Lightened-up slow cooker chicken tikka masala

Chicken tikka masala is chicken cooked in a creamy sauce with a mix of Indian-inspired masala spices. In this lightened-up version from Weight Watchers, tomatoes make it rich and filling and Greek yogurt gives it creaminess. It is spicy in the sense of being filled with the flavors of ground spices (there are no hot peppers). The recipe takes about 15 minutes to throw together. You can easily double it. It freezes well.

Chicken thighs are probably my favorite meat to put in the slow cooker. I love how they become fall apart tender. Slow cooker chicken with tomatoes and onion is a no-fail combo, and you can add so many different flavorings. This version uses tikka masala flavors, but you could easily use taco seasoning, ranch seasoning, or get creative with the endless possibilities.
 
I served my chicken tikka masala with rice and a cucumber salad. The cucumber salad had two cucumbers with the juice of one lemon, some cilantro, salt, and pepper. It balanced out the soft umami chicken and tomatoes with the tartness of lemon and crunch of cucumber.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Recipe from Weight Watchers (modified by me)
 
Serves 8 (yields about 1 cup chicken with sauce per serving)
 
Ingredients
 
28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
A few cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, minced or grated
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
 
Instructions
 
Combine all ingredients, except yogurt and cilantro, in slow cooker. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in yogurt and cilantro.