Gluten-free chicken korma
A silky, mild chicken korma that's naturally gluten-free — creamy ground almonds, coconut and yoghurt make a rich curry for weeknights or dinner parties.
This gluten-free chicken korma is all about silky texture and gentle spice — no wheat in sight, just ground almonds, cream and coconut milk to make a rich, comforting sauce. It’s mild enough for family evenings yet elegant enough for guests.
Marinating the chicken in yoghurt keeps it tender; slow-caramelised onions and gently cooked spices are what make the sauce sing. Serve with steamed basmati rice or a gluten-free naan for a proper curry night.
Ingredients
- 700 g chicken thighs — boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 150 g natural yoghurt
- 5 ml ground turmeric — total for marinade and cooking
- 10 ml fine salt
- 2 brown onion — thinly sliced
- 50 g ghee
- 4 garlic cloves — crushed
- 40 g fresh ginger — peeled and grated
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml ground coriander
- 10 ml garam masala
- 80 g ground almonds
- 200 ml coconut milk — full-fat for best texture
- 100 ml double cream
- 150 ml chicken stock — use gluten-free stock
- 5 ml caster sugar
- 5 ml ground black pepper
- 30 g flaked almonds — to toast and scatter over the finished dish
- 15 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to garnish
Instructions
Put the chicken thighs in a bowl. Add the natural yoghurt, 0.5 tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp fine salt; mix to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate to marinate.
Heat the ghee in a large frying pan over medium–low. Add the sliced brown onion and 0.5 tsp fine salt. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until very soft and deeply golden — this takes about 20 minutes.
Add the crushed garlic cloves and grated fresh ginger to the onions and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the ground cumin, ground coriander and the remaining 0.5 tsp ground turmeric. Cook for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
Increase the heat to medium and add the marinated chicken (including any remaining yoghurt). Fry for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the pieces start to brown.
Pour in the chicken stock, add the ground almonds, coconut milk, double cream, garam masala, caster sugar and ground black pepper. Stir gently to combine, bring to a very gentle simmer, then reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Uncover and simmer briskly for a further 5 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce slightly.
While the sauce reduces, dry-toast the flaked almonds in a small frying pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until golden — shake the pan or stir constantly so they don’t burn.
Remove the pan from the heat, check seasoning and add any extra fine salt if needed. Cover and leave the korma to rest for 5 minutes so the sauce settles and the chicken finishes cooking.
Stir gently, then spoon into warmed bowls. Scatter the toasted flaked almonds and chopped fresh coriander over each serving and serve immediately.
Tips
- Caramelise the onions slowly over medium–low heat — patience here gives the sauce its sweet base flavour.
- If the sauce looks grainy, keep it at a low simmer and stir gently; too-high heat will split the cream or coconut milk.
- Make this a day ahead: korma flavours improve overnight. Reheat gently on the hob with a splash of stock or water.
- Use boneless thighs rather than breast for juicier results; breast can dry out during the long, gentle simmer.
- If you need the dish nut-free, swap ground almonds for 100 ml extra double cream and 100 ml coconut milk (see substitutions).
Substitutions
ground almonds → cashew nuts, ground to a fine powder, same weight
Stays closecoconut milk → extra double cream (additional 100 ml) for a creamier, less coconutty sauce
Noticeably differentghee → vegetable oil, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 800
- Calories
- 35 g
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 67 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, but breasts can dry out during long simmering. Cut into slightly larger pieces and check after 12–15 minutes of simmering to avoid overcooking.
Is this recipe nut-free if I omit the almonds?
No — ground almonds provide body to the sauce. For a nut-free version, replace ground almonds with an extra 100 ml double cream and 100 ml coconut milk; the texture will be different but still rich.
Can I freeze the korma?
Yes. Cool completely, transfer to airtight containers and freeze up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the hob, adding a splash of stock if the sauce has thickened.
How can I make it spicier?
Add 1 fresh chopped green chilli with the garlic and ginger or stir in 0.5–1 tsp mild chilli powder with the other ground spices.
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