A mildly spiced Indian curry, Chicken Korma is made with whole aromatic spices like cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and cumin that are simmered in a light and flavorful yogurt-based sauce. This flavorful curry along with pot-in-pot rice makes a wholesome and healthy Dinner in under 30 minutes using Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.
This Recipe originally published in April 2017 has been updated with new photos, a video, and tips.
This simple curry never fails to please adults and children. With delicate aromas from whole spices and a mild yogurt-based sauce, this chicken korma makes a yummy everyday meal. It is a great dish for someone who is new to Indian food or is looking for a mild yet flavorful take on Indian curries.
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What is Korma
Korma is a mildly spiced flavorful Indian curry with either chicken, fish, or vegetables braised in a mildly spiced yogurt, coconut, or nut-based sauce. There are a few variations of the Korma or Kurma as they call it in South India:
- Veg Kurma - South Indian vegetarian curry with a creamy coconut-based sauce.
- Navratan Korma - A Royal Mughlai dish with mixed vegetables and creamy cashew sauce. This recipe is in my The Essential Indian Instant Pot Cookbook
- Shahi Chicken Korma - Creamy chicken curry with a hint of sweetness studded with nuts and raisins
- White Chicken Korma - Creamy chicken curry in a white nutty sauce. Similar to the Shahi Korma recipe, except with no tomatoes, and with white pepper and green chiles instead of red chili powder.
Ingredients
- Chicken - I recommend using skinless chicken drumsticks or chicken thighs for a moist and flavorful curry. You can also use chicken breasts for this recipe
- Yellow Onion - finely diced onions make for a perfect curry base for korma
- Whole Spices - cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, and green cardamom
- Ground Spices - turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, ground cumin, and coriander
- Yogurt - Plain full-fat yogurt works best for this recipe. You can also use Greek yogurt for a creamier curry or low-fat yogurt for a thinner curry
How To Skin Chicken Drumsticks
Most Indian recipes such as curries, pulao, and biryani calls for skinless chicken legs or drumsticks. And as you may have noticed, most US grocery stores sell drumsticks with skin. I have always gotten questions on how I deskin chicken and I recently also published a quick video tutorial on Instagram. Here are the quick and easy steps to de-skin the drumsticks:
- Break a paper towel into two pieces
- Use each piece as a grip to hold the two ends of the drumstick
- Then pull down the skin from the top thick part towards the bottom pulling apart the skin
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Korma
- Heat oil and sauté cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and cumin for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
- Add onions and cook for 2 minutes as the onions turn translucent. You may cover the pot with a non-locking glass lid to speed up the cooking of onions.
- Add remaining spices, ginger, and garlic and give a quick stir. Turn the saute mode off (photos 1 - 4).
- Add chicken and water and give a quick stir.
- Optional step if you would like to make pot-in-pot rice at the same time. Add rinsed rice, water, and salt to a stainless steel pot. Then place a tall trivet in the main pot over the chicken and place the rice container over it (photos 5 - 8).
- Close the Instant Pot with the pressure cooking valve to sealing and Pressure cook for 8 minutes.
- Allow a 5-minute natural pressure release and then release the remaining pressure by moving the pressure release valve from sealing to venting. Open the Instant Pot and carefully take out the rice and the trivet.
- Add a few spoonfuls of the curry to the yogurt and mix well. Stir in the yogurt in the chicken korma. PRO TIP: Adding cold yogurt to the hot curry can cause it to curdle. To prevent curdling of the yogurt, add a few spoons of hot curry to the yogurt, and mix it well. This will bring up the temperature of the yogurt and make a creamy yogurt mix that can be added to the curry. (photos 9 - 12).
- Mix it well and garnish it with cilantro (photos 13 - 14).
How to Make Stove Top Chicken Korma
- Heat oil in a large skillet or pot. Add cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and cumin, and saute for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
- Add onions and salt and cook on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until the onions turn light brown and translucent. Cover the pot with a lid to speed up the cooking of onions.
- Add ground spices, ginger, garlic, and chicken.
- Add ¾ cup of water and give a quick stir.
- Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Use a digital thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the thickest piece is at 165 F.
- Add a few spoonfuls of the curry to the yogurt and mix well. Stir in the yogurt in the chicken korma and gently mix. Garnish with cilantro.
Serving
Serve chicken korma with basmati rice, parathas, and cucumber salad. For a low-carb meal, serve with cauliflower rice. Note: Be sure to pick out and discard the whole spices while you eat.
Tips to Make the Best Chicken Korma
- Instant Pot Chicken Korma will look a bit watery after pressure cooking. It will start to thicken as the curry cools down and some of that excess moisture evaporates.
