Description
Chicken Kofta Korma is a rich and flavorful Indian dish featuring tender ground chicken meatballs simmered in a creamy, spiced korma sauce made with ghee, yogurt, and ground almonds. This comforting recipe combines aromatic spices and fresh herbs to create a delicious meal perfect to serve with rice, naan, or roti.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Koftas (Meatballs):
- 1 lb (450g) ground chicken
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 cup (80g) breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 tsp mint leaves, chopped
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
For the Korma Sauce:
- 2 oz. (60g) ghee
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 1 whole dried red chili pepper
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/4 cup (60g) plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup light cream
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground almonds
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, chopped onion, ginger paste, garlic paste, breadcrumbs, eggs, salt, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, ground cardamom, and ground nutmeg. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Form the Koftas: With wet hands, carefully shape the mixture into meatballs approximately 1¼ inch (3 cm) in diameter. Set the prepared meatballs aside while you prepare the sauce.
- Sauté Onions and Chili: Heat the ghee in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and whole dried red chili pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn golden brown.
- Add Aromatics and Spices: Stir in the ginger paste and garlic paste, cooking for an additional 2 minutes while stirring frequently. Then add turmeric, ground coriander, and plain yogurt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 3 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Create the Sauce Base: Pour in the light cream, add salt, and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Incorporate Ground Almonds: Stir in the ground almonds and continue cooking the sauce for 5 more minutes to thicken and enrich the flavor.
- Cook the Koftas in the Sauce: Gently return the meatballs to the skillet, ensuring they are immersed in the sauce. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, turning the meatballs carefully halfway through to coat them evenly in the sauce.
- Serve: Once cooked, serve the Chicken Kofta Korma hot over steamed rice or alongside Indian breads such as naan, chapati (roti), or paratha for a complete meal.
Notes
- Ghee can be substituted with salted butter, although the richness and depth of flavor will differ.
- For homemade ginger paste: peel and chop 3½ oz (100g) ginger and process in a food processor with ½ cup water until smooth.
- For homemade garlic paste: peel and chop 3½ oz (100g) garlic and process with ½ cup water in a food processor until smooth.
- Both ginger and garlic pastes can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or frozen in ice cube trays for longer storage. Once frozen, transfer cubes to an airtight container for convenience.
- This recipe is adapted from “Spice Kitchen” by Ragini Dey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 recipe (approximately 1 cup of cooked curry with 4-5 meatballs)
- Calories: 410 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
