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    Home » Indian Recipes » Chettinad Chicken Curry

    Chettinad Chicken Curry

    Published: Mar 2, 2021 · Modified: Jun 30, 2021 | This post may contain affiliate links·

    1036 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Chicken Chettinad curry is a delicious South Indian curry. Chicken is cooked in a spice paste made with coconut, black pepper, curry leaves. Get ready to be transported to the palm groves and verdant paddy fields of Chettinad!

    Chettinad chicken curry in a bowl
    Chettinad Chicken Curry

    This recipe was first published in April 2017 and has been updated with new instructions and images

    (This recipe was first published in June 2020 and has been updated)

    Jump to:
    • What is Chettinad Cuisine?
    • What is Chettinad Masala?
    • Why You Will Love This Recipe
    • List of Ingredients
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Serving Suggestions
    • More Indian Chicken Curry Recipes
    • Chicken Chettinad

    Some regions of India are synonymous with their food. Say the word Lucknow and I think dum biryani (biryani cooked in a sealed pot), say Malabar and parotta (layered flatbread) comes to mind, say Chettinad and the classic chicken Chettinad it is! These regions are strongly associated with their cuisine.

    What is Chettinad Cuisine?

    Chettinad, a region in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, is so well known for its distinctive and evolved cuisine, however, has been somewhat typecast as the region known for its excessive use of red chilies in its cuisine. Nothing could be further from the truth...
    The Chettiar community were merchants and traders by occupation and had close ties to the British rulers in India. The community played a key role in the spice trade between India and countries such as Burma, Sri Lanka, etc. Some of the regional food, such as appams or Iddiyapams, have been influenced by the cuisine from these regions. Although the Chettiyars were originally vegetarian, they adapted their tastes to include a plethora of non-vegetarian dishes to their menus, thus doing us all a great service!

    What is Chettinad Masala?

    The cuisine of Chettinad is known for the use of spices that set it apart. Chettinad spices typically include black peppercorns, fennel, mustard seeds, star anise, fenugreek seeds, etc. There is a misconception about Chettinad food being too fiery, doused liberally with red chilies when in fact the use of black pepper is what adds a subtle and restrained heat to many a Chettiar dish.
    Chettinad masala is characterized by the use of black pepper. The masala (spice paste) used to make Chettinad curry is often freshly ground, and will almost always include coconut and black pepper, and will be tempered with curry leaves. (Read my guide on Indian spices and how to use them).
    To make an authentic Chettinad chicken curry, we roast the whole spices along with the coconut and then grind (or blend) the roasted coconut along with the spices. This freshly prepared spice paste is a classic example of Chettinad masala.

    Are you a fan of Paneer? Try making our Kadai Paneer recipe or try making Paneer Pizza at home!

    Chettinad chicken curry with malabar parotta on a wooden board

    Why You Will Love This Recipe

    • An authentic recipe for South Indian Chettinad- style Chicken curry - no shortcuts here!
    • Tastes so much better than what you get at most restaurants
    • Serve with Kerala-style 'parottas' or Appams or plain basmati rice, and make it a meal to remember

    For more Indian chicken sides, take a look at my recipe for Chicken Pakoras and Chicken 65

    List of Ingredients

    To make Chettinad chicken curry, we will need the following ingredients:

    A list of ingredients used to make chettinad chicken curry
    • Chicken - I prefer to use bone-in chicken legs nut you can also use boneless chicken pieces for this recipe.
    • To marinate the chicken:
      1. Salt
      2. Lemon juice
      3. Turmeric powder
      4. Ginger garlic paste (or use grated ginger and garlic)
      5. Kashmiri red chili powder
    • For the Chettinad masala:
      1. Grated coconut (or use desiccated coconut)
      2. Fennel seeds
      3. Coriander seeds
      4. Cloves
      5. Cardamom
      6. Whole black pepper
      7. Cumin
      8. Cinnamon Stick
      9. Optional ingredients - Star anise, poppy seeds, cashews, dried red chilies
    • Onion - Red onions or yellow onions will do
    • Tomatoes - Use fresh whole tomatoes (preferably not canned)
    • Curry leaves - Use fresh or dried curry leaves
    • Bay leaves
    • Vegetable oil (or use coconut oil)

    Step by Step Instructions

    To make Chettinad chicken curry, marinate the chicken pieces with the salt, lemon juice, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and ginger-garlic paste and keep the chicken aside while you start preparing the dish.

    Heat a wok on the stovetop and add the whole spices - cardamom, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cumin, cloves, fennel and cinnamon stick. As the spices heat up, they will release their aromas.

    Add the grated coconut, and toast it until it turns light brown. Make sure to keep stirring regularly. Once the coconut is browned (see pic 3), turn off the heat and transfer all the spices and coconut to a blender jar.

    Chettinad masala roasted are ready to be blended

    Blend the ingredients together to form a paste (pic 5). This is the Chettinad masala used to make the curry base.

