Chicken korma: how much it costs to make, per portion
Chicken korma costs £1.74 a portion in ingredients (£17.42 for a batch of 10), from UK pack prices dated 25 October 2026. To reach 68% GP, the UK food benchmark, it needs to sell for at least £6.53 including 20% VAT (£5.44 without).
A mild, creamy chicken korma the takeaway way: chicken thigh simmered in a catering korma sauce, finished with cream and served with basmati rice. Ten portions, costed from JJ Foodservice prices read on 25 October 2026.
The lowest price is the one that just reaches 68% GP, the UK food GP benchmark (UKHospitality × Christie & Co, 2022: 65.9–69% food GP across every segment). It covers the ingredients at a normal margin, not staff, rent or energy, and most cafés, pubs and takeaways charge more for simple dishes. Check what places near you charge. GP is worked out on the ex-VAT price.
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Ingredients and cost, 10 portions
| Ingredient | Pack price | Pack size | Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skinless boneless chicken thigh | £43.99 | 10000 g | 1500 g | £6.60 |
| Korma cooking sauce | £18.99 | 4540 ml | 2000 ml | £8.37 |
| Brown onions | £7.49 | 10000 g | 300 g | £0.22 |
| Garlic | £3.49 | 1000 g | 20 g | £0.07 |
| Rapeseed oil | £9.49 | 5000 ml | 50 ml | £0.09 |
| Double cream | £3.79 | 1000 ml | 200 ml | £0.76 |
| Basmati rice | £8.69 | 5000 g | 750 g | £1.30 |
| Batch total | £17.42 | |||
| Per portion (÷ 10) | £1.74 | |||
Cost per line is pack price × (amount used ÷ pack size), the same sum the tool runs. Change one pack price and every line that uses it moves.
What it really costs: waste and staff time
| Ingredients | £1.74 |
| Waste allowance, 5% (trim, ends, the odd one binned) | £0.09 |
| Staff time: 20 min hands-on for the batch of 10 at £12.71/hr + 25% on-cost | £0.53 |
| Food, waste and staff per portion | £2.36 |
At the lowest price (£5.44 ex VAT) that is 43% of the price, before rent, energy and everything else. Many UK sites aim to keep food plus staff (prime cost) at or under 60–65% of sales. The staff line counts hands-on prep only, not unattended cooking, and uses the April 2026 National Living Wage; put your own rate, minutes and waste in the calculator's real cost section or the prime cost calculator. Every dish side by side: the UK dish cost index.
Method
- Dice the chicken into 3 cm pieces.
- Soften the sliced onion and garlic in the oil, add the chicken and seal.
- Add the korma sauce and simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken reaches 75 °C; stir in the cream.
- Cook the rice, 75 g dry a portion, and serve.
Where the prices came from
JJ Foodservice collection prices (single-unit price, no multi-buy tiers), read on 25 October 2026. Prices are as listed; JJ does not label VAT on most lines, and most raw food is zero-rated in the UK while alcohol and some ingredients carry standard-rate VAT. Your supplier's price is the one that matters: open the recipe and type it in.
- Skinless boneless chicken thigh: JJ fresh skinless boneless chicken thigh meat, 2 x 5 kg (CHI556), 10 kg, £43.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
- Korma cooking sauce: Lion korma curry cooking sauce, 2 x 2.27 litres (SAU958), 4.54 litres, £18.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
- Brown onions: Brown cooking onions (VEG655), 10 kg, £7.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
- Garlic: Fresh garlic (VEG784), 1 kg, £3.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
- Rapeseed oil: KTC rapeseed oil (OIL110), 5 litres, £9.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
- Double cream: Meadowland double cream (CRE039), 1 litre, £3.79 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
- Basmati rice: Laila basmati rice (RIC036), 5 kg, £8.69 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
More costed dishes: takeaway
- Chips and cheese — £0.80 a serve
- Buffalo chicken wings — £1.72 a portion
- Margherita pizza (12-inch) — £2.01 a portion
- Lamb doner kebab in pitta — £2.62 a serve