Chicken Korma is a mild, sweet Indian curry dish with tender bites of chicken simmered in a rich, creamy yogurt-based sauce infused with traditional aromatic spices. Served over steamy white rice, this one-pan chicken curry is easy enough for a cozy weeknight dinner.
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Chicken Korma Recipe
Korma recipes vary across India, with each region bringing its own unique touch. My husband made this Chicken Korma for lunch, and everyone was impressed! He adapted the recipe from Nicky of Kitchen Sanctuary, and I loved how easy yet flavorful it turned out. I especially appreciated the streamlined method—skipping the traditional long onion-cooking process and pre-blending the sauce in a blender (who wants more dishes to wash?)—while still delivering the rich, authentic taste of traditional Chicken Korma.
I love making chicken dishes for my family—it’s such a versatile ingredient that takes on exciting flavors from cuisines around the world, from Asian-inspired Honey Garlic Chicken to Italian Chicken Piccata, Ukrainian Chicken Kiev, and French Chicken Fricassee. If you love exploring new flavors, you’ll love this Chicken Korma.
Chicken Korma Video
You’ve been asking for Indian curry recipes, and it’s finally here! Watch this video as I walk you through each step to make Chicken Korma. It’s rich, flavorful, and so easy to make—you’ll be adding it to your regular recipe rotation, no doubt!
Ingredients for Chicken Korma
With simple ingredients and a blend of traditional aromatic spices, this Chicken Korma comes together effortlessly.
- Chicken – You can use chicken breasts, thighs, or tenderloin cut into bite-sized pieces. Darker chicken meat is more forgiving, even if you overcook it.
- Onion – Yellow onion, finely chopped, adds sweetness to the dish and lends incredible flavor when sautéed.
- Ginger – You’ll need a 1-inch, finely minced piece of ginger, which adds an aromatic zing that complements the other spices and balances the richness of the sauce. You can also use frozen ginger (I love how it’s portioned in 1 tsp squares from Trader Joe’s).
- Garlic – Four cloves, minced, to enhance the overall flavor, contributing a savory, aromatic element.
- Spices – Garam masala, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, and ground turmeric come together to create the classic Korma flavor.
- Tomato paste – Traditional Indian Korma recipes do not include tomato paste, but adding just a couple of tablespoons deepens the flavor with mild acidity, balancing the creaminess and sweetness of the sauce.
- For the Sauce – You’ll need Greek yogurt (fat-free or whole), canned coconut milk (you want the cream portion at the top), almond flour (optional), sugar, and heavy whipping cream. These ingredients create the rich, creamy, and slightly nutty sauce that defines Chicken Korma.
Natasha’s Pro Tip:
Make sure you use canned coconut milk and do not shake the can before opening it because you want the thick, creamy portion at the top of the can, which will help make the sauce thick and velvety. The Thai Kitchen brand organic coconut milk is my favorite. I should also note that I’ve had weird grainy results with the Trader Joe’s coconut milk (2 cans in a row!).
How to Make Chicken Korma
- Saute Onions – Heat a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the onions in oil until golden – if you chop them finely, it only takes about 5 minutes, and the onions will blend into the sauce nicely.
- Add the chicken and sauté for about 5 minutes until the outside is no longer pink. Don’t worry about cooking it through at this point – we’ll do that in step 4.
- Build Flavor – Stir in the minced garlic, ginger, all the spices, and tomato paste. Stir constantly for another 2 minutes to bloom the spices and develop flavor.
- Make the Sauce – stir in yogurt, coconut cream, almond flour, and sugar and simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes. The chicken should be fully cooked through.
- Add heavy cream and bring it back to a simmer, then season with more salt to taste (I add another 1/4 tsp salt)
- Serve the Chicken Korma warm, garnished with cilantro.
How to Serve Chicken Korma
- Over Grains – White Rice (jasmine or basmati are great options), brown rice, or Quinoa. Start cooking the rice when you start the chicken, they should be done cooking at just about the same time.
- Garnish – Freshly chopped cilantro and sliced almonds
- With Bread – Traditional Indian Naan bread, Pita Bread, or soft Dinner Rolls ensure you can soak up every last drop of the amazing sauce.
- With Vegetables – pair it with simple sides like Roasted Carrots, Roasted Cauliflower, Roasted Broccoli, or Cabbage Cucumber Salad.
Is Chicken Korma spicy?
No, Korma is known to be sweet and mild- one of the mildest curries, yet still packed with flavor. If you prefer a spicy curry, you can turn up the heat by adding more chili powder, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes if you like. Its mild flavor makes it a great option to introduce your kids to curry without worrying about it being too spicy.
What is Chicken Korma vs Butter Chicken?
Chicken Korma is a creamy sauce with a nutty flavor peaking through the aromatic spices. Butter Chicken is known for its buttery tomato-based sauce and tangy flavor profile.
Storage and Reheating
Chicken Korma is quick and easy to prepare, and the leftovers taste even better as the flavors meld together. Make sure you cool the chicken completely before storing it.
- To Refrigerate: Transfer Chicken Korma to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating. Rice freezes well but freeze it separately.
