Chicken chettinad gravy recipe – South India’s most flavorful dish made with chicken, fresh ground spices & herbs. Based on the authentic chettinad chicken recipe many modern versions have been derived, especially by the restaurateurs. Over the years, I got to taste a few which almost tasted same except the texture, color and the hint of spices.
Chicken chettinad is one of the most flavorful chicken dishes from the South Indian cuisine. It is said to be the most ordered in the Indian restaurants.
The recipe shared here is the one I felt close to the restaurant style chettinad chicken gravy. After several trials I arrived at this and can say this is one of the best flavorful and delicious chicken gravy.
This recipe is roughly adapted from a cook book. To make chicken chettinad, a unique blend of spices is deep roasted and ground. This spice blend brings in a great essence to the dish.
There is also a chettinad chicken varuval recipe on the blog, which is a dry chettinad style chicken fry.
Step-by-step photos
Preparation for chicken chettinad
1. On a low flame dry roast coriander and dried red chilies first. When you smell the coriander seeds good, then add saunf, cumin, pepper corn, cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon.
2. When they begin to smell good, add poppy seeds. When the poppy seeds turn crisp. Transfer to a plate if you desire.
3. Roast coconut until it smells good. Cool all of these and blend to a smooth paste. Add water just as needed. Transfer the paste to a bowl.
4. In the same blender, add tomatoes and puree. This is optional and can use tomatoes as such chopped finely.
5. Marinate chicken with turmeric, chilli powder, curd, ginger garlic paste and salt.
How to make chicken chettinad
6. Heat a pan with oil and bay leaf. Add onions and fry till transparent to golden. Golden gives a good taste to the gravy, since i cooked in a stainless steel pan, they don’t turn to golden.
7. Add chicken and fry for about 4 to 5 minutes. The raw smell of the ginger garlic has to go away.
8. Add tomatoes.
9. I used red chili powder just for the color. Add the tomato puree, red chili powder, salt and turmeric as well.
10. On a medium flame, fry till the mixture begins to leave oil. This takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chettinad masala paste and curry leaves. I did not use red chilies to make my chettinad masala since my kids cannot eat hot foods. Saute again for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Add water as needed.
12. Cook covered till the chicken is fully cooked, soft and tender. I garnished with fried curry leaves.
Serve chicken chettinad with rice or phulka.
More similar chicken gravy recipes
Simple chicken curry
Andhra chicken
Kerala chicken
You can serve this with ghee rice, simple jeera rice, mint or pudina pulao.
Recipe
Chicken chettinad
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 500 grams chicken (or ½ kg) (bone-in is best)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion large, finely chopped
- 1 to 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 2 tomatoes medium, (pureed) (or chopped finely)
- 1 bay leaf
Marination
- 1/8 tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp curd or yogurt (helps to keep the chicken soft)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste (or 4 garlic cloves + 1 inch ginger)
- Salt as needed
Chettinad masala (roast and grind)
- 1 tbsp Poppy seeds (or pottukadalai or 6 to 8 cashews)
- ¼ cup coconut grated
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ¾ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp pepper corn
- 4 to 5 red chilies (or 1 tsp red chili powder)
- 3 green cardamoms (or elaichi)
- 4 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
Instructions
Preparation
- Add chicken, turmeric, chili powder, curd,salt and ginger garlic paste to a bowl. Marinate the chicken and set aside.
- On a low flame, dry roast coriander seeds and red chilies. When the coriander seeds begin to smell good, add elaichi, jeera, saunf, pepper, cinnamon and cloves. Roast till cloves smell good.
- Next add poppy seeds. Quickly toss. Make sure not to burn the masala. You can also set these aside to a plate before adding coconut.
- Add coconut and fry until the coconut smells good.
- Cool all these. Add them to a blender jar and pour little water. Make a smooth paste. Set aside the masala to a small bowl.
- In the same jar, grind tomatoes to smooth. You can also use chopped tomatoes.
Making chicken chettinad
- Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaf and onions. Fry till they turn translucent to golden.
- Transfer the chicken and fry for at least 4 to 5 mins.
- Add tomatoes, turmeric, salt and chili powder (if using). Mix well and fry till the oil begins to separate.
- Then add the ground paste and curry leaves. Fry for 2 to 3 mins.
- Pour 1 ¼ cup water. I use hot water. Using cold water sometimes toughens the chicken. Cover and cook till it is fully done, soft and tender.
- The gravy becomes thick by then. If not cook without a lid and evaporate some water. Pour more water if needed to get the desired consistency. Cook till the chicken gravy thickens. Garnish with fried curry leaves.
- Serve chicken chettinad gravy with rice or phulka.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
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.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Swati Singh says
Hi Swasthi,
I tried this recipe today. came out great.
