Chicken Chettinad Recipe

Chicken Chettinad Masala is a traditional style spicy chicken curry. Find tried and tested authentic chicken chettinad recipe.

📝 Ingredients

• 500 gram chicken with bone, cut into curry size pieces
• 1 (an inch in size) piece of cinnamon
• 2 green cardamom
• 3 - 4 curry leaves
• 1 Cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 Cup tomato paste (grind 2 small-size tomato)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 4 tablespoon gingely oil/coconut oil/mustard oil
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
• 2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 dried red chilies, (esp goondu milagai variety)
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 4 garlic pods
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Make Chettinad Masala: ---
2. 2To prepare Chettinad Chicken, first clean, wash and pat dry the chicken pieces with a kitchen towel. Keep aside covered in a bowl.
3. 3Dry roast fennel seeds, black pepper, cumin, red chilies, coriander seeds till fragrant and slightly darkened. Add ginger, garlic, and grind them in a mixer to a smooth paste using little water. Keep aside until required.
4. 4--- Prepare Chicken Chettinad Curry: ---
5. 5Heat oil in a large kadhai over medium flame. Add the cinnamon, cardamom pods, curry leaves and saute for few seconds till fragrant. Add the chopped onion and saute over low heat till onion is light brown in color.
6. 6Next add the tomato paste, salt, turmeric and fry the masala for 10 minutes or so over low heat. The indication of masala being ready is oil starts separating from it.
7. 7Now add the Chettinad masala paste and stir to combine. Continue to saute the masala scraping the bottom of the kadhai, till the masala takes deep brown color and nicely roasted.
8. 8At this stage add the chicken pieces, salt and stir coat the chicken pieces with the spice mixture. Fry the chicken pieces till they turn pale white in color. Do not add water.
9. 9Cover and cook the chicken over low heat till it releases its juices and full cooked.
10. 10Open the lid, check the chicken for doneness. At this stage, if you want to make gravy, add 1 cup of water or coconut milk, stir, and simmer the curry for 8 - 10 minutes.
11. 11Serve Chicken Chettinad Masala with rice or parotta.