- To Reheat: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight for the best texture. Reheat in a pan over medium-low heat with a splash of cream or water to loosen the sauce. Avoid overheating so the sauce doesn’t separate. If microwaving, cover and heat in 30-second increments until hot.
It’s a treat to bring the amazing flavors of India to your family’s table with this Chicken Korma recipe. It’s rich, creamy, and filled with warm spices – it’s definitely an exciting weeknight or weekend chicken dish!
Chicken Korma Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp light olive oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 ½ lbs chicken breast, tenderloin, or trimmed thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp minced ginger, about 1-inch piece of ginger
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup plain greek yogurt, preferably full-fat
- ½ cup canned coconut milk, preferably the cream on top*
- ¼ cup almond flour, or 2 Tbsp almond butter or cashew butter, optional
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Saute Onions – Set a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add onions and sauté until softened and golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside, about 5 minutes. You don’t have to cook it through at this point.
- Build Flavor – Add minced garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the chicken is coated and the mixture is fragrant.
- Make the Sauce – Add yogurt, coconut cream, almond flour, and sugar and stir to combine. Bring to a light boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is reduced to your desired thickness.
- Stir in the heavy cream and return to a simmer, then remove from heat. Season to taste with salt (I added an extra ¼ tsp salt).
- Serve over white rice if desired and garnish with cilantro.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
- Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
- Chicken Enchiladas
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Chicken Marsala
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Chicken Salad
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Amazing flavor! Loved the video which is helpful when making a new recipe. First time I’ve tried this type of recipe and it’s a big hit in my house! I look forward to seeing more.
I’m so happy it was helpful, Suzanne!
Sounds delicious! I’ll definitely try it. What can you do with the leftover coconut milk?
Hi Julia! You can use it to make smoothies like my Easy strawberry smoothie recipe here. Or use it in your overnight oats or in coffee.
Absolutely delicious recipe! I’ll definitely make it again!
We just finished dinning on this…OMG so good. Natasha, you never fail to amaze me with your recipes. Thank You for another winner. HUGS from Canada
This was absolutely delicious! Similar to, but slightly different from my favorite butter chicken… actually, THIS recipe might be my new favorite.
Thanks lots for the great recipe.
I would love to master this wonderful recipe, I have tried twice, it comes out tasty but way too sweet. I skipped sugar and tomato sauce the second time around. I think the sweet comes from coconut cream – am I using the wrong kind, should it be unsweetened? Also the spices tasted a bit harsh, I know classical Indian cuisine has us cook the spices right after the onions, ahead of the rest of the dish, is it possible that I am burning them somehow adding them after the chicken?
Coconut cream can sometimes add some sweetness, so it’s important to make sure you’re using the unsweetened type. As for the spices, if you feel like the spices are too strong, you can reduce the amount of the more intense spices like garam masala or coriander. Hope you enjoy it again!
I loved it. So did my son and his girlfriend, who are foodies and not shy about voicing their opinions.
I also added two pinches of salt after tasting the sauce.
It was perfect.
You should add 1/4 tsp more salt to the ingredients. The added salt made the whole flavor pop.
PS I wear safety goggles when I cut up an onion. No more tears!
Came out great – everybody loved it!
That’s great! So glad it was a hit.
Wonderfully flavorful! Thank you Natasha!
You’re very welcome, Emily!
Your recipes are always amazing- but this one was outstanding! My entire family loved it.
This recipe was so delicious and simple!! Definitely going on repeat!! My 20 yr old son cooked with me and said he loved this!! 🙂
I was thinking this is such an expensive dinner to make with all these spices but thought let’s give it a go. OMGoodness it is so very flavorful. I had to make 1.5 of the sauce bc I could eat that alone with some warm naan. So very good – I can see making this on a regular basis. Thanks!!
Amazing authentic recipe!
Amazing authentic recipe!!
Delicious! I will make this again, for sure. Our daughter is gluten-sensitive, our son is 15 and a meat and potato guy, my husband loves 95% of any food, and I am a somewhat picky eater. This dish was loved by all. Adding some fresh cilantro on top before serving was the perfect touch!
Wow! This one is going into the repertoire! I can taste how great this is with my eyes! Thanks Natasha!
You’re very welcome!
This dish was super simple and will be going on repeat!! My 20 yr old son cooked this and love every bite! Thank you!
Recipe was good i also added a little twist with some sweet coconut water from a fresh coconut yum 😋 I have a question for you Natasha, by any chance do you have a good bourbon chicken recipe?.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!, Helen! I don’t specifically have a bourbon chicken recipe, but one of my readers made my Baked Honey Glazed Chicken Recipe and they added 1 shot of honey bourbon to the reserve marinade.
Hi Natasha; can I use tomato sauce instead of coconut milk and the yogurt.
we are not a fan of these 2.
thank you
Hi Lydia! I’ve never tested that, but feel free to experiment with the flavors.
Hi Natasha, I LOVE Indian food. Could you show us how to make Puri and Papadum too. Thanks
Hi John! Thank you for the suggestion, I’ll make note of it.
Can I use something else besides almonds?
Hi Stewball. You can leave out the almond flour, it’s optional and will still work without it.