Chicken Korma is a mild, creamy, nutty, flavorful traditional Indian dish that is easy to make at home! Serve this korma chicken with basmati rice and you’ll feel like you’re enjoying a classic Indian chicken curry at your favorite Indian restaurant.
If you love cooking and eating Indian Food, you’ll be glad you landed here! This Chicken Korma recipe is my newest perfected Indian recipe, and you’ll also find amazing recipes for Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala, Mushroom Bhaji, and more.
If you haven’t tried Chicken Korma before, you will love that this dish is flavorful yet mild. It’s a perfect “starter” Indian food recipe, and it’s mild enough that kids love it too. In the UK, Chicken Korma is the most ordered Indian Curry.
A sauce made with garam masala and other warm spices, ground almonds for amazing rich texture, tomato sauce, yogurt, and cream has a balanced flavor that is irresistible, and just as good as any restaurant meal you can order.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple, one-skillet recipe – You know I love easy chicken recipes that come together in one pan!
- Traditional Flavors – This chicken korma recipe has all of the traditional Indian curry flavors in it, and none of them are super difficult to find at the store.
- Kid Friendly – Korma isn’t spicy, so it’s a great Indian food option if you’re cooking for your family.
Ingredients In Chicken Korma
Here’s what you need to make this rich Indian curry:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Korma Marinade:
This super flavorful mixture is the key to making the best homemade chicken korma. First, we’ll blend the ingredients together in a food processor. Next, let the chicken marinate in it for an hour, then pour the chicken and the marinade right into the skillet so that none of the seasonings are wasted.
- Fresh Garlic
- Fresh Ginger
- Cumin, Coriander, Paprika, Turmeric
- Garam Masala
- Tomato Sauce
- Almonds
- Plain Yogurt
To Make the Korma:
- Chicken: I like to make korma with chicken breast, but you could use thighs as well. Use boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Vegetable oil, or Ghee: While ghee is traditional, vegetable oil works just as well to saute the onions for this meal in a skillet on the stove.
- Heavy Cream: This is what makes this chicken korma recipe wonderfully rich! If you’d like to make the korma sauce dairy free, use canned full-fat coconut milk instead.
- Sugar and Salt: At the very end, we’ll add a bit of each to finish the flavorful sauce.
How To Make Chicken Korma
- Blend Korma Marinade: In a food processor, combine garlic with ginger, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, tomato sauce, almonds, and yogurt. Blend until a mostly smooth paste forms.
- Marinate Chicken Pieces: Add the chicken to a bowl and cover it with the marinade mixture. Stir, and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Saute Onions: Heat oil or ghee in a skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and cook until soft and translucent.
- Add Chicken: Add the marinated chicken, along with all of the marinade left in the bowl to the skillet. Cook and simmer, stirring, until the chicken has cooked through.
Tip!
As you’re cooking the chicken, you may feel like you need more liquid in the pan. No worries, just add a splash of water to keep everything loose.
- Add Cream: Stir in heavy cream, sugar, and salt.
- Finish the Dish: Simmer for one minute, then remove from the heat. Serve with rice or naan and a fresh Indian Salad. Fresh cilantro leaves make a wonderful garnish on the curry.
Recipe Tips
- Substitutions for heavy cream can include half and half, canned coconut milk, or greek yogurt. You can also substitute dairy-free yogurt for the yogurt in the marinade.
- Make vegetarian korma by using roasted cauliflower instead of chicken! You don’t need to marinate the cauliflower, but you should still make the marinade to add to the pan. You might also enjoy my vegan korma recipe that uses butter beans in place of the chicken.
- Learn how to make a homemade garam masala spice blend with my easy and authentic recipe.
Storing Tips
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently on the stove, or just use the microwave for small portions.
You can freeze chicken korma as well, for up to 3 months. I suggest freezing it without the heavy cream added in. You can mix in fresh cream while reheating the dish to serve. You’ll get a much better texture this way.
What To Serve With Korma Chicken
Are you ready to make the best homemade Indian meal?
Naan bread is one of those things that goes with all types of curries, and a batch of my homemade Naan will be delicious dipped into Chicken Korma sauce.
While you can serve any type of white rice with korma, fragrant basmati rice is your best option. I love to make Instant Pot Basmati Rice because it comes out perfectly every time. Jeera Rice is also a delicious option, seasoned with cumin seeds.
A tasty deep-fried Indian appetizer like my Crispy Onion Bhaji will round out your meal wonderfully!
More Curry Recipes
All Indian
FAQs
You can freeze chicken korma, but because of the yogurt and cream in the sauce, you might find that the texture is a bit off after you thaw it. I suggest freezing it without the heavy cream added in. You can mix in fresh cream while reheating the dish to serve.
There isn’t anything particularly spicy in this Indian Chicken recipe, which makes chicken korma a mild Indian dish. If you want to add a bit of spice, feel free to experiment with chili powder in the marinade.
You can check out my recipe for homemade garam masala for all the details, but typically garam masala is made from cinnamon, bay leaves, nutmeg, cloves, black pepper, cumin, coriander, chili, and cardamom.
I truly hope that you make this easy Chicken Korma Recipe, it is sure to become a family favorite, and you’re going to love how quick and easy it is to get an Indian-inspired dinner on the table.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Chicken Korma
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons garam masala
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ cup tomato sauce or passata
- ¼ cup almonds
- ½ cup plain yogurt
For the Chicken:
- 1 ¼ pound chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream or canned coconut milk
For Serving:
- Basmati rice or Naan
- fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine garlic with ginger, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, tomato sauce, almonds, and yogurt. Blend until a mostly smooth paste forms.
- Add the chicken to a bowl, and add the marinade on top. Stir until well combined, cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
- In a skillet, over medium heat, heat oil or ghee then add the onion and saute until soft and translucent.
- Add the chicken (don’t drain the yogurt, add it all in), and cook and simmer, keep stirring the chicken as you cook until it’s cooked through (165°F/74°C when measured with a kitchen thermometer). If needed, add splashes of water to deglaze the pan as you cook if the sauce starts to reduce too much.
- To the sauce add sugar, salt, and cream.
- Stir and simmer for 1 more minute, then remove from the heat and serve with rice, garnished with cilantro leaves.
Notes:
- Substitutions for heavy cream can include half and half, canned coconut milk, or greek yogurt. You can also substitute dairy-free yogurt for the yogurt in the marinade.
- Make vegetarian korma by using roasted cauliflower instead of chicken! You don’t need to marinate the cauliflower, but you should still make the marinade to add to the pan. You might also enjoy my vegan korma recipe that uses butter beans in place of the chicken.
- Learn how to make a homemade garam masala spice blend with my easy and authentic recipe.
- To Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: I suggest freezing chicken korma before adding the heavy cream. Instead, add fresh cream while you reheat the dish. You can freeze this for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Jeanette says
Absolutely delicious!
Diana says
Thank you for the positive feedback!