Prep the chicken and vegetables

Cut the chicken thigh fillets into bite-sized pieces. Dice the onion, cut the cauliflower into small florets, crush the garlic, zest the lemon, then cut the lemon into wedges. Rinse the basmati rice in a sieve until the water runs mostly clear.

Small cauliflower florets cook through in the same time as the rice and make the finished bowls easier to eat.

Sear the chicken

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide lidded frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning often, until lightly golden at the edges and no pink patches remain on the outside, then lift it onto a plate. Hold back extra salt and black pepper until the final taste check.

Build the korma base

Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and cauliflower to the pan with a pinch of salt, then cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion is glossy and the cauliflower is starting to colour. Stir in the garlic, lemon zest, and korma curry paste for 1 minute until fragrant.

Simmer the rice

Stir in the rinsed rice, hot chicken stock, and seared chicken. Bring to a steady simmer, cover with a lid, then cook over a medium-low heat for 12 to 14 minutes until the rice is almost tender and most of the stock has been absorbed.

Keep the lid on as much as possible so the rice steams evenly.

Add peas and rest

Scatter the frozen peas over the rice, cover again, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the peas are hot and the chicken is piping hot in the centre. Turn off the heat and rest, covered, for 5 minutes so the rice finishes steaming.

Serve with yogurt

Stir the Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Fluff the rice gently, spoon the chicken korma rice into shallow bowls, then finish with lemon yogurt, chopped coriander, and lemon wedges for squeezing over. Taste once everything is assembled, then add a little salt and black pepper only if needed.