- Do not wash raw chicken. Just pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Cooking chicken removes any and all of the bacteria
- Remember to add a few spoonfuls of hot curry to the yogurt before adding the yogurt to the Pot. This will prevent the yogurt from splitting. You can also add coconut cream or coconut milk instead of yogurt
More Indian Curry Recipes
Do you Enjoy Indian curries? Here are some of my popular Instant Pot curry recipes:
- Healthy “Butter” Chicken
- Prawn Masala
- Restaurant Fav Chicken Tikka Masala
- Mom’s Authentic Chicken Curry
- Indian Fish Curry
- Quick and Easy Kheema Curry
- Royal Mughlai Chicken Korma
- Spicy Homestyle Chicken Karahi
Looking for vegetarian options or trying to include more plant-based meals in your diet? Then check out these easy vegetarian recipes for dinner.
Recipe
Chicken Korma
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken thighs cut into pieces or 6 skinless drumsticks **
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4 whole green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 12 black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste paste
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup full fat or Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Optional Pot in Pot Rice (For Instant Pot Recipe only)
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed and drained
- 1½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Instant Pot Recipe
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat oil. Add whole spices - cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and cumin. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Add onion and mix well. Saute for 2 minutes covered with glass lid.
- Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and salt. Mix well.
- Add chicken and water. Mix well to evenly coat all the spices to the chicken. Turn the saute mode off.
- Optional Pot in Pot Rice - Add rice, water, and salt to a stainless steel pot.Place a tall trivet in the Instant and place the rice pot over it.
- Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure Cook for 8 minutes followed by 5-minute Natural Release.
- Open the Instant Pot. Take out the rice and trivet if cooking rice.
- Add a few spoonfuls of hot curry to the yogurt and mix well. This step is important to avoid the cold yogurt getting split in the curry.
- Cook on Saute mode to thicken the sauce. Garnish with chopped cilantro!
Stove Top Recipe
- Heat oil in a large skillet or pot. Add cardamom, cloves, black pepper, and cumin, and saute for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
- Add onions and salt and cook on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until the onions turn light brown and translucent. Cover the pot with a lid to speed up the cooking of onions. Add ground spices, ginger, garlic, and chicken.
- Add ¾ cup of water and give a quick stir. Cover the pot and cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Use a digital thermometer to make sure that the internal temperature of the thickest piece is at 165 F.
- Add a few spoonfuls of the curry to the yogurt and mix well. Stir in the yogurt in the chicken korma and gently mix. Garnish with cilantro.
Serve with hot steamed rice and parathas. For a low-carb meal serve with cauliflower rice. Be sure to pick out and discard the whole spices while you eat.
Video
Notes
- Break a paper towel into two pieces
- Use each piece as a grip to hold the two ends of the drumstick
- Then pull down the skin from the top thick part towards the bottom pulling apart the skin
- We enjoy this curry a bit soupy. If you want a thick curry, reduce the ¼ cup water by adding only 2 tablespoons of water and saute in the end for a few extra minutes.
- For boneless chicken thighs or breasts - cook for 5 minutes followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.
Nutrition
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Joan J says
Are you sure about the nutrition facts? Unless those chicken thighs are pure fat, where does a solid the tablespoons of fat per serving come from?
Archana says
You are right! I will double check it with nutrifox who provide me with the details. I surely overlooked that info. Thank you!!
Wendy says
flavors were delicious but has anybody gotten a burn message. I had to depressurize and add more water.
Archana says
Newer instant pots are more sensitive to high heat. So just hit cancel after the initial sauté and deglaze the pot really well making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Loretta says
Oh yes, love Chicken korma 🙂
Archana says
Thank you Loretta! Me too!
Hans Susser says
1 tblsp cooking oil plus the rendered fat of the skin of of 1.5 lbs chix tights, 27.9 gr of fat (about an ounce), sounds about right 🙂
Great recipe BTW 🙂
Archana says
Thank you Hans! I am working with the nutrifox software support to make sure I have the fat info accurate.
tingleurtastebuds says
Archana the korma looks yummy. No coconut in the gravy and why korma?? Just curious.
Archana says
I think south Indian Korma dishes usually have coconut in it. North Indian korma will have yogurt and sometimes cashew paste. I love the south indian veggie korma with fresh coconut.
tingleurtastebuds says
Now its clear. Thanks for the clarification. Being a South Indian I have a picture of korma as a gravy with coconut. Yes try making the South Indian version in your Insta pot. Want roti and your korma - am drooling here.
Archana says
Thank you! I love south indian food, so yes cannot wait to try the veg korma with coconut.
nepaliaustralian says
Looks amazing and yummy. Your dishes look so vibrant and appealing. I will try this one in the weekend for sure.
Archana says
Thank you for your kind words. This is a very easy chicken curry without too many spices. Kids enjoy it too! Let me know how your family likes it.
Louise Samson says
Absolutely ADORED your korma! Chicken is infused with deep flavour, spices are enhanced without being overpowering. Thank you (AND we are extremely demanding food wise) for this wonderful recipe!
Archana says
Thank you Louise. So glad that your family enjoyed the korma! As you said it has so much flavor without overpowering. I try to put minimal spices in most of my recipes so that the flavor and nutrition of the main ingredients stands out. Making in Instant Pot make them all even simple and healthy!
Hina says
Hello,
Can you please guide me in making beef korma please?
Archana says
Hi Hina! I have not tried this recipe with beef. But if the cook time for beef is similar to chicken you can just follow the recipe?
