Chicken Korma

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 50

Servings:

Calories: 352kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

Chicken Korma is a staple in Indian cuisine, but not as well known outside of India. It is truly a hidden gem. The flavor is bold and comforting. Making the garam masala from scratch is easy and brings the dish to the next level!

Print Recipe

Equipment

1 Large pot

Ingredients

For the Marinade

1½ lbs chicken thighs boneless, skinless
3 tablespoon plain yogurt preferably Indian dahi (curd/yogurt)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala

For the Paste

¼ cup ghee
2 medium red onions peeled and thinly sliced
½ cup cashews roasted, unsalted
2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
⅓ cup plain yogurt preferably Indian dahi (yogurt)

For the Sauce

2 tablespoon ghee
1 bay leaf preferably Indian bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
10 whole cloves
5 green cardamom pods
10 whole black peppercorns
⅓ cup hot water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
⅓ heavy cream or half and half

For Serving

Basmati rice
cilantro chopped for garnish, optional
almonds sliced and toasted, for garnish, optional

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and add the yogurt, salt, Kashmiri powder, and garam masala. Use your hands or two wooden spatulas to stir everything together until the chicken is completely coated. Set aside.
1½ lbs chicken thighs, 3 tablespoon plain yogurt, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala

Make the Paste

Heat the ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat.
¼ cup ghee
Add the onions with a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and starting to caramelize, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool briefly.
2 medium red onions
Place the onions, cashews, ginger-garlic paste, and yogurt into a blender and purée until smooth and silky, about 1 minute. Check the consistency - it should be similar to a somewhat thin gravy. Add about ½ cup of water and purée again. Set aside.
½ cup cashews, 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, ⅓ cup plain yogurt

Make the Korma

In the same pan that you cooked the onions, add 2 more tablespoon of ghee over medium heat. Once melted, add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, and peppercorns. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
2 tablespoon ghee, 1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon stick, 10 whole cloves, 5 green cardamom pods, 10 whole black peppercorns
Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes (the chicken won't be fully cooked at this point).
Add the onion/cashew paste to the pot. Swish the hot water in the blender (to clean the insides somewhat) and pour into the pot. Stir in the salt, garam masala, coriander, and Kashmiri. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
⅓ cup hot water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
Remove the lid and stir in the cream. Cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through, but still very tender.
⅓ heavy cream
Serve at once with prepared basmati rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted almond slices, if desired.
Basmati rice, cilantro chopped, almonds

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

See the blog post for suitable substitutions for some of the spices and aromatics.

Leftovers will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The korma can be frozen for several months.

Nutrition