Saffron Chicken Korma – A low carb keto recipe

This fabulous recipe is our cover recipe from Keto Eats. View Cookbook

A simple Saffron Chicken Korma that delivers a beautiful mouthful of fresh flavours with every spoonful.

I love my little twists on traditional Indian recipes.  I think playing with the gravy’s balance on spice, heat and creaminess gives me a different kind of curry each time, and I just love them all.

This Saffron Chicken Korma is delicious!

The macadamias add some great healthy fats and help with the gravy but I also had mine still with a little bit of crunch and it was great.  

I also love a bit of heat (a lot) in mine so have added a sedate amount of spiciness should you so choose.  It is very easy to add your spice at the end and adjust to your palate.

SAFFRON CHICKEN KORMA INGREDIENTS

MARINADE

• 15 g ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 90 g macadamias
• 40 g tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 200 g Greek yoghurt, I use Meredith Dairy sheeps milk yoghurt

KORMA

• 600 g chicken thigh fillets, sliced into large cubes
• 1/2 small onion
• 50 g butter
• 35 g oil
• 100 g thickened cream

OPTIONAL

• 2 tbsp hot sauce or
• 1 tbsp hot chillies thinly sliced

HOW TO MAKE THIS KETO CHICKEN KORMA

This is such an easy keto curry recipe. Most of the work is done with the marinating.

Mix all the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken overnight. Honestly the best saffron chicken korma is one that has been left to take in all the amazing flavours of the marinade.

Sauté the onion until tender and add the chicken and marinade. Cook slow on the stove for as little as 20 minutes, stir through the cream and it is done.

To make this in the Instant Pot or a pressure cooker; simply sauté the onions in oil over high heat in the pot. Turn off high, add remaining ingredients and remaining ingredients. Make sure to seal your pressure cooker lid correctly. Cook on high/Pressure cook/20 minutes/ quick release. This will give you a delicious Instant Pot Chicken Korma, and of course this will work in any brand pressure cooker the same.

I have also included instructions for a Thermomic Chicken Korma recipe and method so that our fellow Thermomix lovers can make this one as well. I love this keto chicken korma just as equally cooked in the Thermomix, my Instant Pot, or on the stove. You may find yourself wanting to make it again as soon as it is all gone.

LOVE CURRIES AND WANT MORE?

Here are just a few of my favourite keto curry recipes from around the globe.

1. Panang Chicken Curry
2. Chiang Mai Chicken Curry
3. Keto Chicken Tikka
4. Malaysian Meat Curry Powder
5. Keto Massaman Curry Chicken

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Saffron Chicken Korma

This recipe is made from the heart and cooked from my belly.  Yep that is right!  I made this recipe with what my heart, my head, and my belly wanted to eat.  Pure success! Delicious and nourishing in every way!

4.8 from 5 votes!

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Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 40 mins

Course: Curry

Cuisine: Australian Keto, Indian

Recipe Category: Low Carb

Calories: 540kcal

Author: Megan Ellam

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Servings: 6 serves

MetricUS Customary

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Ingredients

Marinade

• ▢ 15 g ginger
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic
• ▢ 90 g macadamias
• ▢ 40 g tomato paste
• ▢ 1 tsp turmeric
• ▢ 1 pinch saffron
• ▢ 1 tbsp garam masala
• ▢ 1 tsp ground cardamom
• ▢ 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• ▢ 1 tsp paprika
• ▢ 200 g Greek yoghurt I use Meredith Dairy sheeps milk yoghurt

Korma

• ▢ 600 g chicken thigh fillets sliced into large cubes
• ▢ 1/2 small onion
• ▢ 50 g butter
• ▢ 35 g oil
• ▢ 100 g thickened cream

Optional

• ▢ 2 tbsp hot sauce or
• ▢ 1 tbsp hot chillies thinly sliced

To serve

• ▢ Fresh coriander leaves
• ▢ Extra yoghurt

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

CONVENTIONAL METHOD

• Add garlic, ginger and macadamias to a blender and pulse until finely chopped. Add all marinade ingredients and blend for 20 seconds.  
• Pour marinade into large bowl with chicken. Combine well, cover and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours or overnight.
• Finely chop onion and sauté gently in butter and oil over medium heat.
• Add chicken and marinade, turn the heat down to low and cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through.
• Add cream and chilli if using and cook for further few minutes to heat through.
• Serve immediately.

THERMOMIX METHOD

• Place ginger, garlic and macadamias in bowl and process 5 seconds/speed 10.
• Add rest of marinade ingredients and blend 10 seconds/speed 10.
• Pour marinade over chicken in non reactive bowl and combine. Leave to marinate for 2 hours or overnight.
• Add onion to bowl and chop 3 seconds/speed 5. Add butter and oil and cook for 4 minutes/90℃/reverse stir/MC off.
• Add chicken and marinade to onion mix and cook 20 minutes/98℃/reverse stir.
• Finally add cream and chilli, if using and cook for further 4 minutes/98℃/reverse stir.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

1. This recipe is suitable to freeze.

2. Curry can be kept in airtight container up to 4 days.

3. The is recipe is best started the night before.

4. Marinade can be made in bulk and frozen in individual portions, or ice cube trays until needed.

5. For a dairy free option please substitute ghee for butter, and coconut yoghurt for Greek yoghurt.

6. Macadamias can be substituted for almonds or pepitas(for nut-free variation)

Nutrition

Serving: 1serve | Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 382mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 840IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1.7mg | Net Carbs: 6g

Tried this recipe?Mention @meganellam or tag #madcreations!

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4 Comments

• Bernie Martin says:

  August 27, 2018 at 11:19 am

  
  At what point do you add the macadamias and should they be chopped? Thanks!

  Reply
  • Megan says:

    August 27, 2018 at 12:36 pm

    Hi Bernie, if you are cooking the conventional way I have just adjusted the recipe, as I had indeed left out the first step. Thanks for letting me know

    Reply
• penny b says:

  June 1, 2019 at 7:39 pm

  
  Made this tonight and it was a hit. I used almonds instead of Macadamia nuts (as thats what I had on hand) the kids thought it was a bit “gritty”. Ill give the Macadamia nuts a try next time. The flavour is quite mild and easy for heat up with added chilli if needed. A definite must make and will be on rotation in our house. Also an easy recipe for the adult kids to recreate without relying on a jar or packet mix! Thanks Megan, truly delicious.

  Reply
• Rhondajane.mallett@outlook.com says:

  September 23, 2020 at 8:10 am

  
  My husband made this dish with absolutely no help from me. Delicious!

  Reply