Description
This Chicken Korma recipe delivers a luxurious, creamy, and mild curry with tender marinated chicken thighs enveloped in a rich coconut cream almond sauce. Fragrant spices and a hit of sweetness create a classic, restaurant-quality dish perfect for pairing with naan or rice.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Marinade
- 160g (2/3 cup) full fat plain yoghurt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp finely grated or minced fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 640g (1.4 lb) boneless skinless chicken thighs, diced into large bite-sized pieces
Sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, or as needed
- 1 large white onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp finely grated or minced fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 240ml (1 cup) chicken stock
- 500g (18 oz) full fat coconut cream
- 3 tbsp ground almonds
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp full fat plain yoghurt, at room temperature
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients except the chicken. Add the diced chicken, mix until fully coated, then cover tightly and refrigerate for 3-24 hours (longer is better for flavor). Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Using tongs, add half the chicken to the pan, spacing the pieces out. Fry until lightly charred on the bottom, flip, and cook until charred on the other side and cooked through (about 3 minutes per side). Remove to a bowl and repeat with remaining chicken, adding oil as needed. Reserve leftover marinade.
- Prepare the Sauce Base: Reduce the heat to medium and add more oil if needed. Sauté the diced onion until soft and golden. Add garlic, ginger, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Fry for about 1 minute until aromatic.
- Combine Sauce Ingredients: Stir in chicken stock and coconut cream, mixing well as the cream may split initially but will come together. Add the ground almonds and scrape in all leftover marinade from the chicken bowl.
- Blend the Sauce: Simmer the sauce for 6-8 minutes to thicken slightly. Remove from heat and, once it stops bubbling, carefully transfer to a blender. Pulse until the sauce is smooth.
- Finish the Korma: Return the sauce to the pan. Stir in the sugar and salt, then add the cooked chicken and any juices. Simmer gently for 18-20 minutes until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat, wait for bubbling to subside, then stir in the final spoon of yoghurt.
- Season and Serve: Taste the sauce and adjust with more salt and sugar if needed. Serve hot with naan, flatbreads, or rice.
Notes
- Chicken thighs are preferred for better flavor and tenderness; charring develops great flavor.
- The listed spice mix creates a mildly spiced curry with a subtle warmth.
- Korma is traditionally sweet; adjust sugar to taste.
- Use full fat coconut cream for a creamy, stable sauce.
- Ground almonds are typically available in the nut section of supermarkets.
- Serve with naan or flatbreads for a full experience.
- Calorie count is for just the curry, divided by 4 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 770 kcal
- Sugar: 10.39 g
- Sodium: 1053 mg
- Fat: 60.61 g
- Saturated Fat: 46.844 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.642 g
- Trans Fat: 0.033 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 4.5 g
- Protein: 39.39 g
- Cholesterol: 156 mg
