Slow Cooker Yogurt Chicken Korma

Name: Slow Cooker Yogurt Chicken Korma
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 1 teaspoon (5 g) cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon (5 g) coriander seeds; ½ teaspoon (2 g) fenugreek seeds (methi) (optional); 2 (350 g) medium yellow onions, thinly sliced; 4 (20 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh ginger, minced or grated; 2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste; ½ teaspoon (2 g) ground turmeric; 1½ teaspoons (3 g) garam masala; 1 cup (240 ml) plain Greek yogurt (or full-fat plain yogurt), at room temperature; ¼ cup (50 g) raw cashew paste (or ground raw cashews); 2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces; ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; salt, to taste; freshly cracked black pepper, to taste; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish (optional); ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (or coconut milk) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A mild, creamy Indian curry made in the slow cooker with tender chicken thighs, yogurt, and cashew cream. Aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala are tempered in oil first, then combined with onions, garlic, ginger, and tomato paste before the chicken and yogurt go in to cook low and slow for 6 hours. The result is richly flavored, comforting, and perfect over rice.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 6 hr
Total: 6 hr 20 min
Makes: 4 servings

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
1 teaspoon (5 g) cumin seeds
1 teaspoon (5 g) coriander seeds
½ teaspoon (2 g) fenugreek seeds (methi) (optional)
2 (350 g) medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
4 (20 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon (15 g) fresh ginger, minced or grated
2 tablespoons (30 g) tomato paste
½ teaspoon (2 g) ground turmeric
1½ teaspoons (3 g) garam masala
1 cup (240 ml) plain Greek yogurt (or full-fat plain yogurt), at room temperature
¼ cup (50 g) raw cashew paste (or ground raw cashews)
2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
salt, to taste
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish (optional)
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (or coconut milk) (optional)

Equipment (6)

Slow cooker (5–6 quart)
Small skillet
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring spoons and cups
Wooden spoon

Steps

Before you start

Have all ingredients prepped and measured before starting
Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for best results (dark meat stays tender)
If using a programmable slow cooker, set it to the 'more' or 'high' setting if you prefer the curry slightly thicker

1
Temper the spices
- Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil in a small skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and fenugreek seeds (if using).
- Toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and the seeds turn slightly darker.
- Do not let them burn.
- Pour the seeds and oil into a small bowl and set aside.
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Ready when: Seeds are fragrant and slightly darker, oil is infused with spice flavor
Tip: Do not skip this step—tempering the seeds blooms their oils and deepens the curry's flavor profile.
2
Build the spice base
- In the slow cooker bowl, combine the sliced onions, minced garlic, minced ginger, and tomato paste.
- Add the ground turmeric and garam masala.
- Pour in the reserved tempered oil with the seeds.
- Stir well to combine and coat the onions evenly with spices.
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Ready when: Ingredients are well mixed and evenly coated
Tip: Mixing the aromatics and spices in the slow cooker helps them cook together from the start.
3
Prepare yogurt mixture
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the room-temperature yogurt and cashew paste until smooth and well combined.
- This mixture will be creamy and pourable.
- If the cashew paste is very thick, you can thin it with 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of water.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and creamy with no lumps
Tip: Using room-temperature yogurt prevents it from curdling when added to the slow cooker.
4
Add chicken and liquid
- Place the cut chicken pieces on top of the onion mixture in the slow cooker.
- Pour the chicken broth over the chicken.
- Do not stir yet—keep the layers somewhat separate so the yogurt mixture can be gently folded in.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly distributed and broth is added
Tip: Keeping the layers separate helps the aromatics infuse without the yogurt breaking down prematurely.
5
Cook on low
- Cover the slow cooker and set to LOW.
- Cook for 5 hours.
- During this time, the chicken will become very tender and the flavors will meld.
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Ready when: Chicken is very tender and breaks apart easily with a fork
Tip: Do not lift the lid frequently—each time you do, you add 15–20 minutes to the cooking time.
6
Stir in yogurt mixture
- After 5 hours, carefully open the slow cooker.
- The chicken should be very tender.
- Gently stir the contents, breaking up any large onion clumps.
- Add the yogurt and cashew mixture in a slow stream, stirring gently and continuously to incorporate it evenly into the broth and chicken.
- Pour in the chicken broth as well if you haven't already.
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Ready when: Yogurt is fully incorporated and sauce is smooth and creamy
Tip: Stir gently to avoid breaking up the tender chicken pieces. Slow incorporation prevents curdling.
7
Final cooking
- Cover the slow cooker again and set to LOW.
- Cook for an additional 1 hour.
- During this time, the yogurt will fully meld with the spices and the sauce will thicken slightly.
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Ready when: Sauce has slightly thickened and coats a spoon lightly
Tip: If you prefer a thinner sauce, skip this step and serve immediately after stirring in the yogurt.
8
Taste and adjust
- Open the slow cooker.
- If using the optional heavy cream or coconut milk, stir it in now for added richness.
- Taste the korma and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to your preference.
- Stir gently to combine.
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Ready when: Curry is seasoned to your liking
Tip: Taste before adding too much salt—the broth and yogurt both contribute saltiness.
9
Serve
- Ladle the korma into bowls.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
- Serve over steamed basmati rice, with warm naan or roti on the side.
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Ready when: Dish is plated and ready to eat
Tip: The korma tastes even better the next day as flavors deepen. Reheat gently on low in the slow cooker or on the stovetop.

Good to know

Tips

For a spicier korma, add ¼–½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or red chili powder when you stir in the turmeric and garam masala.
If your slow cooker runs hot, the yogurt may separate slightly at the edges. Stir gently once or twice during the final hour, or use the LOW setting even if your cooker tends to cook fast.
Cashew paste can be made at home by blending raw cashews in a food processor (about 1 cup cashews yields ¼ cup paste). You can also buy pre-made cashew butter at most grocery stores.
The fenugreek seeds are optional but add a subtle nuttiness and help balance the creaminess of the yogurt. Skip them if you don't have them, or substitute a pinch of maple syrup or honey for depth.

Make ahead

The spice-tempered oil and the yogurt-cashew mixture can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and stored separately in the refrigerator. The onions, garlic, and ginger can be prepped and stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Assembly and cooking in the slow cooker should be done on the day you plan to serve.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the slow cooker on LOW for 30–45 minutes. Freezer: Freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Do not freeze if you have added the optional cream—add that after reheating instead.

Substitutions

raw cashew paste (or ground raw cashews) → Ground almonds or sunflower seed butter. Use the same amount. Almonds create a slightly less rich sauce; sunflower butter works well for nut-free diets.
plain Greek yogurt (or full-fat plain yogurt) → Sour cream or crème fraîche. Use the same amount. Sour cream adds tanginess; crème fraîche is richer and less likely to curdle.
boneless, skinless chicken thighs → Boneless pork shoulder, lamb, or cauliflower. Cut pork or lamb into similar-sized pieces and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours. For cauliflower, cut into florets and reduce cooking time to 3 hours on LOW. Adjust salt to taste.
garam masala → Garam masala powder or a blend of cumin, coriander, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. If using individual spices, use ½ teaspoon each cumin and coriander, ¼ teaspoon cardamom, and pinches of cloves and cinnamon.