My neighborhood in Brooklyn is home to tons of good restaurants, but one of the things it lacks is a good Indian restaurant. There are many nights when I come home craving a hearty plate of lamb rojan josh or saag paneer, but quickly realize that I’d have to trek back out to Manhattan in order to find good versions of those dishes. So occasionally, it just seemed easier to stock up on spices and make my own versions of Indian favorites at home.
For nights when I have a little more time, I’d make a big batch of chicken tikka masala, which has juicy pieces of chicken marinated in yogurt and broiled until golden brown on top. When I have a little less time, I make this quick and easy version of chicken korma.
The ingredient list may seem a bit long, but don’t worry: most of the spices (cumin, coriander, cayenne, paprika, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves) you’re likely to already have in your pantry. I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which stay more tender and juicier without marinating than chicken breasts, and cook them with the spices, yogurt, onions, garlic, and ginger. Ground almonds also get added to the mix, with additional almond slices thrown in at the end.
Just cook up some basmati rice on the side, and you’re good to go. And if you want to make extra, go right ahead. The flavors seem to deepen overnight, resulting in even better leftovers the next day. (Weekend breakfast, anyone?)
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Chicken Korma
Serves 4
- 1/2 cup almond slices or slivers
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced or grated ginger
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (if needed)
- Grind 1/2 of the almonds in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, reserving the other half until Step 4.
- In a small bowl, combine the ground almonds, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cayenne pepper, paprika, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet (14″ is ideal) or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add the chicken and sauté, stirring occasionally, until it’s mostly white, about 2 minutes. Add the almond-spice mix and stir to coat the chicken and onions.
- Add the yogurt, bay leaf, and brown sugar and allow the chicken to simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened. Add the salt and pepper and adjust with more salt if needed. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with the remaining almond slices and chopped cilantro, and serve.
Yum! I love chicken korma! Definitely bookmarking this for later.
Can you use chicken breast in this recipe?
I love Indian food but have been intimidated to try make it myself, not sure why. Might have to try this recipe out!
Lara – Thanks for stopping by! Let me know how it turns out!
Alanna – Yes, you can use chicken breasts, though you just have to be a bit more careful about not overlooking it since it tends to dry out more quickly.
Iris – I know what you mean. For years I was intimidated because of I thought I would need to add a ton of spices to my pantry. But many dishes are easy to cook and don’t require trips to specialty markets. Hope you try it out soon!
God I love chicken korma. Order it all the time, I probably spend half my paycheck on Indian takeout. Have to try this soon.
I just found your site while searching for a General Tso’s chicken recipe. I am so glad I did. I started with making a list of everything I wanted to make from your site, but it got so long I stopped and said to myself that I was going to try them all! I have a lot of posts to catch up on. Thanks for all your hard work.
come to my house! good seeing you the other night. let’s hang out soon!
/Chitra/
Im going to be making this tomorrow! Looks amazing!!!
julia – Me too, until I realized how big of a money-saver making this at home is. Hope you try it soon. :)
KC – Thanks so much for stopping by! Hope you enjoy the General Tso’s and other recipes and let me know if you have questions on any of them!
Chitra – Yes, would love to have some of your cooking again! :)
Karolina – Thank you! Let me know how it turns out!
I’m bookmarking this! I always thought Indian food was very complicated to cook but this looks super easy!
I love lamb korma – so I would probably sub in some lamb, but honestly, this looks a lot easier than I thought it would be! PS – if you’re looking for an excellent deal on some truly delicious Indian food, there’s this place called Amma in Midtown East (horrible area, I know, but it’s totally worth it) that serves a lunch special with an appetizer and a main course in perfect sizes, proportions and tastes. Check it out!
Chicken Korma is my absolute favorite dish at Indian restaurants, and for some time, I’ve wanted to try it myself. I do have a question: do you know if this is a Northern Indian or a Southern Indian version of this dish? I tend to strongly prefer Northern/Punjab Indian rather than those from the South.
Thanks!
Kristi – This is a Northern Indian-style korma; the korma from the south tends to have grated coconut. Hope that helps and let me know how you like the dish!
Just curious – what liquid did you add to this dish? You look like you have a sauce. It looks yummy.
Leona – The liquid comes from the yogurt, which blends with everything pretty quickly. Hope you enjoy the recipe!