Chicken Korma with Coconut Cream Sauce

Name: Chicken Korma with Coconut Cream Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp turmeric; 0.5 cup plain whole milk yogurt; 3 tbsp ghee or clarified butter; 2 medium medium yellow onions, thinly sliced; 4 clove garlic cloves, minced fine; 2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp ground coriander; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper; 0.5 cup raw cashews, soaked in warm water 15 minutes; 1 can full-fat coconut milk; 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken stock; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Coconut Cashew Chicken Korma — Luxuriously Mild Curry for Everyone

Cashews and coconut milk join forces to create the most soothing curry sauce you'll encounter — rich enough to impress, gentle enough for the spice-shy. The chicken stays impossibly tender after its yogurt bath and long, slow simmer.

IndianDinnerGluten FreeComfort FoodChicken

Prep20 min

Cook35 min

Total55 min

Servings4

Difficultymedium

Nutrition

fat35g

carbs12g

protein32g

calories485

Ingredients

2 lbboneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 tbspghee or clarified butter
2 mediummedium yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 clovegarlic cloves, minced fine
2 inchfresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tspcumin seeds
4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 bay leaves
1 tspground coriander
½ tspgaram masala
¼ tspcayenne pepper
½ cupraw cashews, soaked in warm water 15 minutes
1 canfull-fat coconut milk
½ cuplow-sodium chicken stock
1 tspsalt
2 tbspfresh cilantro, chopped(optional)

Marinade

1 tspsalt
½ tspturmeric
½ cupplain whole milk yogurt

Instructions

Toss the chicken pieces with salt, turmeric, and yogurt in a bowl until well coated. Let this sit for 15 minutes — the yogurt tenderizes the meat while the spices start working their way in.
⏱ 15 min
Warm the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the marinated chicken pieces for 6-8 minutes total, turning them to get color on multiple sides. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
⏱ 8 min
Lower the heat to medium and add the sliced onions to the same pot. Cook them slowly, stirring frequently, until they turn deep golden brown — about 10 minutes. This caramelization is crucial for the sauce's depth.
⏱ 10 min
Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, crushed cardamom pods, and bay leaves. Let everything sizzle for about a minute until the kitchen fills with their aroma.
⏱ 1 min
Add the coriander, garam masala, and cayenne to the pot. Stir constantly for 30 seconds — just long enough to wake up the ground spices without burning them.
⏱ 30 sec
Drain the softened cashews and blend them with half the coconut milk until completely smooth. This cashew cream will give the korma its signature richness.
Pour the cashew mixture into the pot along with the remaining coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir well and bring everything to a gentle simmer — you want bubbles breaking the surface but not a rolling boil.
Nestle the browned chicken back into the sauce and add the salt. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes, until the chicken is completely tender and the flavors have melded beautifully.
⏱ 20 min
Fish out the bay leaves and cardamom pods before serving. Taste and adjust the salt if needed, then sprinkle with fresh cilantro for a bright finish.