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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Step-by-step photos
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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Recipe
Chicken korma recipe | How to make chicken korma
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 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.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
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.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Khudayja says
Love to follow always just your clear detailed repices without any problem.Thankyou .
swasthi says
You are welcome!
Vijee says
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.
swasthi says
Welcome Vijee
Glad to know! Thanks for leaving a comment
Eso says
Can I use Greek yogurt, or is whole milk yogurt preferred?
swasthi says
You can use greek yogurt. You may add little water while blending the onions and cashews
Deeksha says
Hi
Can coconut milk and curd both be used or just one?
Nicole says
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.
swasthi says
Thank you!
So glad to know it turned out delicious.
AV says
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.
swasthi says
Welcome!
Glad you liked it. Thank you!
Joyce says
Hello,
I am going to make this recipe today. Could you please explain how to use the green chili? It isn’t in the video. Do you mince and sautee in oil before adding the chicken? Or perhaps right after you have roasted the whole spices?
swasthi says
Hi,
Slit or chop it and add along with the chicken. Hope you enjoy the dish.
Lucy says
Hi, I’m doing a dinner for 11 people. If I make 4x the amount of chicken on this recipe I’m hoping it will be enough. How many people does your original recipe serve? Also… Would I have to also use 4x the spice? Thanks in advance!
swasthi says
Hi Lucy,
My recipe serves 4, assuming there would be other sides. Yes 4 x should be good enough. 4x the entire recipe except water. You will have to adjust the quantity of water as it depends on the chicken. I have mentioned in the notes. Hope this helps.
Jennifer says
Where do you recommend getting garam masala? I bought some from my local whole foods style market, and it is nothing like what I expected based on dishes that I have ordered before, and it ruined my dish. I would like something authentic. Thank you!
swasthi says
Hi Jennifer,
I would suggest a homemade garam masala. I have a link to mine in the recipe card. Store bought spice powders most times don’t work out well. You can find all of the spices mentioned in my recipe on amazon. Hope this helps.
Lana P says
Should the entire cardamom pod be blended in the puree with the onions and nuts or should the hulls be removed so only the seeds are pureed?
swasthi says
Hi Lana
Yes the entire cardamoms are pureed with onions and nuts
Lana P says
Thank you, Swasthi – this was so delicious!
Jess says
This is my favorite curry at my go-to Indian restaurant, so I was really excited to try making it myself. I have to say this turned out even better than the restaurant version (my partner thought so too!) I made this with chicken thighs (with bones) and I used greek yogurt and had to add more water than called for to get the right consistency. I also ground up three whole dried red chilis for the chili powder. The flavor was so complex and layered. The taste in my mouth was soo good I didn’t even want to drink water after eating for a while!! Yummy. Thank you so much!
swasthi says
Hi Jess,
Haha! You are most welcome! So glad to know you loved it. Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
🙂
Elaine says
I’m not a fan of yoghurt in curry’s well when it’s to overpowering.. so I was sceptical..
THIS IS THE BEST CURRY EVER!
I didn’t taste the yoghurt and it was just delicious.. so authentic.. my fussy kids were well impressed and loved it too .. I didn’t put chilli in as they were eating it to .. thanks for this amazing recipe
swasthi says
Welcome Elaine
Glad you all loved it. Thank you!
Angel says
Tried this and be it turned out to be Amazing . It has the authentic taste of lucknow chicken korma.
swasthi says
Thank you Angel
Glad it turned out great!
Janine Proudlock says
I made korma recipe tonight for my husband and I, it was absolutely delicious thank you I’ll definitely make it again 😊
swasthi says
Thank you
Gillian says
Hi Swasthi
Can this recipe be made the day before and reheated
swasthi says
Hi Gillian
Yes you can
D says
This is the BEST KORMA ever ❤️
swasthi says
Thank you
Emma says
Wow. Recipie and QTY’s are on the money! I am dairy free so I subbed the curd for plain coconut yogurt and it was amazing. I’m so relieved. I tried a different Korma curry Recipie and it just tasted like Tumeric, So I was very relieved when this tasted so authentic and yum. Good job!
swasthi says
Thanks Emma
Glad to know you liked it.
🙂
Caroline says
Hi there,
Doing a dinner evening with a few different types of curries.Could i do your ‘chicken korma’ a week before & freeze it ? so as not to be so busy last few days ? ( as i see theres no cream in it)
swasthi says
Hi Caroline,
I don’t have experience freezing chicken curry or korma. Sorry couldn’t help you!
jenny says
I’ve made this recipe twice, once with chicken breasts and the second time with a mix of thighs and drumsticks. Both times the dish was excellent. I followed the recipe fairly closely except tripled the quantities to yield enough food for my group. The one question I have is how much water and long to cook out the water (next time I may try decreasing the water amount as I’ve found my gravy to be a little watery; flavor is still great but I prefer a thicker sauce. Yet the chicken has definitely been done and I didn’t want to overcook.)
swasthi says
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for trying. The exact amount of water to use depends on the kind of chicken. Young birds don’t take lot of time to cook and don’t need much water. I will recheck my personal notes on the recipe and update it here.
Sita says
This chicken korma was surprisingly easy and quick…. and delicious! Very filling and satisfying but not very greasy/fattening. The creaminess comes from a little bit of cashews! This dish made my family so happy.
swasthi says
Glad to know Sita
Thank you!
Victor Emilio Esteve says
Just excellent, love to bring a bit of India all the way to Argentina, this is my daughter’s favourite dish.
swasthi says
Thank you!
Praveen says
Thanks for the recipe. Tastes delicious.
swasthi says
You are welcome
Glad to know