Chicken Korma Recipe

Delicious creamy chicken korma made made with yogurt, nuts, spices and onions as the base. This is best served with Jeera Rice, plain Basmati rice, Butter Naan, Plain Paratha or roti.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Servings4

AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )

Marinade

½ kg (1.2 lbs) chicken (bone-in preferred but boneless is ok)
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons curd (plain yogurt or coconut milk)
1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (or ½ tbsps. each fine grated)
¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala or korma masala
1 to 1¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (less spicy variety, minimum ½ tsp)
½ teaspoon sea salt

To saute & blend

1½ tablespoon oil or ghee
2 green cardamoms
1 cup onions sliced (2 medium yellow onions)
10 whole cashew nuts or almonds (or use 5 each)
¼ cup curd (plain yogurt or coconut milk)

For korma curry

1 to 2 tablespoon oil or ghee (use as per your preference)
1 small Indian bay leaf (optional)
4 cloves (optional)
2 inch cinnamon (optional)
1 cardamom (optional)
1 to 2 green chilies slit or chopped (optional, Thai/Indian or serrano peppers)
½ cup hot water (more if needed)
¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala
1½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (optional, for color)
2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro) fine chopped to garnish

How to make the recipe

Marinade: To a mixing bowl, add the ingredients mentioned under the tittle Marinade - chicken, yogurt, ginger garlic, turmeric, salt, red chili powder and garam masala. Mix well to coat the chicken with the ingredients. Cover and keep aside.
Make the korma paste: Heat a pan with ghee/oil and add 2 cardamoms and onions. Saute until they turn golden brown and begin to caramelize (not burnt). Add the nuts and cool down. Blend to a smooth paste with yogurt.
Saute chicken: In the same pan, heat ghee/oil and add the optional whole spices - bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom. When they begin to sizzle, add green chili and chicken. Saute on a medium heat for 5 to 6 mins.
Make Chicken Korma: Add the onion puree, salt, coriander powder, garam masala and chili powder (optional, for deeper color). Stir in the hot water and rise the heat to bring to a boil. Cover and cook on a medium low heat until the chicken is cooked through & you see traces of oil over the korma.
Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thick to your liking, stir little hot water and simmer. If it is runny cook uncovered on a high heat, for a few minutes until thick. Taste test and adjust salt.
Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve chicken korma with Jeera rice, plain Basmati Rice, Butter Naan, roti or paratha.

NUTRITION (estimation only)