• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • ABOUT

Swasthi's Recipes

Home >> Recipes >> Chicken Recipes

Chicken chettinad gravy recipe

By swasthi , on December 31, 2019, 168 Comments, Jump to Recipe

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

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.

Advertisement

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.

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.

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 or 8 whole cashew nuts or roasted gram. When the poppy seeds turn crisp. Transfer to a plate.

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.

frying onions in pan

7. Add chicken and fry for about 4 to 5 minutes. The raw smell of the ginger garlic has to go away.

addition of marinade to pan for chettinad chicken

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.

addition of tomato puree

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.

addition of ground spice paste for chettinad chicken curry recipe

11. Add water as needed.

addition of water to make gravy
Advertisement

12. Cook covered till the chicken is fully cooked, soft and tender. I garnished with fried curry leaves.

garnished with curry leaves chettinad chicken curry

Serve chicken chettinad with rice or phulka.

chicken chettinad

Related Recipes

indian chicken curry

Chicken curry...

andhra chicken curry recipe

Andhra chicke...

kerala chicken

Kerala chicke...

ghee rice

Ghee rice rec...

Kolhapuri chicken | How to make spicy chicken kolhapuri

Kolhapuri chi...

garlic naan recipe

Naan Recipe |...

Advertisement

Chicken chettinad

Simple chicken gravy from South India's popular chettinad cuisine. Cooked in flavorful , freshly ground mixture of spices
Pin Recipe Print Recipe

For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Servings3 people
AuthorSwasthi

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 8 whole cashew nuts or 1 tbsp roasted gram)
  • 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
Advertisement

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 cashews or 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.
Advertisement

Notes

Authentic Chettinad chicken looks dark brown in color and is just normal due to the deep roasting of spices. The curry in my pictures looks lighter in color since I did not use red chilies to make the chettinad masala. 

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)

Nutrition Facts
Chicken chettinad
Amount Per Serving (200 g)
Calories 570 Calories from Fat 378
% Daily Value*
Fat 42g65%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 125mg42%
Sodium 136mg6%
Potassium 657mg19%
Carbohydrates 13g4%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 985IU20%
Vitamin C 17mg21%
Calcium 140mg14%
Iron 3.5mg19%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

WhatsApp
Share
Pin
Reddit
Tweet
Email
FOR MORE RECIPES

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.


Chicken chettinad gravy recipe
Advertisement
WhatsApp
Share
Pin
Reddit
Tweet
Email

Related Posts

Advertisement

FEATURED RECIPES

Breakfast Recipes

Upma recipe (r…

upma recipe

Cake Recipes

Banana cake re…

banana cake recipe

Breakfast Recipes

Aloo paratha r…

aloo paratha

vegetarian

Paneer recipes…

paneer recipes

Dal Recipes

Dal makhani (S…

dal makhani recipe

Rice Recipes

Veg biryani re…

veg biryani

Advertisement

POPULAR RECIPES

Idli recipe (S…

soft idli

Samosa recipe …

samosa

Pav bhaji reci…

pav bhaji

Eggless chocol…

eggless chocolate cake

Palak paneer r…

palak paneer

Rajma recipe |…

rajma

Advertisement

Paneer butter …

paneer butter masala

Kadai paneer r…

kadai paneer

Paneer tikka r…

paneer tikka

Advertisement

About swasthi

I’m Swasthi shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthis 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.
Read more..

Reader Interactions

Share Your Comments & Feedback: Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Advertisement
  2. Deepa Arul says

    January 11, 2021

    5 stars
    Hi Swasthi..these days I check the recipe for anything with a suffix of Swasthi..😊
    Your recipes never go wrong.
    Is there any alternate for poppy seeds for this recipe..because here in Dubai we don’t get them.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      January 11, 2021

      Hi Deeepa
      Thank you so much! Happy to know! You can use 8 cashewnuts or 1 tbsp roasted gram.

