Servings
Font
Back
Chettinad Chicken Curry
4.9 from 138 votes

Chettinad Chicken Curry

Chettinad Chicken Curry is a richly spiced chicken dish featuring a blend of roasted whole spices ground into a coarse mix combined with ginger, garlic, coconut, onions, and tomatoes. The chicken thighs are simmered in this layered mixture to absorb deep flavors and aromatic spices, resulting in a savory and hearty curry. This recipe involves roasting and grinding spices to maximize their aroma, creating a complex and traditional South Indian poultry curry.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 6 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 kg chicken thigh cut into medium sized pieces, boneless
  • 4 tablespoon ghee or oil
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 2 curry leaves sprigs
  • 45 g ginger
  • 30 g garlic
  • 60 g coconut fresh or dry, grated
  • 2 onion diced, large
  • 4 tomato diced, medium
  • 2 tsp
  • 250 g water for cooking
  • cilantro to garnish
Whole Spices
  • 8 dried red chili whole Kashmiri or another variety
  • 2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds jeera
  • 4 tsp coriander seeds
  • 10 green cardamom pods elaichi
  • 2 cinnamon sticks dalchini
  • 8 cloves clove also known as laung
  • 2 tbsp poppy seeds khus khus
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds saunf

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Dry roast the whole spices individually and set them aside to cool before grinding them into a coarse aromatic mix.
  2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add the ginger and garlic, and sauté till soft and aromatic, followed by the desiccated coconut.
  3. Remove the spices and grind using a coffee grinder or a small mixer, to form a smooth paste, adding just enough water to form a paste.
  4. Add some more oil to a heavy bottomed pan and add the bay leaf followed by the curry leaves and sauté for 30 seconds.
  5. Add the diced onions and sauté till transparent.
  6. Add the coconut and ginger and garlic paste and mix well.
  7. Add the diced tomatoes, sprinkling with salt, and sauté for 3 to 4 mins.
  8. Add the ground spice mix, mixing in well to blend.
  9. Add the chicken pieces and mix well, ensuring all the pieces are well coated with the roast spice mix.
  10. Add just enough water to cover the meat and spice mix.
  11. Cook for another 10 mins on medium heat, adding water if required.
  12. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Notes