Chicken Korma with coconut milk and cashews – a rich and creamy curry that’s mildly spiced and easy to make! Serve over cauliflower rice for a hearty and healthy low carb meal! | Gluten Free + Paleo + Whole30
Let’s be real.
Curries can look really intimidating to make. They always have these huge ingredients lists and the flavours are always so complex and delicious that it just feels like a lot. Ya know?
Well. Difficult, this is not. Glancing briefly at the ingredients and instructions here this chicken korma with coconut milk might look like a lot it’s actually a pretty easy, straight forward curry that takes about 30 minutes to make with ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
Personally, the most challenging thing about making this is chopping the onions. I am a total wimp when it comes to onions. Just standing over a hot pan full of onions is enough to make my eyes burn but it’s so worth it in the end.
So let’s get cookin’!
How to Make: Chicken Korma with Coconut Milk
Altogether this curry can be made in about 30 minutes. It’s made almost entirely in one pan, though you will need a blender or even a small food processor as well.
Start off by simply frying up your cubed chicken in coconut oil. Cook for about five minutes and then remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. It’s alright if the chicken isn’t 100% cooked through at this stage because you will be adding it back to your dish later.
Moving on: it’s time to pull out the blender. We’re basically going to be making out own ginger/garlic/onion paste by blending them all up with a little water until smooth and watery. Normally in curries like these you’d be asked to use a pre made or pre bought paste, but we’re just going to make it because it’s faster, easier and cheaper.
Note: This recipe calls for two onions. One onion (the roughly chopped one) will be blended along with the garlic and ginger while the other is chopped and fried separately.
In the same pan you used to cook the chicken, heat the remaining coconut oil and begin frying your remaining onion. Cook for about 10 minutes until it’s soft and slightly browned. Add the spices and onion puree and cook for about a minute.
Stir in the coconut milk and chicken stock and let that mixture simmer and reduce into a nice, thick, golden-brown sauce. At this point all you need to do is add in the chicken and cashews and cook another 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked and piping hot. Top it off with some fresh cilantro and serve!
This chicken korma with coconut milk is a great option for people who are sensitive to spicy foods. It’s a pretty mild curry with only 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder. You can also reduce that amount down even more to 1/4 teaspoon if you really want to play it safe.
If you’re looking for a Whole30/low carb meal, serve this over warmed cauliflower rice and you’re all set! Otherwise a side of gluten free flatbread or naan and regular rice is also a great option!
More Dairy Free Curry Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Butter Chicken Pumpkin Curry
- Tomato Coconut Curry Chicken
- Dairy free Butter Chicken
- Tomato & Turmeric Shrimp Curry
- Yellow Cauliflower Chickpea Curry
- Stir Fried Broccoli Potato Curry
Chicken Korma with Coconut Milk
Chicken Korma with coconut milk and cashews - a rich and creamy curry that's mildly spiced and easy to make! Serve over cauliflower rice for a hearty and healthy low carb meal! | Gluten Free + Paleo + Whole30
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 4 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts seasoned with black pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 brown onions (one quartered and another chopped)
- 2 tablespoons garlic, crushed or finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground corriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, (use 1/4 teaspoon if you're extra sensitive to spicy food)
- 1 cup full fat unsweetened coconut milk or coconut cream from a can
- 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- fresh cilantro for topping
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large pan or skillet. Add the chicken and cook on a medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally until almost fully cooked through. Transfer the chicken to plate or bowl and set aside.
- Add the quartered onion (saving the other chopped onion for later), the garlic, ginger and water to a blender or small food processor and blend into a puree. Set aside momentarily.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon coconut oil to the same pan you used to cook the chicken. Once warm add the chopped onions and sauté the onions for 10 minutes until soft and browned.
- Stir in the onion, garlic & ginger puree along with the cumin, coriander, turmeric garam masala and chili powder. Cook 1 minute.
- Add the coconut milk (or cream) and chicken stock and let simmer for at least 5 minutes. Let the mixture reduce down and thicken slightly.
- Add the chicken to the pan along with the cashews and cook another 5 minutes until the chicken cooked through and piping hot.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and more cashews if you'd like and serve hot over rice.
Notes
Nut Alternatives: You can replace the cashews with flaked almonds or another nut of choice or omit them altogether.
Coconut Milk: I recommend using a full fat coconut milk from a can as opposed to reduced fat or carton milk. The extra fat will yield a creamier curry. You can also just use straight coconut cream or regular dairy cream if you can tolerate dairy/don't need this to be Whole30 compliant.
Ben says
I use this recipe but I do it with thighs in a cast iron camp oven outside over wood and coal! Always beautiful! The smells around the yard and neighbourhood is amazing!
Sarah Nevins says
That sounds like such a lovely way too cook! So glad you’ve enjoyed it – thank you so much for taking the time to come back to leave a review!