Lighter chicken korma
55 min · 61 g protein · 450 cals / serving
The mild, creamy korma people order when they want comfort: chicken in a pale, silky sauce scented with cardamom and cinnamon, with a gentle nuttiness from ground almonds. Slow-cooked onion blended smooth, yogurt and evaporated milk give it the body that usually comes from cream and ghee, and toasted almonds go on top.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tsp canola oil
- 4 medium onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 thumb ginger, grated
- 2/3 cup water, divided
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom, or 6 crushed pods
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 3/4 lb chicken breast, in bite-size pieces
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 1/2 tbsp almond flour, ground almonds
- 1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 1/4 cups nonfat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
To serve
- 2 tsp chopped almonds, toasted
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Steps
- Heat the oil in a heavy pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook slowly, stirring now and then, for 15 minutes until soft and pale gold, not brown. Add the garlic and ginger for 1 minute.
- Tip the onion into a blender with 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) of the water and blend completely smooth. This purée is the base of the sauce.
- Return the pan to medium heat, add the cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin and turmeric and stir 20 seconds in the dry pan. Add the chicken and salt and turn it for 3–4 minutes until it turns white on the outside.
- Pour in the onion purée, the remaining water, the ground almonds and evaporated milk. Simmer gently, half covered, 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until the chicken reads 165°F and the sauce coats a spoon.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the garam masala, then the yogurt a spoonful at a time. Scatter the toasted almonds and cilantro over and serve with basmati rice.
Good to know
How do I keep it pale and mild?
Cook the onion slowly so it softens without browning, and keep the heat low once the milk goes in. Korma should be sweet-savoury and gentle, not hot; add a green chili if you want warmth.
No evaporated milk?
Use the same amount of whole milk and simmer a few minutes longer; it's about the same score. A tablespoon of cream stirred in at the end makes it richer.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps 3 days in the fridge and tastes rounder the next day. Reheat gently and do not let it boil, or the yogurt may grain.
Per
- Calories
- 98
- Protein
- (57%)
- 13 g
- Fat
- (22%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (21%)
- 5 g
- of which sugar
- 4 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 174 mg
More meals
Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1799 kcal goes into the pot and 2083 g of ingredients comes out as about 1830 g of food: 98 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.