Chicken Korma Recipe

Chicken Korma is so mouth watering, authentic, and full of amazing Indian flavors and spices. This recipe with well done chicken in a rich and creamy sauce will remind you of your visits to the best Indian kitchens or restaurants. A delicious gluten free, high protein and low carb option for your next Indian dinner.

Another addition to my popular Indian recipes - Chicken Biryani and Beef Kofta Curry.

What is Chicken Korma?

Chicken korma is a luxurious dish that is part of the Mughlai cuisine. It has its roots in the royal kitchens of the 16th century Mughals. Prepared with chicken, braised with yogurt, ginger garlic, caramelized onions and spices, it goes well with rice and naan.

The word 'korma' is derived from other Persian or Turkish words that mean "braised". The braised chicken is then cooked on a low flame. It is rich in taste but quite easy to make. Here I take you into the finest details of Indian cooking techniques, to give you that restaurant like silky Korma.

For a different Indian chicken recipe with a coconut sauce, try our amazing chicken curry.

How to Make It

This outlines the steps to make a super authentic and rich Indian chicken korma.

1. Grind all the spices in a nut or spice grinder or use a good garam masala (no guarantee in taste for the latter).
2. Marinate chicken, preferably on bone, with ginger garlic, chili powder and salt.
3. Heat the oil in a wide thick bottom cooking pot and sauté thinly sliced onions until light golden brown. Separate the sautéed onions and set aside.
4. Then sauté bay leaves in the same oil for a minute. Add the marinated chicken and sauté until browned a little.
5. Next add ⅔rd of the ground spices (or garam masala), ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric. Keep stirring the chicken with the spices.
6. Meanwhile grind the soaked and drained cashews (or almonds) with some yogurt
7. Transfer about ⅔ rd of the cashew-yogurt mixture to the cooking pot and stir with the chicken. Let it simmer on low flame.
8. Process remaining cashew-yogurt paste with the sautéed onions until it is a coarse mixture.
9. Add the onion-cashew-yogurt mixture to the chicken, combine everything and simmer.
10. Once you start seeing some oil separate, then add ½ to ¾ cup water or stock.
11. Raise the heat to medium high and when the korma starts bubbling, lower the heat and let it simmer until the chicken is well done. Some oil surfaces on the top.
12. Add the remaining garam masala and some cilantro. If you prefer, add rose water, ghee and garnish with slivered ginger. Serve the chicken korma with naan or rice.

Pro Tips

Here are the secrets for making the most delicious korma ever:

• Chicken: Use chicken on bone, such as thighs, leg quarters or whole chicken. If you prefer to use boneless, then use boneless chicken thigh meat.
• Korma Paste: Make sure to grind the cashews only with a small amount of yogurt at first before adding the rest of the yogurt. This will ensure a smoother paste. If you are using a vitamix then you can blend it all at once. Preferably grind the onion and yogurt mixture to a coarse paste (avoid very fine paste).
• Chilies: You can add any slit green chilies or peppers if you wish. Remove the seeds if you want to lower the heat. Jalapenos are milder than Serrano peppers. And green chilies may differ in heat depending on the variety.
• Cooking Oil: I use 3 tablespoons of oil to have adequate for sautéing the onions, but you can remove one tablespoon or more of oil either after sautéing onions, or at the end of cooking the korma, when the oil surfaces on top. That helps lower the unnecessary calories, while allowing you to use the oil as vehicle for effective cooking.
• Kashmiri Chili Powder: is milder than regular chili powder but has a brighter red color. A suitable replacement would be to use ⅔rd cayenne pepper with ⅓rd paprika.
• Ginger Garlic Paste: Always grind your own at home - it makes a world of difference. Process equal amounts of peeled fresh ginger and garlic at high speed until it forms a smooth paste. Use just enough water as needed while grinding it down. Stir in a little bit of salt and oil. Store it in a glass jar and refrigerate. Or divide it into ice cube trays and freeze it for later use.
• Chicken Stock: Use chicken stock if possible. That will also give a nice silky smooth thickness to the korma.
• Slow Cooker and Instant Pot: Chicken korma can easily be prepared in a slow cooker or instant pot.

Can Korma Be Reheated?

Yes, you can most certainly reheat chicken korma with great results. Add some water or stock if necessary to adjust the consistency.

Can It Be Frozen?

Chicken korma freezes very well and keeps well for at least 2 months in the freezer. Thaw, reheat and adjust the consistency with stock or water, addition of salt, cilantro etc.

Is Chicken Korma Gluten Free?

Yes, chicken korma is a gluten free Indian dish. It has a rich sauce, which can be made lighter by skimming off the oil from the top.

What Can You Serve With It?

Chicken korma tastes great with basmati rice or flatbreads like naan, chapathi or paratha. You can also be innovative and add some vegetables like potatoes, carrots, peas etc.

How Long Does It Last?

It tastes great for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Beyond that you can safely freeze the leftovers or reheat them.

More Indian Recipes

• Keema (Easy ground beef curry)
• Dal Recipe (Reader's favorite)
• Kadai Chicken (Indian chicken stir fry)

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5 from 5 votes

Chicken Korma

Chicken Korma is so mouth watering, authentic, and full of amazing Indian flavors and spices. This recipe with well done chicken in a rich and creamy sauce will remind you of your visits to the best Indian kitchens or restaurants. A delicious gluten free, high protein and low carb option for your next Indian dinner.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Inactive time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

1x2x3x

Print SaveSaved!

