Indian Chicken Korma Recipe is a traditional Indian / Pakistani curry, which is usually served with naan or rice. It usually has a rich and flavorful curry made from a paste of cashew nuts or almonds. It gets a vibrant flavor from a handful of a mix of spices. Learn all about Indian Chicken Korma recipe and my shortcut method to make your favorite Indian curry right at home.
I love sharing my favorite Pakistani and Indian recipes with you guys...make a complete meal by making this daal and matar pulao with this korma. Add this kachumber salad, and you're looking at a restaurant worthy meal, right in the comfort of your home! 🙂
Okay, so I have a confession. I don't make this Indian Chicken Korma recipe from scratch. I use a ready made spice mix, easily available at Indian stores (and in big superstores as well).
This allows me to quickly make Indian Chicken Korma right at home, without even having to make a paste of cashews or almonds! Really, that's how easy it is.
I love to make this Indian Chicken Korma recipe for dinner parties at home, because it's super easy but it tastes like you slaved for hours over it. Hehe.
Spices You Need
- Red chilli (for a little bit of heat and color)
- Ground coriander and cumin (for a deep earthy flavor)
- Turmeric
- Ginger
- Cardamom
- Black pepper
- Ground cloves
- Cinnamon powder
- Mace powder
- Bay Leaf
These are the aromatic spices which when combined, make a delicious Indian Chicken Korma recipe.
Boneless Chicken or Bone-In Chicken?
For more flavor, I recommend making this recipe with bone-in chicken. However, I totally make this korma with boneless chicken and it's definitely tasty.
In fact, when I posted this recipe for the first time, the pictured korma pictured below, was made with boneless chicken. So really, it's completely up to your preference.
How Do You Make It?
1.) In order to get this deep rich color and flavor for the Indian Chicken Korma recipe, we need to start with caramelizing onions.
Red onions are used here because they caramelize faster than other varieties and they have the right sweet flavor for this curry.
2.) Then these caramelized onions are blended with thick, creamy yogurt, so that it sort of becomes a flavor base.
Okay, so now let's put this carmalized onion-yogurt base on the side while we get to the other elements of the recipe.
3.) So now we add chicken to the same pot as the one in which we carmalized the onions.
Add some garlic ginger paste and fry on high until the chicken changes color.
4.) So now comes the sneaky shortcut. Look, I don't claim to be an authentic curry maker, even though I'm from South Asia and you would think curry runs through my veins and that I'm some sort of exotic spice mistress.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm no expert on making special spice mixes for curries.
So let's give a very warm welcome to our helpful, ready-made spice mix Shan Korma Masala.
This Shan spice mix is the best friend to all our curries cos ain't nobody got time to grind and make fresh spice mixes these days. Right, right?
Okay, so now with just a flick of our wrists, we add a bit of this Shan Korma Masala and cook the chicken until the spices wake up and the aroma of rich curry wafts through the kitchen.
So you can either order this online from Amazon, or visit an Indian or Asian supermarket nearby to buy this spice mix! 🙂
5.) And with a few more simple steps such as adding the caramelized-yogurt base and a bit more of cooking, you have the perfect, satisfying curry ready for a relaxing dinner at home.
Origins of this Mughlai Recipe
Did you know that Indian Chicken Korma recipe can be traced back to the 16th century! It's a part of mughlai cuisine which is known for its rich and spice fragrant curries.
The word mughlai comes from mughal, which quite literally means royalty. So this Indian Chicken Korma recipe, is a recipe fit for royalty! 🙂
Varitations
Instead of using chicken for this Indian korma recipe, you can even use vegetables or mutton. It would be equally delicious! 🙂
I know curries can be a bit daunting, but I hope the way I've explained it and the easy shortcut I mentioned will encourage you to try your hand at making this easy Indian Chicken Korma recipe at home. It's better than take out! 🙂
Looking for more easy curry recipes?
Spicy Minced Beef with Capsicum
Indian Chicken Korma Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 4 medium sized red onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup full fat yogurt
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1000 grams bone-in chicken (skinless) (you may sub with boneless chicken breasts chopped into 1 inch cubes)
- 1-2 tablespoons Shaan Korma Masala can be reduced or increased for heat
- Salt to taste
- 1-2 cups water
- Chopped coriander for garnish.
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the oil and add the onions. Fry the onions on a medium high heat until caramelized and golden brown. The onions should be a deep, dark brown but not burnt. Take out the caramelized onions and place on kitchen paper to drain excess oil and let cool for a few minutes.
- Add the caramelized onions and yogurt to a blender or a food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to add 1-2 tablespoons water to get a smoother paste. Set aside.
- In the same pot, add the chicken and ginger garlic paste and cook on high heat until the chicken changes color and is no longer pink.
- Add the Shaan Korma Masala and salt and cook for 5-7 minutes until the oil separates and you can no longer smell the rawness of the spices.
- Add the yogurt-caramelized onions paste and water. Cook until it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes until you can see the oil separating from the curry.
- Take off lid and bring to another boil by increasing the heat then and turn off the stove.
- Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with naan and white rice.
Nutrition
Where are the cashew/almond nuts paste ????
A sprinkle of kewera with the garnish will give it the aroma of the real korma.
Love reading all these interesting details 🙂
Thanks Mariyam! 🙂
I have garam masala...is that the same thing?
Hi Suzanne, garam masala is a completely different flavor profile so I'm afraid if you use it as a substitute you won't get the same results i.e. it won't taste like korma at all. Hope this helps.
Thank you, ma'am, your Chicken Korma dish looks so alluring, will surely try out your method.
OMG! I love Indian cuisine and this Chicken Korma is just calling my name. Thanks for such a great recipe. I've never attempted to make one but now I am totally inspired.
Sounds delicious! Caramelized onions are one of my favorites. Love all the background information you included and variations.
I can't believe how easy this recipe is! The flavors are so complex, yet the steps are so easy for everyday cooking. Just pinned this beauty...thanks for sharing! Can't wait to make it!
I always love ordering chicken korma when I'm out. I'll definitely have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing!
It's soooo okay to use a spice mix! This Korma looks so delicious! It's pure comfort food and so hearty!
Can I use something else in place of korma masala,as I don't have it now with. Me,any alternative?
If you add cashews and golden raisins at the end it is really traditional.
1) How should the onions be prepared? Are they sliced? Finely chopped?
2) What kind of oil should be used when cooking the onions
Hi Anotonio! The onions should be thinly sliced, I've updated the recipe! You can use any oil as long as it's neutral tasting so like vegetable or canola oil should work fine! Hope this helps 🙂