Chicken korma recipe – Korma is a gravy dish that is usually made of spices, nuts, yogurt, seeds, coconut, vegetables and meat. It is said to have been originated in the Indian sub continent during the Mughal era. This chicken korma tastes creamy and delicious. It is great to enjoy this with steamed basmati rice, Jeera rice or Indian breads like Naan, roti or paratha.
There are so many ways a korma is made, most of them are adapted to the regional cuisines. So the ingredients used may differ. Most korma recipes use poppy seeds, but I have not use them here instead used almonds and cashews.
Crisp fried onions are one of the main ingredients used in chicken korma. However I have not used them here but pan fried the onions till golden. Then used to make the paste. I have marinated the chicken and used here just to make the chicken tender. However you can skip that.
This chicken korma recipe is one of the best made with minimum ingredients that one can find in most Asian kitchens. This tastes best after 2 hours of preparation as the chicken absorbs the flavors of spices used.
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Chicken korma recipe
Chicken korma recipe | How to make chicken korma recipe
Delicious creamy chicken korma made in Indian style. There are so many ways a korma is made. This is one of the easiest & most delicious chicken korma made with yogurt and onions as the base. This is best served with plain rice, naan, paratha or roti.
Ingredients (240 ml cup used)
For marination
- ½ kg chicken (bone-in)
- 1/8 to ¼ tsp turmeric or haldi
- 3 tbsps yogurt or curd
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (ground in equal quantities)
- ¾ to 1 tsp garam masala (or korma masala)
- 1 to 1 ¼ tsp red chili powder (less spicy variety, minimum ½ tsp)
- Salt as needed (I used ½ tsp sea salt)
To fry and make paste
- 1 ½ to 2 tbsp oil or ghee
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1 cup onions sliced
- 6 Cashews
- 4 almonds (optional)
- 4 tbsps yogurt (or ¼ cup curd for paste)
For chicken korma gravy
- 1 small bay leaf or tej patta
- 4 cloves or laung
- 2 inch cinnamon or dalchini
- 1 cardamom or elaichi
- 1 to 2 green chilies slit
- 1 to 1 ¼ cup water for gravy
- salt for gravy as needed (I used about ½ tsp)
- ½ tbsp Coriander powder
- ½ to ¾ tsp garam masala
- ¼ tsp red chili powder (optional, for color)
- 3 tbsps coriander leaves or cilantro chopped
How to make the recipe
Marination for chicken korma recipe
Marinate chicken with curd, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, salt, red chili powder and garam masala. Chicken is marinated here just tenderize it.
- Cover this and set aside for 30 mins.
Make onion paste
- Heat a pan with oil and add cardamoms. Add sliced onions and fry them until golden brown. Add cashews and almonds. Cool these completely.
- Add the cooled onions and nuts to a blender jar.
Next add yogurt as well.
- Make a smooth paste of these. Set it aside.
How to make chicken korma
- To the same pan, add 1 tsp oil and heat it.
Saute bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom in oil for a min. Add green chili too.
- Add marinated chicken. Fry on a medium heat until the raw smell of ginger garlic paste goes away.
Then add the onion curd paste. Pour 1 cup water and mix well.
- Add salt, coriander powder and garam masala. If desired you can also add chili powder for color.
- Cover and cook on a low flame until chicken is cooked to tender.
- Cook further till the gravy reaches a desired consistency.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve chicken korma with plain basmati rice, naan, roti or paratha.
Recipe Video
Video of chicken korma recipe
Marination for chicken korma
1. Add curd and ginger paste to chicken.
2. Add turmeric, chili powder, garam masala and salt.
3. Marinate and set aside for 30 mins.
4. While the chicken marinates, go ahead with the recipe. Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Add 2 to 3 cardamoms.
Preparation for chicken korma
5. Add sliced onions.
6. Fry the onions until golden brown. Turn off the stove. Add almonds and cashews. You can skip almonds if you do not have. Cool this completely.
7. Add the onions and nuts to a blender jar. Pour 4 tbsps curd.
8. Make a smooth paste.
How to make chicken korma
9. Add 1 tsp oil to the same pan and grease it well. Add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. I used ceylon cinnamon so used more. If you are using Indian one, just use a 2 inch thin strip. Saute the spices for a min. Also add in green chili at this stage.
10. Add marinated chicken.
11. Fry 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 1 to 1 1/4 cup water.
13. Add salt.
14. Add garam masala and 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. Sprinkle some coriander leaves.
Serve chicken korma with rice, jeera rice, roti, naan or paratha.
Sha Lynn says
I don’t have a blender at home & my husband is allergic to nuts – can I just fry the onions and mix them with thick greek-style yoghurt? Thanks
swasthi says
Hi Sha
Yes just finely chop the onions. Fry onions, then fry chicken and then add yogurt. Chicken korma will still come out good.
Margarita says
Can I use shrimp instead of chicken?
swasthi says
Hi margarita,
Please check this recipe of prawn curry