Dairy-Free Chicken Korma
A mild, creamy dairy-free chicken korma with tender chicken simmered in a golden onion, cashew, coconut, ginger, garlic, and warm spice sauce. It is rich and comforting without cream, butter, ghee, or dairy yogurt.
Recipe by Non Dairy Dude
Dude Note
Korma leans on dairy three ways at once: yogurt to tenderize, cream for body, and ghee for richness. That is exactly why blended cashews plus full-fat coconut milk work so well as the swap; together they carry the spices, soften the heat, and deliver that signature silky creaminess without a drop of dairy.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1½ lbBoneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ cupPlain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt
- 1 tbspLemon juice
- 1 tbspFresh ginger, grated
- 3 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
- 1 tspGround coriander
- 1 tspFine salt
Cashew Base
- ½ cupRaw cashews
- 1 cupBoiling water, for soaking
- ¾ cupFull-fat coconut milk
Sauce
- 2 tbspNeutral oil
- 2 mediumYellow onions, thinly sliced
- ½ tspFine salt
- 3 clovesGarlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbspFresh ginger, grated
- 2 tspGround coriander
- 1½ tspGaram masala
- 1 tspGround cumin
- ½ tspGround cardamom
- ½ tspTurmeric
- ⅛ tspCayenne pepper, optional
- 1 cupLow-sodium chicken broth or water
Finish
- 1 tspBrown sugar or honey
- 1 tspKasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between palms (optional)
- 1 tspFresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
Garnish
- ¼ cupFresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cupToasted sliced almonds or cashews, optional
Instructions
- 1
In a bowl, combine the chicken with the dairy-free yogurt, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, coriander, and salt. Toss well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- 2
Place the cashews in a heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain. Blend the drained cashews with the coconut milk until completely smooth.
- 3
Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are very soft and golden at the edges but not deeply browned.
- 4
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the coriander, garam masala, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, and cayenne if using. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- 5
For a silkier, restaurant-style sauce (recommended but optional): scrape the onion and spice mixture into a blender, add a splash of the chicken broth, and blend until smooth, then return it to the pan. Vent the blender lid since the mixture is hot. For a more rustic korma, leave the onions as they are and skip this step.
- 6
Add the marinated chicken and any yogurt mixture from the bowl. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken loses its raw exterior and the yogurt begins to cling to the onions.
- 7
Pour in the chicken broth or water and scrape up anything stuck to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- 8
Stir in the blended cashew-coconut mixture. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is creamy and coats the chicken. Do not boil hard after adding the cashew mixture or the sauce can over-thicken.
- 9
Stir in the brown sugar or honey, kasuri methi if using, and lemon juice. Taste and adjust with more salt, lemon, or a pinch of cayenne. The final sauce should be creamy, gently spiced, and slightly sweet, not sharp or tomato-forward.
- 10
Serve hot with basmati rice, dairy-free naan, cilantro, and toasted almonds or cashews if using.
Dairy Substitutions Used
Traditional chicken korma often uses dairy yogurt, cream, ghee, or butter for tenderness and richness. This dairy-free version uses plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt in the marinade, a blended cashew and coconut milk base for the creamy sauce, and neutral oil in place of ghee for cooking the onions and spices.
Tips & Variations
Korma should not taste like butter chicken: This recipe stays golden, onion-forward, nutty, and mild. There is no tomato base because the point is a softer, creamier curry with warm spices rather than a tangy red sauce.
Use thighs if you can: Chicken thighs stay tender during the simmer and suit the rich sauce better than lean breast meat. If using breasts, cut them a little larger and avoid overcooking.
Cook the onions patiently: The onions are the backbone of the sauce. They should soften and turn golden, but do not take them to a dark caramelized stage or the sauce will taste heavier and sweeter than korma should.
Blend the cashews very smooth: A high-speed blender gives the silkiest texture. If your blender is less powerful, soak the cashews for the full 30 minutes or longer.
Keep the heat gentle: Cashew-based sauces thicken quickly. Once the cashew-coconut mixture goes in, use low heat and stir often.
About the yogurt: Plain unsweetened coconut, almond, oat, or soy yogurt can work. Choose one that tastes neutral to you; sweetened or vanilla yogurt will ruin the sauce.
Kasuri methi is optional but excellent: Dried fenugreek leaves add restaurant-style aroma and help connect this korma to the broader Indian curry family.
Make ahead: Korma reheats well, but it thickens as it sits. Loosen leftovers with a splash of broth, water, or coconut milk over low heat.
Get new dairy-free comfort food recipes
New recipes, substitution tips, and classic dishes rebuilt without dairy.
