Chicken Chettinad is an aromatic and spicy chicken curry from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, known for its roasted spices, fiery masala, and rich gravy. This chicken masala can be served with appam, dosa, appe (paniyaram), idli, or even steamed rice or roti.
Also, check our Chettinad chicken biryani recipe.
Chettinad chicken curry
This dish is a favorite across categories such as South Indian non-veg meals, Indian dinner recipes, authentic and traditional chicken curry, and weekend meal menus.
Chettinad dishes are known for heavy use of black pepper and red chillies, freshly ground masala powders, and rich coconut-based curries. It has a smoky flavor from dry roasting the aromatic spices. It is not creamy like butter chicken or tikka masala, which uses cream.
Ingredients
Spices: Stone flower, star anise, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds are used. Stone flower, also known as kalpaasi or dagad phool, adds an authentic flavour to chettinad masala. If unavailable, skip it, but there is no substitute for it. Another key ingredient is star anise. Make sure you do not add more than one. Adding too much will also spoil the dish's taste.
Cashew and coconut: Add nutty flavour, sweetness, and thickness to your curry.
Curry leaves: The freshness and the classic South Indian flavour.
Other ingredients: Onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes to give the body and enhance the flavour.
Check out the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients.
Marinate the chicken
- In a bowl, add the chicken, turmeric, lemon juice, and salt, and mix well.
- Cover and let it sit aside for 15 to 30 minutes.
Making of the Chettinad masala
- In a pan, add red chillies, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, stone flower, and cashews, and dry-roast on a low flame for 8 to 10 minutes, until crunchy and golden brown. Keep stirring so that you don't burn. Transfer this to a plate and let it cool down.
- To the same pan, add the coconut and curry leaves with ½ tablespoon of oil, and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes, until aromatic and lightly golden. Switch off the flame.
- To make the chettinad masala, add all the dry-roasted ingredients to a blender and blend them to a smooth powder. You can use it immediately or store it in the refrigerator.
- To make the curry, add the toasted coconut to the same jar with the powder, then add ½ cup water and blend to a thick, smooth paste. Chettinad masala paste is ready.
Making of chicken chettinad
- Heat oil in a pan. Add the crushed garlic cloves and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame.
- Add the onions and ginger and saute for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the marinated chicken and fry on high heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes (or puree) and cook until the rawness disappears completely.
- Add chettinad masala paste, curry leaves, salt to taste, and ½ cup of hot water.
- Mix well, cover the pan, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through completely. The internal temperature of the thickest part should be 165 degrees F.
- At this point, taste the curry and adjust the salt. If the gravy becomes dry during the process, add extra water; if it becomes runny, cook uncovered on high heat until the water evaporates.
- Serve the dish with dosa, appam, chapati, appe (paniyaram), idli, or steamed rice and enjoy.
Tips
- Adjust the black pepper corns to your desired level of spiciness.
- Instead of dry red chillies, red chile powder can be used. Add it along with tomato puree.
- The colour of the gravy will range from dark red to brown, depending on how you have dry-roasted the ingredients and adjusted the spice amounts.
- Fresh ginger and garlic are what I prefer always. If unavailable, use the store-bought paste.
- Always use bone-in chicken for juicy Chettinad chicken.
- Spices must be roasted on a low flame. don’t burn them.
- Use coconut oil or sesame oil if possible.
Serving suggestions
- Chettinad chicken tastes the best with dosa, idli, appam, appe (paniyaram), shevai (idiyappam), Kerala parotta, or chapati.
- You can also serve it with rice, biryani rice, lemon rice, coconut rice, or parboiled rice.
- Also goes well with other flatbreads like naan, roti, and paratha.
