Budget Chicken Korma
Cozy, creamy chicken korma using pantry spices and a short simmer.
Make this when you want dinner to feel soothing but you do not have the energy for a big project. It gives you the comfort of chicken korma in a simpler, budget-friendly form: tender chicken, warm spices, and a creamy sauce that tastes richer than the ingredient list suggests. It is not a fancy restaurant version, and that is the point. You can get it on the table in about 35 minutes, with most of the work happening in one skillet while rice cooks. It is a good choice for a tired night when you want something familiar, filling, and gentle, but still made from real food.
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs — cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 unit yellow onion — finely chopped
- 3 unit garlic cloves — minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger — grated
- 2 tbsp korma-style spice mix — or garam masala plus a little cumin
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 0.5 cup plain yogurt — stir in off the heat
- 0.25 cup heavy cream — or use more yogurt for a lighter finish
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp slivered almonds — optional, for topping
- 2 tbsp cilantro — chopped, for serving
Method
- 1 Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
- 2 Add the chicken, korma spice mix, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside.
- 3 Pour in the tomato sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover partly, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened a little.
- 4 Turn off the heat. Stir in the yogurt and cream until smooth. Taste and adjust salt. Serve over rice, then top with almonds and cilantro if you want.
Variations
- Vegetarian swap — Swap the chicken for 2 cans of drained chickpeas and simmer just long enough for the sauce to thicken, about 10 minutes.
- Faster swap — Use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and simmer it in the sauce for 5 minutes at the end so dinner lands even sooner.
- Simple substitutions — No cream? Use extra yogurt. No almonds? Skip them. No korma spice mix? Use garam masala with a pinch of turmeric.
Notes
Keep the heat low after adding yogurt so it stays creamy. If the sauce gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of water or broth. Serve with rice or warm naan for a full comfort-food dinner.
Equipment that helps
- Large skillet — It gives the sauce enough surface area to simmer quickly and stay easy to stir.
- Wooden spoon or spatula — It helps you keep the spices moving so they toast without scorching.
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