy-cook long-grain brown rice 40p
1 tablespoon cornflour 5p
100g banana 14p
60g fat-free natural yogurt 10p
1 tablespoon dried coriander 4p
Total: £4 that’s £1 a head per four people.
Slow cooker no-spice chicken curry
This is a great slow-cooking curry recipe that is great for leftovers too.
You’ll need 1 large onion, 3 tbsp mild curry paste, 400g can chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder, 1 dried ginger, 1 yellow pepper, and 2 chicken breasts.
Cut the chicken breasts into cubes. Sear then in the slow cooker. Once cooked, add the spices and cook for a few minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes to the slow cooker and cook on slow for 6 hours then serve.
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.
4 frozen chicken breasts £1.40
150g frozen onion 16p
2 garlic cloves 6p
1 small piece of ginger 15p
200ml tinned tomatoes 28p
100ml single cream 60p
1 tsp lemon juice 5p
4 tbsp low cal spray 20p
1 tsp salt 3p
180g Rice 24p
Total: £3.17 that’s 79p for 4 people.
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.
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.
2 frozen chicken breasts 65p
125g frozen onions 16p
Small piece of ginger 15p
2 garlic cloves 6p
400ml stock 3p
2 tbsp low cal spray 10p
3 tbsp plain flour 10p
1 tsp sugar 5p
180g Rice 24p
Total: £1.54 that’s 38p for 4 people.
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 the 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.
100g frozen onion 20p
2 garlic cloves 5p
Dried ginger 2p
½ red chilli 2p
½ tsp turmeric 2p
1 tsp ground cumin 2p
1 tsp ground coriander 2p
1-2 tsp hot chilli powder 2p
3 chicken breasts £1.20
400g can chopped tomatoes 28p
Total: £1.85 that’s 23p for 4 people.
Chicken vindaloo
This is quite a spicy chicken curry recipe and does need a bit of prep work.
Cut the chicken into cubes. Use the ingredients above and add the chicken to a bowl. Let it marinate overnight.
In the morning, fry off the chicken cubes. Then add the rest of the ingredients with a can of water. Put on a slow heat for 6 hours and come home to a hearty meal.
1 tbsp lemon juice 5p
3 chicken breasts £1.20
2 tbsp white wine vinegar 6p
2-3 garlic cloves 5p
2 tsp finely grated ginger 5p
1 tsp garam masala 5p
1 tsp ground cumin 2p
1 tsp ground coriander 2p
½ tsp cayenne pepper 2p
½ tsp black mustard seeds 2p
For the sauce:
Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend until it becomes a smooth paste.
½ tsp flaked cinnamon stick 2p
½ tsp chili flakes 2p
½ tsp cayenne pepper 5p
50g onion 25p
½ tsp salt 2p
Total: £1.90 that’s 47p for 4 people.
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 sear the chicken. Stir in the spices and cook for a few minutes. Then add the chicken stock. Leave to cook for 6 hours. Add the cream then serve.
2 garlic cloves 5p
Ground ginger 2p
100g onions 25p
3 chicken breasts £1.20
2 tbsp tomato purée 5p
1 tsp ground cumin 2p
1 tsp paprika 2p
1 tsp turmeric 2p
1 tsp ground coriander 2p
½ tsp chili powder 2p
2 tsp sugar 5p
300ml chicken stock 35p
150ml double cream 62p
Total: £2.69 that’s 67p a person.
Easy chicken curry
This is a great creamy chicken recipe that is easy for beginners and can be spiced up if needed.
Chop the chicken breasts into cubes. Sear in the slow cooker. Add the spices. Then add the chopped tomatoes and can of water. Leave to cook for 6 hours on low heat.
Once cooked, add the yogurt for a creamy texture.
100g onion 25p
2 garlic cloves 5p
Dried ginger 2p
3 chicken breasts £1.20
3 tbsp medium spice paste 15p
400g can chopped tomatoes 28p
100g Greek yogurt, and a can of water. 19p
Total: £2.14 that’s 53p for 4 people.
Sali murghi
This is packed with spices and is a great sweet curry.
Blitz the spices and sear the chicken in the slow cooker. Add the tinned tomatoes and vinegar. Add some water if you think it’s needed.
Leave to cook for 6 hours then add the apricots at the end.
3 chicken breasts £1.20
1 tsp ground cinnamon 2p
1 tsp ground cumin 5p
200g onions 25p
3 garlic cloves 15p
1 tsp ground ginger 2p
1 tsp ground coriander 2p
1 tsp ground garam masala 5p
½ tsp ground turmeric 2p
400g tinned tomatoes 28p
2 tbsp white wine vinegar 10p
150g dried apricots 31p
Total: £2.47 that’s 61p for 4 people.
Easy butter chicken
This takes a bit of prep the night before but is great for a fakeaway recipe for a weekend.
For the curry:
100g frozen onion 23p
3 garlic cloves 5p
1 green chilli 7p
1 tsp garam masala 5p
3 tbsp tomato purée 7p
300ml chicken stock 5p
3 chicken breasts £1.20
Total: £1.72 that’s 43p for 4 people.
Soak the chicken in lemon juice, 2 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground paprika, 1tsp hot chili powder, 200g fat-free natural yogurt.
Add the spices to the slow cooker and sear. Add the chicken including the puree and chicken stock. Cook on low for 6 hours and serve with the natural yogurt.
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.
Love this post? Then why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it later.
What the * means
If a link has an * by it, then this means it is an affiliate link and helps S4SM stay free for all. If you use the link, it may mean that we receive a very small payment. It will not cost you anymore that it would normally.
You shouldn’t notice any difference and the link will never negatively impact the product. The items we write about are NEVER dictated by these links. We aim to look at all products on the market. If it isn’t possible to get an affiliate link, then the link, or product is still included in the same way, just with a non-paying link.