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Quick Chicken Korma

Whole spices bloom in oil, then chicken simmers with onion, tomato, and a buttermilk finish for a mild, aromatic korma. Fast enough for two on a busy night—easy to double.

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Quick Chicken Korma plated Indian dinner

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Quick Chicken Korma

Yield2
Prep5 min
Cook25 min
Total30 min

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Ingredients

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Step by step

Method

5 steps

  1. 1

    Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add 1 cinnamon stick, 4 green cardamom pods, and 4–6 whole cloves. When they smell fragrant, 30–60 seconds, lower heat to medium — don't let them blacken.

  2. 2

    Add 1 thinly sliced medium onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. Cook until the onion softens and turns lightly golden, 4–6 minutes.

  3. 3

    Add 12–16 oz chicken breast cut into strips or bite-size pieces. Cook about 5 minutes, turning, until lightly opaque on the outside. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, and optional ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne so spices coat the chicken.

  4. 4

    Add ¼ cup tomato sauce and ½ cup water. Cover and cook 10 minutes until chicken is nearly done and the liquid looks like a light gravy.

  5. 5

    Stir in ½ cup buttermilk (or yogurt thinned with a splash of water), ½ teaspoon cumin, and 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Cover and cook 5 minutes more until chicken is cooked through (165°F) and the sauce is lightly creamy — keep it at a gentle simmer so dairy doesn't split hard. Remove whole spices if you like. Serve with rice or naan. You want tender chicken in a mild, fragrant creamy korma — not dry strips or a broken curdled sauce.

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