Chettinad Chicken Curry
This Chettinad Chicken recipe is a bold, aromatic South Indian curry packed with warm spices, curry leaves, and a freshly ground homemade masala. Marinated chicken is simmered in a rich, spicy tomato-based gravy until tender and deeply flavorful. It’s a perfect dish to serve with basmati rice for a comforting, satisfying meal.
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Servings: 8 servings
Equipment
- 1 spice grinder or coffee grinder
- 1 small skillet
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 4 garlic cloves minced or crushed
- 1 inch piece ginger grated
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup yogurt
Chettinad Masala (you can also use store-bought)
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ¼ cup dried coconut
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 4-5 dried red chilies
- 3 green cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
Curry
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 1 large tomato finely chopped or pureed
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chettinad masala
- 1 ¼ cups hot water
Instructions
Chettinad Masala
- Heat a small skillet over low heat.
- Add all the ingredients for the masala to the pan. Toast for about 5 minutes until the ingredients are fragrant and have turned brown. Be sure to toss frequently to ensure the ingredients don’t burn.1 tablespoon poppy seeds, ¼ cup dried coconut, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, 4-5 dried red chilies, 3 green cardamom pods, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick
- Allow to cool to room temperature. Then, add all the ingredients to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.
- Set aside for use later in the recipe.
Marinade
- Combine all the ingredients for marinade in a mixing bowl.1 ½ pounds chicken breast, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ¼ teaspoon chili powder, 4 garlic cloves, 1 inch piece ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup yogurt
- Cover in plastic wrap and set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
Curry
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the marinated chicken. Cook until no pink remains and the outside is golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. It’s okay if the chicken is not fully cooked through before moving on. It will finish cooking in the curry later on. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.2 tablespoons neutral oil
- Set your pan over medium heat, adding the second tablespoon of oil. Stir in the bay leaf and diced onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are completely browned.2 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 bay leaf, 1 large onion
- Add the tomatoes, turmeric, salt, chili powder, curry leaves, and 1 tablespoon of chettinad masala. Mix well and sauté until you see the oil begin to separate around the edges of the pan. This should take about another 5-7 minutes.2 sprigs curry leaves, 1 large tomato, ½ teaspoon turmeric, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon chettinad masala, ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Pour in the hot water (cold water can make the chicken tough), add the chicken back in, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is fully cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.1 ¼ cups hot water
- Serve your chettinad chicken with basmati rice and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Chettinad Chicken Curry
Amount per Serving
Calories
204
% Daily Value*
Fat
12.25
g
19
%
Cholesterol
56.25
mg
19
%
Sodium
287.5
mg
13
%
Potassium
187.5
mg
5
%
Carbohydrates
3.5
g
1
%
Fiber
1
g
4
%
Sugar
0.38
g
0
%
Protein
17.12
g
34
%
Vitamin C
1.88
mg
2
%
Calcium
10
mg
1
%
Iron
0.5
mg
3
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.