This creamy Hairy Bikers Chicken Korma is the perfect recipe for a mild yet incredibly flavorful curry night at home. This takeaway classic is made with tender chicken breast marinated in yogurt and spices, then simmered in a rich sauce of coconut milk, ground almonds, and gentle aromatics. The result is a wonderfully fragrant and velvety curry with a hint of sweetness. Ideal for a family dinner, especially for those who don’t enjoy a lot of heat, this recipe serves four and is surprisingly easy to master.
Hairy Bikers Chicken Korma Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 600g), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 150g natural yogurt
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp garam masala
For the Curry Sauce:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
- 50g ground almonds
- 400ml can of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 50ml double cream or single cream
- Salt, to taste
- A handful of flaked almonds, toasted, to garnish
- Fresh coriander, chopped, to garnish
How To Make Hairy Bikers Chicken Korma
- Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt with the turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, and garam masala. Add the chicken pieces and stir until they are thoroughly coated. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
- Create the curry base: Heat the oil or ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan or karahi over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onions and cook gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft, sweet, and golden.
- Add the aromatics: Add the crushed garlic and grated ginger to the pan and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the ground almonds and cook for one more minute, stirring constantly.
- Cook the curry: Add the marinated chicken and all of the marinade to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring to ensure the chicken is sealed.
- Simmer the sauce: Pour in the coconut milk and add the tomato purée and sugar. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Finish and serve: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream. Season with salt to your taste. Serve the korma hot, garnished with a sprinkle of toasted flaked almonds and fresh coriander.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t rush the onions: The key to a great korma base is cooking the onions low and slow until they are completely soft and sweet. This builds a deep, savory foundation that balances the creaminess.
- Marinating is key: Marinating the chicken in the spiced yogurt not only infuses it with flavour but also tenderizes the meat, ensuring it stays incredibly moist and succulent.
- Use full-fat coconut milk: For the richest, creamiest sauce, it’s important to use full-fat coconut milk. The light version will result in a much thinner sauce.
- Add cream off the heat: To prevent the cream from splitting or curdling, always stir it in at the very end of the cooking process with the pan taken off the heat.
What To Serve Chicken Korma
This creamy and aromatic chicken korma is perfectly served with fluffy, white basmati rice to soak up all of the delicious sauce. Warm naan bread, especially garlic or peshwari naan, is a must-have for dipping. To complete your Indian-style feast, serve with side dishes like a cooling cucumber raita, sweet mango chutney, and a simple kachumber salad of chopped tomatoes, onions, and cucumber.
How To Store Chicken Korma Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Allow the korma to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavours often develop and taste even better the next day. Reheat gently in a saucepan or in the microwave.
- Freeze: Chicken korma freezes well. Let it cool completely, then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating thoroughly. You may want to add a splash of water or milk if the sauce has thickened.
Hairy Bikers Chicken Korma Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Total Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Cholesterol: 130mg
- Sodium: 300mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 20g
- Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Sugars: 12g
- Protein: 38g
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this chicken korma spicy? No, a traditional korma is one of the mildest curries. All the flavour comes from aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala, rather than from chilli heat, making it very family-friendly.
- Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts? Absolutely. Chicken thighs are very flavourful and stay incredibly juicy. They work perfectly in this recipe and may need an extra 5-10 minutes of simmering time to become fully tender.
- My sauce is too thin. How can I thicken it? You can let the curry simmer gently without a lid for an extra 5-10 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce and thicken naturally. Be careful not to overcook the chicken.
- Can I make this recipe dairy-free? Yes. To make it dairy-free, use a plain, unsweetened plant-based yogurt (like coconut or soy) for the marinade and either omit the final cream or use a dairy-free cream alternative.
Try More Recipes:
- Hairy Bikers Beef Stew And Dumplings Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Pork Casserole Recipe
- Hairy Bikers Plum Crumble Recipe
Hairy Bikers Chicken Korma Recipe
Description
A classic Hairy Bikers Chicken Korma recipe that’s creamy, mild, and fragrant. This family-friendly curry features tender marinated chicken in a rich sauce made from coconut milk, yogurt, and ground almonds.
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
Instructions
- Marinate chicken: Combine all marinade ingredients and coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook the base: In a large pan, heat oil and cook onions for 10-15 minutes until very soft. Add garlic, ginger, and ground almonds and cook for 1 more minute.
- Cook the curry: Add the marinated chicken to the pan and seal for 5 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, tomato purée, and sugar.
- Simmer: Cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
- Finish and serve: Remove from heat, stir in the cream, and season with salt. Garnish with toasted almonds and fresh coriander before serving.
