Easy chicken korma

Ready in just 20 minutes, this chicken korma is the perfect curry for kids and fussy eaters as it’s super creamy and not too spicy.

This healthy korma is a gentle introduction to curry making as there’s no fancy techniques or specialist ingredients that will send you on a supermarket treasure hunt.

The beauty of my recipe is that it contains as many shortcuts as it does ingredients, which means anyone can turn them into a kid-friendly curry in under 30 minutes.

Using a pre-made curry paste and a blender for the onion, garlic and ginger cuts the cooking and prep time in half, plus you can even buy ready-diced chicken if you really want to keep the washing up to a minimum.   

Traditionally, cream is used to thicken and finish the sauce but unless you plan on making any desserts before it goes off, I’d recommend using Greek yoghurt instead. It’s far healthier that way and you can then use the leftovers for breakfast tomorrow morning. Now that’s clever cooking and proper planning.

How To Make Easy Chicken Korma

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Easy chicken korma
• Serving suggestions
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Not a fan of almonds? Try blitzing a handful of cashews or pistachios and use them as the base for the sauce instead.
• Make it spicier: If you can handle a little heat, add some fresh chillies or a dash of deggi mirch (an Indian chilli powder) to the onions.
• Go meat free: Replace the chicken with tofu, paneer or mixed vegetables.
• Make ahead: Curries always taste better the next day. You can also store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.

Easy chicken korma

Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 20 mins 20 mins

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Ingredients

1 brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2cm piece fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp korma curry paste
4 skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
4 tbsp ground almonds
50g sultanas and golden raisins
350ml chicken stock
1 tbsp mango chutney
100ml Greek yoghurt (0% fat)

To serve
1 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted

Instructions

Step 1
Add the onion, garlic and ginger to a food processor and blitz to a paste (add a splash of water, if necessary, to help get it moving).

Step 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat and tip in the onion paste. Fry for 6-8 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden and fragrant.

Step 3
Add the korma curry paste and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the chicken breasts, ground almonds, raisins and sultanas, chicken stock and mango chutney.

Step 4
Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook gently for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Step 5
Remove the pan from the heat and gently fold through the Greek yoghurt. Season to taste and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with toasted flaked almonds, if desired.

Serving Suggestions

• On a bed of coconut, basmati or pilau rice.
• With a side order of garlic and coriander naan breads and onion bhajis.

Frequently Asked Questions

I Have A Nut Allergy. Can I Substitute The Ground Almonds?

Ground almonds are often used in cakes and other bakes to add moisture and sweetness. If you’re looking for a nut-free option, oat flour is a good alternative. It’s not as rich as ground almonds, but it has a similar texture and a slightly sweet taste. You can make your own by blitzing rolled oats in a food processor.

What Curry Paste Should I Use?

My advice – as with everything – is to always read the label. If you haven’t heard of some of the ingredients listed, you should maybe question whether this is something you want to be putting into your body.

Supermarket shelves can be a bit of a minefield, but I tend to use brands like Spice Tailor and Mae Ploy which use only natural ingredients without any artificial colours, MSG or preservatives.