Course :Main Course

Cuisine :Indian

Servings: 8

Calories: 260kcal

Author: Roxana Begum

Ingredients

Ground Spices (or 1 tablespoon Garam Masala)

• ▢ 6 green cardamom
• ▢ 5 cloves
• ▢ 3 inches cinnamon stick
• ▢ 1 black cardamom
• ▢ ½ star anise or 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon whole nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon mace

Korma

• ▢ 2 lbs chicken with bone
• ▢ 3 tablespoons ginger garlic paste or grated
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder or *cayenne pepper plus paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt adjust per taste
• ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil regular
• ▢ 2 onions yellow, large, sliced thinly
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Turmeric
• ▢ 10 whole cashews or almonds, soaked in water
• ▢ 1 cup yogurt plain, reduced fat

Optional Ingredients

• ▢ 2 green chilies or Serrano or jalapeno pepper
• ▢ chicken stock

Garnish

• ▢ ground spices or garam masala
• ▢ cilantro
• ▢ slivered ginger optional
• ▢ rose water or kewra water optional
• ▢ ghee optional

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

Ground Spices

• Grind all the spices in a nut or spice grinder and set it aside. It is best to use homemade spice blend. Tip: You may use a good ready made garam masala, but I cannot guarantee the same taste as standard spices.

Marinate Chicken

• Combine the cut and clean chicken with ginger garlic, chili powder, salt and set it aside to marinate about 30 minutes.Tip: Use chicken on bone, such as thighs, leg quarters or whole chicken. If you prefer to use boneless, then use boneless chicken thigh meat.
  

Chicken Korma

• Heat the oil in a wide thick bottom cooking pot at medium high.
• Add thinly sliced onions (you may use a mandolin slicer at 7.5 mm setting). Sauté the onions until light golden brown and they start crisping up. This may take about 20 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon separate the sauteed onions from the oil and set it aside in a plate.
• Add the bay leaves and sauté in the same oil for minute.
• Then add the marinated chicken and sauté for a few minutes until browned a little and the raw ginger garlic flavor is gone; followed by adding ⅔rd of the ground spices (or garam masala), ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric. Keep stirring the chicken with the spices.
• Meanwhile grind the drained cashews (or almonds) with a little bit of yogurt in a food processor at high speed until the nuts start to get ground. Add remaining yogurt and grind it all for few minutes until it forms a smooth paste. Tip: Make sure to grind the cashews only with a small amount of yogurt at first before adding the rest of the yogurt. This will ensure a smoother paste. If you are using a vitamix then you can blend it all at once.
• Transfer about ⅔ rd of the cashew-yogurt mixture to the cooking pot and stir with the chicken. Let it simmer while the yogurt cooks with the spices. Make sure to stir once in a while.
• Process the remaining cashew-yogurt paste with the sautéed onions until it is a coarse mixture. Tip: Preferably do not grind the mixture to a very fine paste.
• Add the onion-cashew-yogurt mixture to the chicken, combine everything and simmer. Keep stirring every few minutes. Tip: You can add any slit green chilies or peppers if you wish. Remove the seeds if you want to lower the heat. Jalapenos are milder than Serrano peppers. And green chilies may vary in heat depending on the variety.
• Once you start seeing some oil separate, then add ½ to ¾ cup water or stock. Raise the heat to medium high and when the korma starts bubbling, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 45 minutes or an hour until the chicken is well done.
• The chicken will release its own juices. But add water as needed to give a rich and thick gravy. When the chicken is almost done, add the remaining garam masala, some cilantro and stir it in.
• While the chicken korma is simmering, towards the end, oil will separate and surface on the top. The korma should be rich, thick but flowing consistency, with some red colored oil surfaced on the top. Chicken should be well done.

Garnish and Serve

• If you prefer, add 2 teaspoons of rose water, which will surprisingly give a smoky flavor. Drizzle 1 tablespoon ghee and garnish with slivered ginger, if you wish.
• Serve the chicken korma with naan or rice.

Notes

1. Dairy Free Option: Use coconut milk and/or cream instead of dairy yogurt.
2. Nut Free Option: You may use white poppy seeds or musk melon seeds instead of cashews or almonds.
3. Crisp Fried Onions: If you already have some homemade crisp fried onions, then you can use that instead of sautéing the onions.
4. Cooking Oil: I use 3 tablespoons of oil to have adequate for sautéing the onions, but you can remove one tablespoon (or more) of oil either after sautéing onions, or at the end of cooking the korma, when the oil surfaces on top. That helps lower the unnecessary calories, while allowing you to use the oil as vehicle for effective cooking.
5. Kashmiri Chili Powder: is milder than regular chili powder but has a brighter red color. A suitable replacement would be to use ⅔rd cayenne pepper with ⅓rd paprika.
6. Ginger Garlic Paste: Always grind your own at home - it makes a world of difference. Process equal amounts of peeled fresh ginger and garlic at high speed until it forms a smooth paste. Use just enough water as needed while grinding it down. Stir in a little bit of salt and oil. Store it in a glass jar and refrigerate. Or divide it into ice cube trays and freeze it for later use.
7. Chicken Stock: Use chicken stock if possible. That will also give a nice silky smooth thickness to the korma.
8. Nutrition facts adjusted after skimming off 1 tablespoon oil from the surface of the served korma.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.75cup | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 440IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg

Did you make this recipe?I would love to know about it. Tag me @thedeliciouscrescent.