Chicken varuval (Chicken chukka)
By Swasthi on August 7, 2022, Comments, Jump to Recipe
Chicken varuval recipe – Learn how to make chettinad chicken fry – Bangalore is one of the places where we get to enjoy delicious dishes from different Indian Cuisines. There are a lot of restaurants specialized in serving chettinad foods in Bangalore. Dishes from chettinad cusine always made way to the order They are mildly spicy with lot of fennel flavor, not like the Andhra foods that flame up the body with spices after eating.

Many yrs ago, got this chettinad chicken fry recipe called as chicken varuval recipe from a tamil friend who hailed from Madurai, and was our neighbor in bangalore.
She was a very good cook. I used to adore her health consciousness while cooking and the way she used to handle her kids. It is almost 6 yrs, since I have been cooking this.
To make a good chettinad chicken varuval recipe, all the ingredients are a must to get a good aroma.
you can find more simple chicken fry recipes on the blog,
pepper chicken
andhra chicken fry
How to make chettinad chicken varuval
1. to make chettinad masala, dry roast all the ingredients one after the other with out burning and powder along with cashews or almonds or fried gram (potukadalai). i used cashews, it gives a restaurant style taste.

2. Add oil to a pan, fry dry spices for a minute.

3. Add coarsely crushed onion or finely chopped onions, along with ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell disappears for about 5 minutes.

4. Add chicken, turmeric and fry till the chicken turns to white in color.

5. cover and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes.

6. Add the spice powder. Fry till you get a good aroma for about 2 to 4 minutes.

7. Add about 1/4 cup water and cook till the chicken is completely cooked. Adjust more or less water as needed.Add lemon juice and stir.

8. Fry till the chettinad masala clings on to the chicken.

9. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve with rice and rasam.

Related Recipes

Chicken varuval (Chicken chukka)
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 500 grams bone-in-chicken (or boneless)
- 6 to 8 shallots (coarsely crushed in a mixer or very finely chopped)
- 1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsps sesame oil or any oil
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
Whole spices
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 4 to 6 cloves
- 1 green cardamom optional
Masala powder (dry roast all ingredients and powder)
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds /daniya
- 1 tsp cumin / jeera
- ½ tsp pepper corn
- 1 tsp fennel seeds / saunf
- 4 to 5 Red chillies (adjust to suit your taste)
- 2 sprigs curry leaves , fresh
- 1 tbsp dry coconut or 1 tbsp poppy seeds or sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp roasted gram or 8 to 10 cashews or 10 to 12 blanched almonds
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan, add the dry spices and sauté for a min
- Add the onions crushed or finely chopped and ginger garlic paste, fry till on a medium flame the raw smell disappears. This takes around 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken, salt and turmeric. Fry on high flame till the chicken turns white in color. This takes around 2 to 3 mins.
- Simmer the flame. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 mins, occasionally flipping the pieces to prevent burning.
- Add the powdered masala, fry till you get good aroma.
- Add about ¼ cup water and stir well. How much water to use depends on how tender your chicken is. So adjust the quantity as needed.
- Cover and cook till the chicken is fully cooked.
- Add lemon juice and mix well.
- Fry till all the water evaporates and the masala clings to the chicken.
- Garnish with fine chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve chicken chukka varuval with rice and rasam for a simple and delicious meal.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
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Comments
Hi.. can you please give the approximate weight of the onion if possible? Sometimes shallots not available.
Dear swasthi I am not a great cook but thanks to you my family loves my cooking. I have got better at it only because I follow your recipees. Thank u very much.
I do have a query. Whenever I cook chicken approx 1.5 to 2 kgs it oozes alot of water. What should I do then .
Hi Priya,
You are welcome. Thanks for trying the recipes. The only way is to evaporate the water by cooking with out a lid. Use a wide pan and not a pot. This also helps to evaporate the moisture easily.
hi swasthi! i just got married and i had zero cooking skills. But your recipes helped me a lot. The dishes turned out great and my husband has praised me too! Thanks to your recipes. Thanks for being a lifesaver!
Hi Ready,
Thanks for the comment. I am very happy to know the recipes helped. Wishing you the best!
🙂
Made this 3 days back & its one of the best Indian thick curry I’ve made by far. It had a combination of many flavours. Thanks for sharing tis great recipe. Making it again today as we can’t get enough of it!
Welcome Nisha
So glad to know you liked the recipe. Thanks a lot for the comment.
Thanks for the chicken varaval recipe. Tried it, loved it. Once again thank you for sharing.
Welcome Leina
I tried couple chicken recipes and they were on the mark.my kids loved it..I am an amateur when it comes to cooking. I just love ur recipes, truly tried and tested . Thanks so much
Welcome geeta
Glad to know you liked them. Thanks for trying
Tried your chicken varruval recipe. It was delicious. Tq for sharing.
Welcome and Thanks Sharmini
Mouth watering dish
thanks
Absolutely mouth watering.brilliant dish!
thank you
Looks very Yummy!!!
Looks delicious and mouth watering.
This is a nice & delicious chicken preparation..Nicely presented..<br />Prathima Rao<br />Parts Corner
Hi Swasthi, thank you for visiting and for the lovely thought….after going throu ur blog I feel you might be from Andhra, and by following you i will get a chance to get more of Andhra recipes. This chettinad chicken looks yum…keep connected dear…and welcome to stay at home moms club 🙂
simply love it 🙂
mouthwatering dish…love it…
Will attempt this for my 'non vegetarian ' kids! Looks good.
Flavorful chicken pirattal
Oho such a lovely recipe and blog. I love any preparation of Chicken… Must try once this recipe .Thanks for sharing.Happy to follow you.
I absolutely love this!