BUt my chettinad masala paste was very dark (dark brown)S. It was not at all white like in the picture. Did I get something wrong?
swasthi says
Hi Swati,
Glad to know! Actually the color you got is the right one. Authentic chettinad chicken should look like the way you said – dark brown color. I think you did not notice my step by step pictures. I had skipped red chilies in the masala paste as my kids still cannot eat hot foods. I used only red chilli powder. That made it look bright red and not brown. Hope this helps.
Shraddha says
Question.. Should the gas be on high or on medium flame at the end after putting water?
swasthi says
Cook on a low to medium heat.
Dwight D Waller says
Very good recipe, reminiscent of Bangalore restaurant. My prep time does take much longer, 1 hour.
swasthi says
Thank you! I will look into the prep time.
Sameera says
Dear swasthi
I tried your recipe.
It turned out delicious.
Superb job.👍
swasthi says
Thanks Sameera
So glad to know!
🙂
Sameera says
Dear swasthi
I tried your recipes .it turned out delicious.
Superb job.👍
Sukhminder says
I tried this recipe today for the first time and it came out really well !
swasthi says
Glad to know!
Nic says
Dear Swasthi
Greetings from an expat in Laos, south-east Asia!
Thank you for this recipe – it is perfect and delicious. Have cooked your recipe so many time and it always turns our great. I cannot source curry leaves here so I add an extra bay leave. I add extra dry whole red chilis for the Masala (I love it hot!). I also add half a cup of coconut cream for a greater coconut taste. Have used chicken on the bone so far – tomorrow will try beef chunk instead, cooked slowly in the slow-cooker. Many thanks !
swasthi says
Glad to know Nic
Thank you
Rupa says
Hi. Want to try this Chicken Chettinad recipe. Just a small doubt.. if I replace the poppy seeds with cashews..do I have to add and roast them when it’s mentioned to add poppy seeds? So I grind the cashews in the chettinad masala? Thanks.
swasthi says
Hi
Yes you can roast them and grind
Rupa says
Thanks.. Will be trying this tomorrow..
Amritha says
Hi swasti. Tried your mushroom Manchurian and potato cheese balls both came out really well. My husband and my daughter loved it . Thank you for all the detailing you give before the recipe.
Sandhya says
Tried this recipe today it turned out very nice, color of the curry was little different though but it was delicious.
Thank you
Varsha says
Excellent
Varsha says
Excellent recipes
swasthi says
Thanks Varsha
Ram Kumaran. M says
I tried this recipe with Chicken last week it turned out well, today replaced chicken with Mutton, it also was yummy. Nice blend of spices. Love it and thanks for sharing the recipe.
swasthi says
Thank you!
Glad to know it turned out good.
DANIEL JOSEPH DSOUZA says
Hi,
Should I use dessicated coconut or regular coconut in this recipe???
Thanks
swasthi says
Hi,
Fresh coconut is preferred. If you don’t have then you may use desiccated coconut
Yogeswari Saddanathan says
Made this recipe of chettinad chicken curry! It turned out so very delicious. I have tried so many different recipes but yours suited our taste buds the best. I had to increase the red chilli powder X5, my husband loves extra extra extra hot food! Sticking this and sharing your recipe with giving you credit 🙂 !
swasthi says
Hi,
Glad to know! Can’t imagine red chilli powder X5… Just wondering how hot it would have been.
Thank you!
Debdutta Bhattacharjee Ray says
Hello! Tried this for the first time and it was sumptuous! I used both poppy seed and cashew 1:1 ratio. Thank you for this awesome recipe!
swasthi says
Hi,
You are welcome!
Glad to know it turned out good.
Thank you
Usha says
Hello Swasthi, I tried the chicken chettinad recipe today and my kids loved it.
Thanks a lot.
swasthi says
Hi Usha, Glad to know! Thank you
Ganesh says
Hi Swasthi,
I tried your recipe and the dish was simply awesome. I liked with cashew instead of poppy or pottu kadalai. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Cheers.
swasthi says
Hello Ganesh,
You are welcome! Glad to know it turned out great.
Thank you!
Ragini says
Tried this today and it came out good! So, except for 1-2 ingredients which I didn’t have at home tried managing with the rest! Thanks a lot!
swasthi says
Hello Ragini
You are welcome! Glad to know it came out good.
Thank you
Bec says
I don’t have a lot of experience cooking Indian food, but chicken chettinad is my favorite, so I thought I would give it a try, what with restaurants being closed.
I found this recipe easy to follow, engaging to make, and most importantly, delicious! Thank you so much for publishing it.
swasthi says
Hi Bec,
You are welcome. Glad to know it turned out delicious. Thank you
Shubhra Samuel says
I made this recipe for Easter and it turned out to be amazing. The best thing about your cooking is that you don’t use or recommend high end ingredients, it’s always basic ingredients that are readily available in kitchen. That’s the main reason why you arr my go to person for any special cooking. I’ve also tried the sambhar recipe and chicken fry too, both were winners in my home. Thank you!
swasthi says
Hi Shubra,
You are welcome! Glad to know! Thanks much for the comment.
🙂