VERONICA HINKE

author • speaker • journalist • coach

Recipes & Food Styling

Chicken Korma

Jun 9, 2021 | Food Styling, Recipes

The Spice Route: Make sure you have the healthiest spices in the world in your cupboard!

I fell in love with Butter Chicken, Chicken Korma and Chicken Tikka Masala when I visited London frequently in the early 90s! One taste and I could never live without the incredible flavors of turmeric, curry and other Indian spices.

Around 2007, I met a dynamic chef from India who was working in NYC- Vikas Khanna. Vikas couldn’t share his love for his native cuisine enough, and he taught me about the amazing nutrients in Indian spices and herbs. During a famine, his grandmother kept his whole family fed – and healthy – on potatoes for over a month by preparing them differently each day by changing up the spices. I was blessed to be able to share her story in Best Life magazine, which was a wonderful magazine by publishers of Men’s Health magazine.

The other day, my brother sent me a recipe for Chicken Korma, and it inspired me to order a whole set of fun Indian spices. There is no MSG in these- I checked. This is a wonderful spice kit!

To make my Chicken Korma, I browned 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in butter and a little extra virgin olive oil in my Dutch oven. I covered the chicken with lots of pink Himalayan sea salt and freshly ground pepper. I added onions and minced garlic; then 1 cup vegetable broth, 1/2 small can of tomato paste, 1/2 large can of crushed tomatoes, 1 can of coconut milk and loads of yellow curry! Fresh parsley put it over the top! Turned out so good! I used to buy Indian sauces pre-made. Long ago, when you could bring liquids through on the plane I filled my suitcase with jars of sauces from Waitrose in Kensington. I will “scratch” those packaged sauces from now on!

Chicken Korma

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoon butter

1 medium red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 to 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 small vine tomato

½ cup vegetable broth

½ of a small can of tomato paste

½ cup yellow curry powder

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 teaspoon fresh fenugreek leaves and seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

½ teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 can coconut milk

Fresh lemongrass and cilantro (for garnish)

In skillet on stovetop, heat olive oil and melt butter. Sauté onions and garlic. Add chicken and cook until cooked white all around (about 4 minutes on each side). Add all ingredients except coconut milk and let cook for 10 minutes. Add coconut milk and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve over rice; garnish with the fresh lemongrass and cilantro.