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Homemade Chicken Korma with Butternut Squash or Pumpkin in creamy coconut milk broth. It’s Paleo, Whole30, and Keto friendly.
I love autumn. Beautiful tree leaf colors and there are about 3-4 weeks of what I call the perfect time to be in New York, when the weather is not too hot or cold.
Pumpkins and various squashes are everywhere in farmers’ markets and grocery stores. I thought of sharing a fall weather friendly dish with you – Homemade Chicken Korma.
This is one of the dishes that was featured in my latest Whole30 blog post. As soon as I submitted this post, the next thing I know, Jen – the content editor/manager in the Whole30 – sent a lovely picture of her take on the Homemade Chicken Korma to me and I was so delighted to see how much she loves the dish !
This insanely delicious Homemade Chicken Korma is savory, creamy, and deeply-satisfying. Best of all, it’s quick to put together and you can use either pumpkin or butternut squash. Perfect savory fall meal !
I love making this delicious Homemade Chicken Korma in large quantities and portioning it into individual servings before freezing.
I’m going to quickly show you how to make your own homemade korma paste that’s filled with tons of fresh herbs and spices. You can store the extra paste in an ice cube tray and freeze it so when you are craving a warm and creamy meal after work, dinner will be ready in less than 20 mins !
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Homamde Chicken Korma
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Coconut or avocado oil
- 2 large shallots , sliced to thin strips lengthwise
- 5 1/2 tbsp homemade korma paste , see below
- 1 ½ lb chicken breast or thighs , thinly sliced to bite sizes
- 1 lb pumpkin or butternut squash , cut into bite-size chunks
- 14.5 oz full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tbsp mint leaves , garnish, finely chopped (optional)
Homemade korma paste:
- 5 large Garlic cloves , peeled
- 1 tbsp sliced ginger
- 1 piece fresh Serrano, Fresno, or jalapeno green or red pepper
- 4 tbsp shredded coconut , unsweetened
- 1/2 cup cilantro or parsley , plus more for ganish
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp garam masala powder
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1.5 tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp coarse sea salt
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
Optional garnish (if making crispy shallots):
- 1 large shallot , slice to thin strips lengthwise
- Coconut or avocado oil
Instructions
Homemade korma paste:
- Use a food processor to blend all ingredients under 'Korma paste' until it becomes a smooth paste. We are going to use about 5-5 ½ tbsp korma paste for 1 ½ lb chicken. Store extra korma pate in the freezer for future use.
Make Chicken Korma Curry:
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan over medium-high heat, when hot, add sliced shallots and 5 to 5 ½ tbsp homemade korma paste. Keep stir-frying the ingredients to prevent them from burning for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add sliced chicken. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes. Add pumpkin or butternut squash and coconut milk. Give it a gentle stir. Cover the pan with a lid and bring to a gentle simmering. Stir the bottom of the pan periodically to prevent food from sticking. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and the squash are fork tender.
- (optional) To serve, sprinkle finely chopped mint/cilantro/parsley and topped with crispy shallots.
(Optional Step) Make Crispy Shallots:
- Slice 1 large shallot into long thin strips. Heat 2 tbsp coconut or avocado oil in a wok or frying pan over medium/medium-high heat. When hot, add the sliced shallots, season with a small pinch of salt. Pan fry and stir frequently for 8-10 mins or until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the shallots. Use a slotted spoon and scoop them onto a tray lined with paper towel. Spread them out to crisp up further.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Got an Instant Pot at home? Check out the Instant Pot version of this recipe – Instant Pot Pumpkin Chicken Curry.
Hi ChihYu! Loved this recipe when I first made it back in 2016 and am about to make it again (yum!!).
I just saw your 2018 updates on the website version that differ from the original version I had saved– for example, the korma paste ingredients no longer call for shallots (2) or olive oil (1 Tbsp).
What are your thoughts on adding those two ingredients to your updated korma paste ingredient list above? Would it still turn out well with those additions, or should I leave them out and just use the new version on the site?
Thank you for sharing your creative genius with us– you help keep our family fed with healthy and delicious foods!! 🙂
Hello Liz, Thank you! Wow you have amazing memory! 😀 For the new korma paste version, are you referring to my Lamb Korma dish? I might have made some adjustments for the lamb. I think keeping shallots and olive oil will only add extra flavor so please feel free to keep them if you want!
This recipe is amazing! So much flavor and so easy to make!
Thank you! So happy to hear!
Made this for a potluck this weekend to rave reviews — even from the kids. I’ve made this before, but made a few changes this time that may have put it over the top.
First, I used pumpkin chunks that were previously frozen. This made the pumpkin fall apart more when cooked. This resulted in short strings of pumpkin throughout the dish instead of chunks, which added smoother texture and carried more of the sauce.
Second, I added golden raisins (abt 1/4 cup). This added a pop of sweet throughout the dish.
Third, I added cashews (abt 1/2 cup). I divided and chopped one half and ground the other. This gave a slight nut crunch every once in a while, and more richness to the sauce.
Fourth, I added one ground date for sweetness to the sauce. .5-1 TBSP of date paste would have the same affect.
Fifth, I only used 12.5oz of full fat coconut milk. This may have caused it to be slightly thicker in the end.
Lastly, I made it, then refrigerated for 2 days before the party — where I heated up and served in a slow cooker. I don’t know if this had anything to do with the glory of this dish, but I think it allowed flavors to meld and it helped in the separation of the pumpkin chunks. Either way, I think I will do this from now on.
Everyone is requesting this for future potlucks. Thank you so much for this recipe. It helped me get through a family get-together filled with piles of tempting non-whole30 options.
Thanks so much for sharing, Brian ! Everything sounds fabulous and delicious! I totally love it ! XOXo !
This was seriously delicious. My husband and I raved over it!
Thanks so much, Heather ! So glad to hear you like my signature homemade ‘curry flavor enhancer’! I’d not make a pot of curry without my own herb blend. It adds so much greater depth and flavor to the curry pot. YUM !
So good! We ate this a couple nights ago and polished it off this evening. Such an easy recipe and so flavorful!
That’s so awesome. Thank you Nicole !
I’ve been on the paleo diet for nearly a year and I am always looking for new and “delicious” recipes. I made this last night and my husband and I LOVED it. I made my own paleo masala from another paleo recipe I found and it worked out great. Thanks for sharing. Thinking of using the left over korma with lamb.
Thank you, Sherry ! I’m so happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed the homemade chicken korma ! It certainly is one of my favorite and go-to meals ! I think the left over korma paste should go well with lamb. There’s a lamb korma recipe on my site if you love lamb and want to give it try.
Again, thanks for stopping by and thank you for leaving your lovely comment here ! :))
My husband and I are just starting Paleo; wee love Asian food and I’m so happy to find Paleo Asian recipes. Thanks
Thank you Gloria and very nice to meet you here as well ! Feel free to drop me a note at hello@iheartumami.com
I respond to all my emails personally.
ChihYu 🙂