Spicy, full of flavors and hearty, Chicken Chettinad is a delicious chicken curry from the Chettinad region of South India. It can be made dry or with gravy.
Pair it with Parotta or Lachha Paratha for a fabulous Indian style meal.
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About This Recipe
Chicken Chettinad is a spicy chicken dish that belongs to Tamil Nadu and is popular all over South India. In this curry, chicken is cooked along with a spicy tomato curry that is flavored with coconut and dry red chillies.
You will find this one on the menu of almost every South Indian restaurant. This can be made dry or with gravy, it’s totally your choice.
Here are some more Chicken Curries, that you can make for your everyday meals – Chicken Masala, Kadai Chicken, Malabar Chicken Curry, Achari Chicken, Coconut Curry Chicken, and Fresh Methi Chicken Curry.
Ingredients
Chicken – The key ingredient here is Chicken. High in protein, it is great to include in your everyday meals. Try to use chicken with bones to make this curry as the bones add a lot of flavors.
I used full chicken cut into pieces but you can use only legs or legs with thighs.
Chettinad Masala – The ingredient that makes the onion tomato base of this dish different from others is the freshly grounded Chettinad masala, ginger garlic paste, green chillies, and fresh coconut.
While the Chettinad masala gives it a hot and spicy flavor, fresh coconut adds a refreshing taste to it.
It includes simple ingredients such as curry leaves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, black peppercorns, and red dry chillies.
So if you love this dish, as much as I do, get it ready beforehand so that it takes less time to cook Chettinad Chicken next time.
You can use this masala in other Chettinad recipes too.
Coriander Leaves and Lime – End this chicken curry with these two ingredients, to add more freshness and taste to the curry.
Step by Step Recipe
Mix chicken with 1 tsp salt and vinegar and keep aside for 1/2 an hour.
In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil.
When the oil is hot, add 2 sprigs of curry leaves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, black peppercorns and 8 – 10 dry red chilies.
Fry till slightly browned and a nice aroma starts coming. Add 1/2 cup of chopped onion and grated coconut and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
Cool and grind the mixture in a grinder.
Smooth paste made.
Add 3 tbsp oil in a pan.
Add 2-3 sprigs of curry leaves and remaining onion.
Fry till onion is golden brown. Add green chilli, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt.
Add tomato and the roasted and ground mixture.
Now add a cup of water and cook for a minute.
Add chicken and another cup of water and cover and cook till chicken is done.
Add lime juice and fresh coriander and cook for a minute. Serve hot with Naan.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Chettinad tastes great with Steamed Rice, Biryani, Laccha Paratha, Phulka, Kerala Parotta, or Tawa Paratha.
You can even serve with Mangalorean Style Neer Dosa, Moong Dal Dosa, or Appam.
What can we substitute with Chicken in this curry?
You can use the same process and even make Mutton Chettinad, Prawns Chettinad, or Fish Chettinad. Just remember that all these three non-veg ingredients take different time to cook as compared to chicken, so keep an eye. If you overcook any of these, they might become rubbery and chewy.
Tofu or paneer will also work great. Add them once the gravy is ready.
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Recipe Card
Chicken Chettinad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg Chicken (with bones)
- Salt to taste
- 3 tsp Vinegar
- 5 tbsp Oil
- 4-5 sprigs Curry leaves
- 3 tsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 tsp Fennel seeds
- 2 tsp Poppy seeds
- 3-4 Cloves Garlic
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 3-4 Cardamom Cardamom
- 1 tsp Black peppercorns
- 10-12 Dry red chilies
- 1 and 1/2 cup Onion (chopped)
- 1 cup Fresh coconut (grated)
- 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 3 – 4 Green chili (slit into half)
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (Can alter according to your taste)
- 1 and 1/2 cup Tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Fresh coriander
Instructions
- Mix chicken with 1 tsp salt and vinegar and keep aside for 1/2 an hour.
- In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil.
- When the oil is hot, add 2 sprigs of curry leaves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, black peppercorns and 8 – 10 dry red chilies.
- Fry till slightly browned and a nice aroma starts coming.
- Add 1/2 cup of chopped onion and grated coconut and fry for 3-4 minutes.
- Add ginger garlic paste and fry for another 3-4 minutes.
- Cool and grind the mixture in a grinder to make a smooth paste. Add some water while grinding.
- Add 3 tbsp oil in a pan.
- Add 2-3 sprigs of curry leaves and remaining onion.
- Fry till onion is golden brown.
- Add green chilli, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.
- Add tomato and fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the roasted and ground paste.
- Now add a cup of water and cook for a minute.
- Add chicken and another cup of water and cover and cook till chicken is done.
- Add lime juice and fresh coriander and cook for a minute.
- Serve hot with Naan.
Kamalika
What amazing photographs dear….Loved each and every….
Praveen Kumar
Lovely post. I have had the oppurtunity to have this in Karaikudi last year and it was simply fabulous.
marissa tan
look so yummy
marissa tan
look so yummy