Kerala Style Chicken Stew is a very mild yet full of flavors Chicken curry which is cooked in coconut milk with minimum spices and is a traditional recipe from the state of Kerala in India. Here is how to make it.
Amongst the southern states, Kerala boasts of the most variety in its cuisine.
Right from vegetarian to non-vegetarian, it has options for everyone.
Spices are used abundantly to give taste to the dishes while Rice is a staple throughout the state.
Ingredients like green chilies, curry leaves, coconut, cardamom, cinnamon, etc are commonly used.
While each and every dish from this cuisine is unique in its own way, one of the most popular curries is the stew (ishtu) which can be made vegetarian or non-vegetarian.
This is usually served along with Rice, Hooper or Appam and it tastes absolutely delicious.
Kerala Style Vegetable Stew is one recipe that I have made a lot of times at home, but this I made a Kerala Chicken Stew (Nadan Kozhi Ishtu) for my lunch and served it along with some hot Appam.
Believe me, I can still relish the taste of the same and even craving for more.
I would definitely say that any Kerala meal is incomplete without the stew.
I have made this chicken curry recipe in a pan but you can definitely use a pressure cooker to fasten the process of cooking the chicken.
If you liked my Coconut Curry Chicken or Kori Rotti, I am sure you will love this curry too.
What is Kerala Style Chicken Stew?
Also known as Nadan Kozhi Ishtu, it is a mild chicken curry cooked in coconut milk along with vegetables and mild spices.
This curry is cooked in coconut oil which gives it a very different flavor.
If you want to give it that traditional and authentic taste, do use only coconut oil.
Serving Suggestions
This ishtu is generally served with steamed rice, appam or hoppers.
However, you can serve it with any Indian bread like Naan or Lachha Paratha or Veg Fried Rice.
You can serve this dish along with some sides as well such as Kerala Style Prawn Roast and Kerala Style Rasam.
Which vegetables can be used in the Stew?
Here I have used Carrots and Potatoes along with chicken, but you can also use green beans, cauliflower, and green peas.
What can you use instead of Chicken?
You can substitute chicken with mutton, fish or prawns to make a non-vegetarian version of Kerala Stew.
Step by Step Recipe
Heat coconut oil in a pan.
Once the oil is hot, add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorn and bay leaf. Fry for a few seconds.
Add onion, ginger, and garlic and fry until they turn translucent.
Add green chilli and curry leaves and fry for a minute.
Now add chicken, thin coconut milk and salt.
Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.
Add potato and carrot and cook until chicken and vegetables are done.
Add cashew nut paste and thick coconut milk and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
For tempering, heat coconut oil in a pan.
Once the oil is hot, add onion and curry leaves and fry until golden brown.
Pour the tempering over the chicken.
Kerala Style Chicken Stew Recipe
It is a very mild yet full of flavours Chicken curry which is cooked in coconut milk and with minimum spices.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Coconut oil
- 2 Green cardamom
- 2-3 Clove
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 3-4 Black peppercorn
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 cups Onion Thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Ginger Finely chopped
- 1 tsp Garlic Finely chopped
- 2 Green chilli Slit into half
- 10-12 Curry leaves
- 750 g Chicken
- 1 cup Thin coconut milk
- Salt to taste
- 1/4 cup Potato Peeled and cubed
- 1/4 cup Carrot Peeled and cubed
- 2 tbsp Cashew nut paste - 2 tbsp
- 1 cup Thick Coconut milk - 1 cup
For tempering
- 1 tbsp Coconut oil
- 4-5 Small pearl onions Sliced
- 10-12 Curry leaves
Instructions
- Heat coconut oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, peppercorn and bay leaf.
- Fry for a few seconds.
- Add onion, ginger and garlic and fry until they turn translucent.
- Add green chilli and curry leaves and fry for a minute.
Now add chicken, thin coconut milk and salt.
- Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Add potato and carrot and cook until chicken and vegetables are done.
- Add cashew nut paste and thick coconut milk and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- For tempering, heat coconut oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is hot, add onion and curry leaves and fry until golden brown.
- Pour the tempering over the chicken.
- Serve hot with Appam.
Recipe Notes
Make this curry in coconut oil for authentic taste.
Making coconut milk fresh at home gives the best taste. But if not possible, you can use canned coconut milk well.
Thin it down with water to make thin coconut milk.
Thalia @ butter and brioche
wow this chicken stew looks amazing!! totally bet it was so aromatic too and your kitchen smelt amazing. perfect winter fare for the cold weather in australia right now!
msnehamathur
Thnx a lot Thlia. It was indeed very good 🙂
Shivani
This recipe looks very yummy. Just want to know one thing here. You mentioned adding thin coconut milk. Where can I get that? Can we just add water to make it thin?
msnehamathur
Hi Shivani. When you make coconut milk at home fresh coconut, the first milk that you get is thick milk and the second one is the thin milk. But if you are using store bought one, please add water and use. Thnx
Shivani
Thanks so much Neha…Trying it today 😀 Lets see how it comes out
msnehamathur
I hope it came out good 🙂
Aditi Shukla
Thanks for the run thru. The finished product looks yummilicious! 🙂
msnehamathur
Thnx Aditi
Carley
Hi,
I am curious if this recipe could be converted to a crock pot version? I would really like to make this but unfortunately do not own a pressure cooker. Thank you for your time and recipe!
msnehamathur
Hi Carley, You can definitely make it in a crock pot 🙂
Robin
Hi Neha, How much is one cup?
Neha Mathur
I use standard cup measures for all my recipes.
Emile Woodford
Good to know
Neha Mathur
Thnx
Sonia
I just made this for Dinner today!! It’s exactly how my grandma would make it =) Totally delicious!! i had some Appam mix and made some quick appams as well .. My husband is American so this will be his first time eating this meal .. Im so excited because it truly is delicious!
I just added a bit of sugar to the gravy right at the end … and it gave it that push over the edge into total blissful oblivion =)
Neha Mathur
Thnx for trying the recipe Sonia 🙂
Indishre
Thank you Dr Neha for sharing this wonderful recipe. It’s amazing compliment to appams. Thank you so much
Neha Mathur
Glad you liked it.
Emile Woodford
Thank you
Emile Woodford
Love cooking, what you post. Thank You
Neha Mathur
Thnx
Brototi Das Gupta
I tried this recipe today. It tasted so wonderful that it has gone into my recipe diary for repeat rounds. Thank you and regards!
Neha Mathur
I am glad 🙂
Neha Mathur
I am glad you liked the recipe.
Sarbani Bhattacharya Sander
I can’t believe how delicious this stew was!! I used regular oil instead of coconut oil. For tempering, heated a tbsp of unsalted butter, roasted some cashews and curry leaves and added it to the stew. Fingerlicious good! Thanks Neha!
Neha Mathur
Thanks for trying 🙂
Ranjit Singh Kohli
Awesome…. very good change from regular recipes. Has become our favourite.
Neha Mathur
Glad you liked it 🙂
Sheebz
Thank you for sharing this recipe… it was delicious ????
Neha Mathur
Happy to hear.
Stuti
Delicious! Wanted to ask, is the coconut milk splitting normal? It still tastes amazing tho!
Neha Mathur
Hi Stuti, yes it’s normal. Add only thin coconut milk for cooking. Once the chicken is cooked, then finally add the thick coconut milk.