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Whether you're a fan of Indian food or just looking to try something new, my Chicken Korma recipe offers an easy way to make this delicious dish. Perfect for a cozy night or a special dinner, homemade chicken korma is sure to delight. Give it a try today!
What Is Chicken Korma
From as far back as I can remember, my love for Indian recipes, especially their unique curries, has been unwavering. Every trip to the local Indian grocery store conjures memories of the vibrant “spice trips” my mom and I used to embark on in Little India, Penang.
One of the recipes I absolutely love as a child was Chicken Korma, a creamy and mildly spiced Indian dish made with tender chicken in a rich yogurt curry sauce. Korma, also spelled as Khurma or Kurma, is flavored with a blend of aromatic spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.
Unlike Indian chicken curry, Chicken Korma is distinguished from other curries by its rich gravy and smooth texture, mainly because of its heavy incorporation of yogurt as part of its main ingredients. It can vary in flavor and consistency depending on the recipe and regional variations.
It is often served with basmati rice, naan, or other Indian flat breads for a complete meal experience.
You may also try these amazing Indian recipes: soft and pillowy naan, chicken tikka masala, butter chicken, chicken vindaloo, and Indian chicken curry next. Happy cooking!
How To Make Chicken Korma
Mastering korma might seem daunting due to its array of spices, but it’s surprisingly simple once you get the hang of it. The key is to personalize it to suit your taste preferences. My recipe is easy and fail proof, with simple steps below:
- Marinate chicken in with Marinade ingredients for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Heat butter in a wok, stir-fry Ingredients until fragrant.
- Add marinated chicken (with marinade) and stir-fry for 10 minutes. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 30 minutes until the oil separates, chicken is tender, and gravy reaches desired consistency. Adjust salt and add water if too dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 329 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Chicken Korma
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Chicken Korma
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs (750g) chicken, cut into pieces
- 2 1/2 tablespoons butter, ghee or oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 inch (5cm) cinnamon stick, lightly bruised
- 2 cardamons
- 2 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 black peppercorns, lightly crushed
- 1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
Marinade:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Garam Masala
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder or paprika
- 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, lightly whipped
- 2/3 cup fried onions, lightly crushed
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken with the marinade ingredients for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Heat up a wok with 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Add the whole spices and stir-fry until they become fragrant. Then, toss in the marinated chicken along with the marinade. Continue to stir-fry for about 10 minutes, ensuring the chicken is well coated and cooked through.
- After the initial stir-frying, turn the heat to medium-low. Cover the wok and cook for about 30 minutes. This will allow the chicken to become tender and the oil to slightly separate. Keep an eye on it to achieve your desired gravy consistency. If it gets too thick, you can add a splash of water as needed.
- Adjust the salt to taste, and if the dish seems too dry, add a little water to reach your preferred consistency. Once it's ready, dish out the chicken and serve it with basmati rice or naan bread for a delicious meal.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
i have made this twice now. I used coconut milk instead of yogurt. omigosh sooooo delicious.
thank you.
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I’ve been making this curry for over 5 years. It’s so delicious with veg pulao or garlic naans.
The flavor of bone in chicken pieces or boneless thighs seems to hold up well to the luscious gravy. Adding 1 whole cup of onions is better than 2/3cup!
Hi Ellen, thanks for trying this recipe. Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Curd throws allot of water how much cornflour to mix
I used 1 1/2 tablespoons red indian chili powder as in the recipe and my mouth is burning and all I can taste is the hot, not the flavor even though I like some hot in my dish…? did you mean american chili powder?
The recipe says 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder or paprika, so yes it’s regular chili powder I get here in the US which is pretty mild and not hot. I am not sure about red Indian chili powder I have never used that.
Thanks for this recipe… It’s really delicious! I’ve cooked this twice and getting better at it. Do be generous with the spices (cloves, cardamom etc) as it gives the dish more depth. I added twice the amount. And yes, add the fried onions to the marinade. There is nothing that’s meant to be crispy in this recipe. Best with naan. Yumms!
I’d like to echo MollyCuddy’s question from 2012 re: the onions as I dont see a response.
Am I including the onions or shallots in the marinade? Won’t they become rather soggy?
Prepping this recipe now and would like to get it right :)
A few weeks ago my wife bought about 8 pounds of yogurt of which I only used 4 pounds of so I needed some recipes before the other 4 pounds went bad. I was looking for recipes that used it as a marinade with chicken and I came upon this Chicken Korma. Originally I wanted to do the Butter Chicken, it is one of my favorite foods, but by the time we drove all over Dallas looking for both types of Masala it was tool late to let it marinated long enough so we settled for this recipe. It I doubled the portions and it was wonderful. We spooned it over basmati rice for a real treat. One question I did have though, how do you bruise a cinnamon stick?
Tomorrow we will be trying the Butter Chicken. I’ve got the marinade already made and the chicken sucking it up in our fridge for tomorrow.
Just lightly pound it.