More South Indian Chicken Recipes
Recipe card
Chicken Chettinad - Spicy Chicken Curry
Chicken Chettinad is an aromatic and spicy chicken curry from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, known for its roasted spices, fiery masala and rich gravy. This chicken masala can be served with appam, rice, dosa, appe (paniyaram), idi or even steamed rice, roti, etc.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the marination
- 600 g Chicken bone-in pieces 1 pound
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
For the Chettinad masala
- 5 Dry red chillies
- 2 tablespoon Coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 to 2 teaspoon Black peppercorns adjust to heat tolerance
- 3 Cardamom hari elaichi, optional
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 3 Cloves laung, optional
- 1 Star anise chakriphool, optional
- 1 Stone flower a small piece of kalpasi or dagad phool
- 6 to 8 Cashews or almonds or white poppy seeds
- ¼ cup Coconut
- 1 Curry leaves sprig
For the curry
- 3 tablespoon Oil
- 7 to 8 Garlic cloves crushed
- 2 Onions finely chopped
- 1- inch Ginger
- 2 to 3 Tomatoes chopped or pureed
- 2 Curry leaves sprig
- Hot Water as needed (½ to 1 cup)
- 3 tablespoon Coriander leaves
- Salt
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- In a bowl, add the chicken, turmeric, lemon juice, and salt, and mix well.600 g Chicken bone-in pieces, ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 to 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- Cover and let it sit aside for 15 to 30 minutes.
Making of the chettinad masala
- In a pan, add red chillies, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, stone flower, and cashews, and dry-roast on a low flame for 8 to 10 minutes, until crunchy and golden brown. Keep stirring so that dont burn. Transfer this to a plate and let it cool down.5 Dry red chillies, 2 tablespoon Coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds, 1 to 2 teaspoon Black peppercorns, 3 Cardamom, 1 inch Cinnamon stick, 3 Cloves, 1 Star anise, 1 Stone flower, 6 to 8 Cashews
- To the same pan, add the coconut and curry leaves with ½ tablespoon of oil, and sauté until aromatic and light golden, for 7 to 8 minutes. Switch off the flame.¼ cup Coconut, 1 Curry leaves
- To make the chettinad masala, add all the dry-roasted ingredients to a blender and blend them to a smooth powder. You can use it immediately or store it in the refrigerator.
- To make the curry, add the toasted coconut to the same jar with the powder, then add ½ cup water and blend to a thick, smooth paste. Chettinad masala paste is ready.
Making of chicken chettinad
- Heat oil in a pan. Add trhe cushed garlic cloves and saute for 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame.3 tablespoon Oil, 7 to 8 Garlic cloves
- Add the onions and ginger and saute for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onion turns translucent.2 Onions, 1- inch Ginger
- Add the marinated chicken and fry on high heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes (or puree) and cook until the rawness disappears completely.2 to 3 Tomatoes
- Add chettinad masala paste, curry leaves, salt to taste and ½ cup of hot water.2 Curry leaves, Hot Water, Salt
- Mix well, cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through completely. The internal tempertaure ofthickest part should be 165 degrees F.
- At this point, taste the curry and adjust the salt. If the gravy becomes dry during the process, add extra water; if it becomes runny, cook uncovered on high heat until the water evaporates.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.3 tablespoon Coriander leaves
- Serve the dish with dosa, appam, chapati, appe (paniyaram), idli or steamed rice and enjoy.
Notes
- Adjust the black pepper corns to your desired level of spiciness.
- Instead of dry red chillies, red chile powder can be used. Add it along with tomato puree.
- The colour of the gravy will range from dark red to brown, depending on how you have dry-roasted the ingredients and adjusted the spice amounts.
- Fresh ginger and garlic are what I prefer always. If unavailable, use the store-bought paste.
- Always use bone-in chicken for juicy Chettinad chicken.
- Spices must be roasted on a low flame. don’t burn them.
- Use coconut oil or sesame oil if possible.
Nutrition
Calories: 143kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.03gSodium: 207mgPotassium: 421mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 787IUVitamin C: 81mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 2mg
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Lex B
This was absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Jet
I made this for dinner last night and the spice blend is incredible! My family absolutely loved it, definitely a keeper!