Chicken Korma Recipe

Ingredients

• 0.5 kg chicken (bone-in preferred but boneless is ok; divided)
• 0.25 tsp ground turmeric (for marinade)
• 3 tbsp curd (plain yogurt or coconut milk; for marinade)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (or 1/2 tbsp each fine grated; for marinade)
• 0.75 tsp garam masala (or korma masala; range 0.75 to 1 tsp; for marinade)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (less spicy variety; range 1 to 1.25 tsp; for marinade)
• 0.5 tsp sea salt (for marinade)
• 1.5 tbsp oil or ghee (for frying onions)
• 2 green cardamoms (for onion paste)
• 1 cup onions (sliced (2 medium yellow onions))
• 10 whole cashew nuts (or almonds, or 5 of each)
• 0.25 cup curd (plain yogurt or coconut milk; for blending paste)
• 1 tbsp oil or ghee (range 1 to 2 tbsp; for sautéing chicken)
• 1 Indian bay leaf (optional)
• 4 cloves (optional)
• 2 inch cinnamon (optional)
• 1 cardamom (optional whole spice)
• 1 green chilies (slit or chopped; range 1 to 2; optional)
• 0.5 cup hot water (more if needed)
• 0.25 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• 0.5 tsp garam masala (range 0.5 to 0.75 tsp; for gravy)
• 1.5 tsp coriander powder (ground coriander)
• 0.25 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder (optional, for color)
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves (fine chopped to garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   To a mixing bowl, add the chicken, 3 tablespoons curd, ginger garlic paste, turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, red chili powder, and 3/4 to 1 teaspoon garam masala.

2. 2

   Mix well to coat the chicken thoroughly with the marinade ingredients. Cover and keep aside.

3. 3

   Heat a pan with 1.5 tablespoons ghee or oil. Add 2 green cardamoms and the sliced onions.

4. 4

   Saute the onions until they turn golden brown and begin to caramelize, ensuring they do not burn.

5. 5

   Add the cashew nuts (or almonds) to the pan, then remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool down.

6. 6

   Transfer the cooled onion and nut mixture to a blender. Add 1/4 cup curd and blend to a smooth paste. If your blender is not powerful, you may add a little of the hot water from the recipe to assist blending.

7. 7

   In the same pan, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil. Add the optional whole spices: bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom.

8. 8

   When the spices begin to sizzle, add the green chili and the marinated chicken.

9. 9

   Saute the chicken on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes.

10. 10

    Add the blended onion puree, 1/4 teaspoon salt, coriander powder, 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garam masala, and the optional 1/4 teaspoon chili powder for deeper color.

11. 11

    Stir in 1/2 cup hot water and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil.

12. 12

    Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and you see traces of oil separating on the surface.

13. 13

    Check the consistency: if the sauce is too thick, stir in a little more hot water and simmer. If it is too runny, cook uncovered on high heat for a few minutes until thickened. Taste and adjust salt.

14. 14

    Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with Jeera rice, Basmati rice, or Naan.

Notes

To make the dish dairy-free, substitute the yogurt with thick coconut milk. For a nut-free version, omit the cashews and use thick coconut milk instead. Authentic korma does not use tomatoes; the tang comes entirely from the yogurt. For a more aromatic finish, you can add a generous pinch of nutmeg or a few drops of rose/kewra water at the end.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• chicken
• curry
• korma
• Indian
• Mughlai
• stovetop
• dinner