Chicken Chettinad

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!

Course Main

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 298kcal

Author Shinta

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

Metric - US Customary

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