Chicken korma recipe with video and step by step photos – Korma is a delicious gravy usually made with onions, spices, nuts, yogurt, seeds, coconut, vegetables or meat. It originated in the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal Era & later became immensely popular across the world.
There are so many ways a korma is made, most of them are adapted to the regional cuisines. So ingredients like coconut, poppy seeds, almonds, cashews & yogurt are most commonly used based on the region.
My recipe is pretty straight forward and uses only pantry staples. It will help you make a very tasty, flavorful, creamy and delicious chicken korma.
It is best served with butter naan, roti, paratha or with steamed basmati rice & Jeera rice.
Onions, nuts and yogurt form the base for this chicken korma. To begin with, first onions are sauteed in oil until golden and then they are pureed with the nuts and yogurt. Nuts help the gravy to thicken and impart a creamy texture.
Later it is spiced and cooked with marinated & sauteed chicken.
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Preparation for chicken korma
1. To a mixing bowl, add
- ½ kg chicken (1.2 lbs)
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt (or coconut milk)
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic (We usually rub the chicken with turmeric and then rinse off before cooking. Hence the yellow color here.)
2. Next add
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (or paprika)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon salt
3. Mix all of them and set aside until needed. You can also refrigerate this overnight.
4. While the chicken marinates, go ahead with the recipe. Heat 1½ tablespoon oil or ghee in a pan. Add 2 to 3 cardamoms. I used a bit more here as we like the flavor.
Preparation for chicken korma
5. Add 1 cup sliced onions (2 medium onions). Saute them stirring often until golden brown & caramelized.
6. This is how the onions look – golden brown & caramelized. Turn off the stove. Add 4 almonds and 6 cashews. Cool this completely.
7. Add the onions and nuts to a grinder or blender jar. Pour ¼ cup yogurt or coconut milk.
8. Blend to a smooth puree. If you do not have a powerful blender, then you may pour half cup water and blend. (remember to skip adding water later for the gravy)
How to make chicken korma
9. Pour 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan and spread the oil. Then add the following whole spices: (skip if you don’t have)
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cloves
- 1 cardamom
- 2 inch cinnamon. I used Ceylon cinnamon so used more. If you are using cassia, just use a 2 inch thin strip. Saute the spices for a min.
10. Add marinated chicken and slit green chilli (optional).
11. Saute on a medium heat until the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away. This takes about 5 to 7 mins.
12. Add the onion paste. Pour ½ cup water.
13. Add ¼ teaspoon salt.
14. Add ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala and 1½ teaspoon coriander powder. You can also add little chili powder if you prefer red color korma.
15. Mix well. Cover and cook on a medium heat until the chicken turns tender and is soft cooked.
16. Taste test and add more salt if needed. Once done, if the korma is too thick, add some hot water to bring it to consistency. Sprinkle some coriander leaves.
Serve chicken korma with rice, jeera rice, roti, naan or paratha.
Tips to make chicken korma
- Bone-in chicken tastes best in this recipe as the juices from the bones seep to the korma and make the gravy delicious.
- Marinating the chicken is optional. It is just done to tenderize the meat. If you prefer to skip the step, add all of the marinade ingredients together to the pan along with chicken.
- A korma curry gets its creamy texture from yogurt and nut paste. Traditional korma recipe does not use any kind of starch to thicken the curry.
- The aroma comes from the fried onion paste, take care to fry the onions evenly.
- If you have a nut allergy just skip the nuts in the recipe and add more yogurt.