    Chettinad masala after blending

    In the same wok, heat the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the chopped onions and saute. As the onions are sauteing, add the bay leaves. Let the onions saute until light brown.

    Tip: At this stage, you can add some water to prevent the onions from sticking to the wok.

    Add the ground Chettinad masala to the wok and mix well.

    Frying onions, bay leaves and chettinad masala

    After adding the Chettinad masala, add curry leaves and tomatoes. Mix well and saute for a couple of minutes.

    Tomatoes and curry leaves cooking with Chettinad Masala

    Get the chicken that has been marinating and add it to the wok. Mix gently so that the chicken is well coated in the masala in the wok. Add 1 cup of water, and mix well (pic 13).

    Cover the wok with a lid, and let the chicken simmer for 5-7 minutes. Then remove the lid and cook the chicken on medium heat for another 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the curry has thickened and the chicken is cooked, turn off the stove.

    To serve, you can prepare a tadka (tempering) of mustard seeds and curry leaves - heat some coconut oil in a small saucepan, and once hot, add mustard seeds. Once the seeds sputter and crackle, add curry leaves. Heat the curry leaves until aromatic, and turn off the heat. Drizzle this tempering over the chicken curry and serve.

    Cooking chicken in chettinad masala

    Serving Suggestions

    Chettinad chicken curry is best served along with Malabar parottas (flaky Indan flatbread - available at all Indian stores) or with basmati rice.

    Chicken chettinad curry on a plate with malabar parotta

    More Indian Chicken Curry Recipes

    Instant Pot Chicken Curry

    Kadai Chicken

    Chicken Korma

    Butter Chicken

    Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

    Chettinad chicken curry in a bowl

    Chicken Chettinad

    Shinta
    Chicken Chettinad curry is a delicious South Indian curry that is cooked in a spice paste made with coconut, black pepper, curry leaves. Learn how to make authentic Chicken Chettinad at home!
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    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 6
    Calories 298 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 Kg Chicken preferable bone-in
    • 1 Onion chopped
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 Tomato chopped
    • 5-6 curry leaves Fresh or frozen

    For marinating the chicken

    • 1 Teaspoon Kashmiri Red chilli powder
    • 1 Teaspoon turmeric powder
    • 1 Tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 Teaspoon Salt
    • 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice

    For the Chettinad Masala

    • 1 inch piece of cinnamon
    • 4-5 cloves
    • 3-4 green cardamom pods
    • ¾ Teaspoon whole black peppercorns
    • 1 Teaspoon fennel
    • 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
    • ½ Teaspoon Whole Cumin
    • 1 cup grated coconut Or use dessicated coconut

    Optional Ingredients

    • 1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves for the garnish
    • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds for tempering
    • 3-4 Curry leaves for tempering
    • 1 teaspoon coconut oil for tempering

    Instructions
     

    • Clean the chicken pieces, make small slits on them and mix with salt, red chili powder, turmeric, ginger garlic paste and lemon juice in a mixing bowl. Let this marinate while you proceed with the rest of the steps.
    • Heat a wok or pot with high sides on the stove top. Add the whole spices - cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, fennel, coriander seeds, cumin for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
    • Add the grated coconut and heat, stirring regularly with a spatula. The coconut should turn light brown. Turn off the heat. Transfer all the iroasted ingredients into a blender jar (or coffee grinder).
    • Grind or blend together the roasted coconut and spices along with a couple tablespoons of water. It should form a semi-coasre paste.
    • In the same wok, on medium heat, add the vegetable oil and let it heat. Then add the onions followed by the bay leaves. leaves and onions.
    • Saute until the onions turn light brown. If the onions are sticking to the bottom of the wok, add a little water.
    • Now add the ground Chettinad masala, followed by chopped tomato, and curry leaves. Cook for a couple of minutes untill the tomatoes begis to soften.
    • Add the marinated chicken, stirring it well, so that the chicken is well coated with all the spices. Add 1 cup of water to the pan, cover it with a lid and let it cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
    • Remove the lid, and continue cooking for a further 18-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked, and the water reduces. The gravy in the curry should be thick. Turn off the heat.
    • Prepare the tempering - heat the coconut oil in a small sauce pan. heat some coconut oil in a small saucepan, and once hot, add the mustard seeds. Once the seeds start to crackle, add curry leaves. Heat the curry leaves until aromatic, and turn off the heat. Drizzle this tempering over the chicken curry and serve.
    • Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve with basmati rice or malabar parottas.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 298kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 17gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 459mgPotassium: 347mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 432IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword Chettinad, chicken curry, curry
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me on Instagram! @carameltintedlife or use the hashtag #carameltintedlife
    Chettinad chicken curry served in a bowl
    « Vegetable Chow Mein
    Indian Spices - List of Indian spices and how to cook with them »
    1036 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says

      April 28, 2017 at 3:58 pm

      I love all the flavours in here!! So good!! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday this week!

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        May 03, 2017 at 10:46 am

        Thank you so much Jhuls!

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