VK Shah says
Thanks for the recipe. I made in last night and it was delicious. Your video was very helpful. I love InstantPot recipes!
Archana says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the feed back. It is always exciting to know that the readers are enjoying the recipes. Do try rest of the recipes and let me know how you like them. I try to post simple recipes with few ingredients.
VK Shah says
I also made your spinach dal last night - very good.
Archana says
Thank you VK Shah! Your feedback is really appreciated. I am so glad that you are enjoying these recipes.
Swati says
I just made this and it was absolutely delicious and so easy. I can't believe it is such a full flavored curry in less than 30 minutes. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Archana says
SO glad you enjoyed this. Thank you for letting me know!
Anamika says
I never comment on websites, but had to let you know that I made this last night and it came out amazing! My husband said it was the best dish I have ever made! Thank you! As an american-born Indian with no one to ask for recipes (my mother has passed away), you made the recipe easy to follow with the perfect spice mix! Can't wait to try more of your recipes. Any chance you have a good kichdi recipe (with onions, potatoes, peas)- it's the dish I crave most but I just cannot replicate the way my mother made it when I was little.
Archana says
Hi Anamika! Thank you for such a lovely note! You made my day. SO glad you an your husband enjoyed this dish. I have a few other easy Indian recipes on my blog. Do give them a try. Also if you send me your email address and I will send you the khichadi recipe. Or I might be able to post it in a few weeks, I have a bunch of recipes i want to post, just not enough time.
KalBap says
Easy, breezy, and tasty! The recipe is spot on! This dish was a hit and loved by all.
If one has the time a little suggested variation-- marinate chicken pieces for 1-3 hrs in juice of 1 lime along with the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric and red chilli powder. Makes for a tasty chicken meat in every bite.
Archana says
Thank you Kalyani, so glad you liked it. This dish also tastes amazing the next day, so doubling it is also a good idea. And great suggestion to marinate for few hours, if planned ahead of time!
Lathiya Shanmugasundaram says
Looks great..instant pot really saves time and dont have to compromise in taste
Archana says
You are so right!!
Sheila says
Looks wonderful, I'd like to try this tonight but would like to increase the recipe to 10 skinless bone-in chicken thighs. How long should I cook them for?
Archana says
Hi Sheila!! You can follow the recipe exact! The cook time will work well for bone in thighs!
Sheila says
Thanks for the quick response!
Ketki Gupte says
Can you use frozen chicken thighs (boneless) for this? What would be the change in the recipe (guessing cooking time?) Thank you!
Archana says
Hi Ketki, You can add extra 2-3 mins assuming you will have them cut into small pieces.
Christina says
My 1 year old loved this! Finally something that she'll eat other than cheese and crackers 🙂 . Thanks for sharing.
Archana says
Hi Christina! I love to hear when children enjoy healthy foods. This sure if a fav recipe in our home too. Thank you for letting me know.
Sonia says
How would the cooking times change if I use boneless chicken instead?
Archana says
Hi Sonia, For boneless chicken I would cook for 5 mins with 5 min NPR. Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Lincy John says
Hello! Can I use frozen thighs? If so, what should be the cook time?
Archana says
Hi Lincy, Yes you can use frozen thighs, depending on the thickness 10-12 mins would be a good good time.
Farhana says
Hi, i have used your recipe for chicken kurma and it turned out really well. I cooked one whole chicken pieces and followed the time as you mentioned. If I double the recipe (2 whole chicken pieces) how much time should I use? Thanks
Archana says
Hi Farhana! So happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! You can totally double the chicken and the remaining ingredients. Pressure Cook time will be the same. The Instant Pot will take longer to come to pressure but you set it for the same cook time!
Masooma says
I made this today and it was a hit with the family! Thank you for this, and all your other delicious recipes. Quick question for you - can you please advise on how i would need to modify this recipe (amount of spices/yogurt and cooking time) to increase the portion to a whole chicken, around 4 pounds?
Archana says
Hi Masooma! Thank you for the feedback. So glad you enjoyed this yummy korma.
Libby Shaw says
I couldn’t find whole cardamom, can I use cardamom seeds? If so, how many?
Archana says
You can ground cardamom seeds and add then to this recipe. Use 1/4 tsp.
Gabrielle says
I follow your page on Facebook and i really want to start trying your recipes but I don’t have an instant pot (yet) - What do I need to modify in the recipes if I want to try them in a regular stovetop pot?
Archana says
Thank you! I would add more liquids - water/broth and also increase the pressure cook time
Charlotte says
Just made this tonight. Great recipe. Could you clarify why you first mention chicken in chunks and then in the bottom advise on 5 minutes cooling time if boneless
Skinless thighs are used? Deboned and skinned thighs myself and cur into chunks - worked out perfectly with 5 minutes and NPR.
Archana says
Hi Charlotte! Happy to hear that you liked this recipe. Sorry if the instructions are confusing, basically 8 mins for bone in chicken and 5 mins for boneless. Both need 5 mins NPR.