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Chicken korma recipe | How to make chicken korma
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
marinade
- ½ kg chicken (bone-in) (1 to 1.2 lb)
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt or coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste (ground or crushed in equal quantities)
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon garam masala or korma masala
- 1 to 1¼ tsp red chili powder (less spicy variety, minimum ½ tsp)
- ½ teaspoon salt
To saute & blend
- 1½ tablespoon oil or ghee
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 cup onions sliced (2 medium)
- 6 cashews
- 4 almonds (or substitute with cashews)
- ¼ cup plain yogurt or coconut milk
For chicken korma gravy
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 small bay leaf (optional)
- 4 cloves (optional)
- 2 inch cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cardamom (optional)
- 1 to 2 green chilies slit or chopped (optional)
- ½ cup water (more if needed)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon garam masala
- 1½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (optional, for color)
- 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro) chopped
Instructions
Marination for chicken korma recipe
- To a mixing bowl, add chicken, 3 tablespoons yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp red chili powder and 1 tsp garam masala.
- Mix all of them well. Cover and set aside until needed.
Make onion paste
- Heat a pan with 1½ tbsps oil and add 2 cardamoms.
- Add sliced onions and fry them evenly until golden brown. Next add cashews and almonds. Cool these completely.
- Later add the cooled onions and nuts to a blender jar along with yogurt. Blend these to a smooth puree. Set this aside.
How to make chicken korma
- To the same pan, add 1 tablespoon oil and heat it.
- Optional – Saute whole spices – bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom in oil for a min.
- Add green chilli and marinated chicken. Saute on a medium heat until the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes away. This takes about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Then add the onion nut puree. Pour ½ cup water and mix well.
- Add salt, coriander powder and garam masala. If needed you can also add more chili powder for color.
- Mix well. Cover and cook on a low flame until chicken is cooked to tender.
- Cook further till the gravy reaches a desired consistency. If it is too thick then pour some hot water to bring it to consistency.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve chicken korma with jeera rice, plain basmati rice, butter naan, roti or paratha.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Hello, can I add ground cardamom? And if so, how much? 🙏
Hello Sam
Use 1/4 teaspoon
Dear Swasthi, I made this for a dinner on Saturday and it was a huge hit. The flavors were so balanced, and people were surprised there was no cream. I love your recipes, and am making it my go-to site for all Indian recipes. I enjoy cooking all cuisines, and am always on the hunt for reliable sources. So far I have made kaali dal, oats upma, paneer, mixed vegetable paratha and chicken korma from your site. Can’t wait to try the others. It is great to come across a site where you know you can rely on the recipes 100%.
Hello Poojitha
So happy to know the recipes are helping. Thank you so much for the trust.
🙂
I LOVED THIS THING SO MUCH. Just finished making it and i swear it’s the curry taste you’re looking for!!!!!! I substituted some bc of availability of ingredients. Here are my substitutions for those who have the same situtation as me:
1. I used curry powder and garam masala. I didn’t have anything else besides these two so i made them work!
2. I used coconut cream instead of coconut milk, still tastes GOOD
3. I added chicken powder/seasoning! When i tasted it it lacked the “umami” flavor so i adddd chicken powder, maybe you can use stock too.
I LOVE THISSS SO MUUCH. This will def. be my go to curry recipe now.
Thank you Allyson
Love the way you made use of other ingredients. Thanks for sharing them!
Great recipe it’s been my go-to crowd pleaser! Question: for step 9, do you remove the whole spices once they have simmered or leave them in? Thanks!
Hi Sam
Thank you! Glad to know! We usually leave them in the korma until serving.
Loved your recipe 🙂 vey well explained and it was awesome. Tried it with coconut milk, trying with yoghurt today.
Thank you very very much!!
Hi Anoniem,
Glad to know! Thank you
Absolutely delicious recipe. The only thing I would suggest is go extra on the cashew/almonds as I felt the nutty flavour was lacking very slightly, but otherwise delicious curry! I’ve made this once with bone-in chicken and now trying the same thing with boneless. Thanks Swasthi!
Hi Mridula
You are welcome! Yes can use more nuts. Thanks for leaving a comment.
