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chicken chettinad
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Chicken Chettinad ~ Chettinad Style Chicken Curry

Chicken Chettinad is the most delicious and flavorful curry served best with roti and rice. A spicy and aromatic preparation of chicken curry from the Chettinad cuisine of South India.
Course Curry, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Chicken, Chicken Curry, Curry
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 3
Author Shanaz Rafiq

Ingredients

For the marinade:

  • 500 grams chicken cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the chettinad masala:

  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon fennel seeds badi saunf
  • 2 teaspoon black peppercorns sabut kalimirch
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ inch piece cinnamon
  • 3 pieces cardamom
  • 5 pieces cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • 5 dry red chilies
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 8 curry leaves
  • 1 tablespoon coconut dry/fresh
  • 1 small onion chopped

For the curry:

  • 2 medium onion sliced
  • 1 large ripe tomato chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
  • 6 curry leaves
  • 1 dry red chili
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoon cooking oil

For Tadka:

  • 10 curry leaves
  • 3 tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions

  • Marinate chicken pieces with lemon juice, salt, black pepper powder, and turmeric powder for 30 minutes. You can also start cooking right away even without marinating.

For the chettinad Masala

  • Prepare Chettinad masala paste by dry roasting the first nine spices from the Chettinad masala list for 2 to 3 minutes on medium flame. Place the roasted spices in a grinding jar along with ginger, garlic, curry leaves, coconut, and onion. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water and grind to a smooth paste.

For the curry

  • Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan and fry onion till soft and translucent. Then add chopped ginger, dry red chili, and curry leaves and fry till onion turns light golden.
  • Now add chopped tomato and fry for a few minutes till it combines well with onion and oil starts to separate.
  • Add marinated chicken pieces and cook for 2 minutes on high heat followed by the Chettinad masala paste, lemon juice, and salt if needed. Stir well, cover, and cook till the chicken is fully done. Add water only if needed in small quantities, but it is better not to add any water at all.
  • Finally, add chopped coriander leaves and cook for 1 more minute.
  • Turn off the heat and remove the curry in a serving dish.
  • Heat some coconut oil and add curry leaves. Cook for a few seconds and pour this tadka over the chicken curry.
  • Serve hot with rice or Kerala parotta or naan.

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