🙂
I have never left a review on a recipe before, but I have to say this is one of the BEST meals I’ve ever made! I doubled the recipe and I said to my husband next time I’m TRIPLING it because I had a ridiculous amount for dinner and had it the next day for lunch. Will be making this again. I didn’t make any changes to this recipe and followed the instructions exact. Thank you so much! x
Hi Shelley,
You are welcome! So glad to know you liked it. Thank you so much for leaving a comment!
🙂
Hi Swathi,
Great recipe -just wanted to know if it can be presurre cooked after adding the past to the chicken and cooking for a bit (till the curry is almost cooked) can we then pressure cook it?
I don’t have a good pot in which to cover n cxoli.. hence m asking the alternative.
Thanks.. your recipes are awesome
Hi Arpita
You are welcome! I haven’t tested this recipe in a cooker. With onion and cashew paste sometimes it burns. You can cook in the pressure cooker without using the lid. Just use any lid or plate to cover the cooker.
Hello-
I am going to try this tonight but can’t get the whole spices locally. Is it ok to substitute ground spices or will that add too much flavor- as pposed to the aroma and flavor that whole spices would add to the oil. Apologies for asking twice. Was not sure my first question went through.
Hi Paul,
No problem. The Whole cardamoms ground with onions make a huge difference. But you can also substitute with 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom. You can skip the other whole spices. Yes they do make a difference but the korma tastes good even without them. Hope this helps
Made Lamb Korma using your recipe.
Followed it to the letter and turned out great.
Beautiful flavour and very tender after a slow 4 hr simmer.
Left it for a day before tucking into the first batch. 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome Jeff
Glad you liked it. Wow! 4 hrs of slow cooking would have really made it so flavorsome and
good. Thanks for leaving a comment
This was such a yummy recipe. The gravy was creamy, flavourful, aromatic and amazing. The texture looked too good , flavours got down to the chicken and every bite tasted heavenly. My husband loved it so much there was no leftover ?. Wish I could add the picture here to show you how good it came out. Thanks for this awesome recipe Swathi. Cheers!
Welcome Harini
Happy to know it turned out good. We do not have the option for readers images. Would love to see them if you can tag me on insta. You can also mail me. Thank you so much!
🙂
Made this for new years eve. Great but with the family, thank you for such an easy to follow recipe. ?
Welcome Bernhard
Glad to know! Thank you
Swasthi, cooked this last night – lovely flavour and texture. Thank you again 🙂
Welcome Sandy
Glad it turned out good. Thank you!
Just made it taste delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes
Glad to know! Thanks for leaving a comment.
Can I use roasted cashews and almonds or do they need to be raw? Thank you!
It’s fine to use if they are lightly roasted
It’s really awesome and outstanding
Love to follow always just your clear detailed repices without any problem.Thankyou .
You are welcome!
Cooked this today for dinner it was amazing I used less chilli as recommended my daughter and wife enjoyed it. Thanks for the recipe.
I just tried this recipe and absolutely love the fact that you have pictures to show you every step. Its very easy, I didnt follow the quantity as much but even then I have to be honest it smell delicious. The onion paste tasted superb. It is still cooking but am sure it will be amazing. Thanks a lot for your recipe.
Welcome Vijee
Glad to know! Thanks for leaving a comment
Can I use Greek yogurt, or is whole milk yogurt preferred?
You can use greek yogurt. You may add little water while blending the onions and cashews
Hi
Can coconut milk and curd both be used or just one?
This recipe was so delicious! I doubled the recipe and used cubed chicken breasts and it came out perfect. The instructions are clear and the pictures are very helpful. One of my favorite Indian recipes I’ve made at home.
Thank you!
So glad to know it turned out delicious.
This recipe turned out just as good as the korma from out favorite Indian restaurant (which, by the way, happens to be the best Indian restaurant around). Cooking was an experience in itself – the smell is amazing. We made this dairy free using coconut milk, and the flavors is wonderful. Picky 13 year old approved! This will be a repeat dinner, thank you so much for sharing! Will be trying more recipes.
Welcome!
Glad you liked it. Thank you!