      Reply
  3. Mahi says

    January 10, 2021

    5 stars
    Delicious😋

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      January 10, 2021

      Thank you

      Reply
  4. Sudhir says

    December 17, 2020

    5 stars
    Turned out really good. Very authentic taste and aroma. Thanks much for the recipe.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 17, 2020

      Welcome Sudhir
      Glad to know!

      Reply
  5. Prethum says

    December 13, 2020

    5 stars
    Awesome receipe. Tried it today, came out good. Thanks for this wonderful recipe.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      December 14, 2020

      Welcome Prethum
      Thank you!

      Reply
  6. RAJESH N RATHOD says

    November 19, 2020

    5 stars
    RUSTIC – FLAVORFUL -MOUTHWATERING

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      November 19, 2020

      Thank you

      Reply
  7. Mahi says

    October 12, 2020

    4 stars
    I tried this recipe. It was just awesome taste.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      October 13, 2020

      Glad to know!

      Reply
  8. Advertisement
  9. Sreeja shekar says

    October 11, 2020

    5 stars
    Very easy to understand n cook

    Reply
  10. Vikashini says

    October 4, 2020

    5 stars
    Nice receipes.i tried many dishes

    Reply
  11. Swati Singh says

    September 13, 2020

    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?

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      September 13, 2020

      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.

      Reply
      • Swati Singh says

        October 6, 2020

        5 stars
        Thanks a lot!

        Reply
  12. Shraddha says

    September 11, 2020

    5 stars
    Question.. Should the gas be on high or on medium flame at the end after putting water?

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      September 11, 2020

      Cook on a low to medium heat.

      Reply
  13. Dwight D Waller says

    July 24, 2020

    5 stars
    Very good recipe, reminiscent of Bangalore restaurant. My prep time does take much longer, 1 hour.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      July 24, 2020

      Thank you! I will look into the prep time.

      Reply
  14. Advertisement
  15. Sameera says

    July 14, 2020

    5 stars
    Dear swasthi
    I tried your recipe.
    It turned out delicious.
    Superb job.👍

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      July 16, 2020

      Thanks Sameera
      So glad to know!
      🙂

      Reply
  16. Sameera says

    July 14, 2020

    5 stars
    Dear swasthi
    I tried your recipes .it turned out delicious.
    Superb job.👍

    Reply
  17. Sukhminder says

    July 2, 2020

    4 stars
    I tried this recipe today for the first time and it came out really well !

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      July 2, 2020

      Glad to know!

      Reply
  18. Nic says

    June 28, 2020

    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 !

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      June 29, 2020

      Glad to know Nic
      Thank you

      Reply
  19. Rupa says

    June 26, 2020

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      June 27, 2020

      Hi
      Yes you can roast them and grind

      Reply
      • Rupa says

        June 27, 2020

        Thanks.. Will be trying this tomorrow..

        Reply
  20. Advertisement
  21. Amritha says

    June 14, 2020

    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.

    Reply
  22. Sandhya says

    June 7, 2020

    4 stars
    Tried this recipe today it turned out very nice, color of the curry was little different though but it was delicious.

    Thank you

    Reply
  23. Varsha says

    May 23, 2020

    5 stars
    Excellent

    Reply
  24. Varsha says

    May 23, 2020

    5 stars
    Excellent recipes

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 29, 2020

      Thanks Varsha

      Reply
  25. Ram Kumaran. M says

    May 17, 2020

    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.

    Reply
    • swasthi says

      May 19, 2020

      Thank you!
      Glad to know it turned out good.

      Reply
« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Advertisement

DIWALI RECIPES

JALEBI RECIPE
RASGULLA RECIPE
RASMALAI RECIPE
GULAB JAMUN
BESAN LADOO
KAJU KATLI
RAVA LADDU
Advertisement

CATEGORIES

DINNER RECIPES
SANDWICH RECIPES
BREAKFAST RECIPES
RICE RECIPES
CHUTNEY RECIPES
SNACKS RECIPES
SWEETS RECIPES

Follow me on social media

Facebook

Like

Instagram

Follow

Pinterest

Follow

Twitter

Follow
Advertisement

HEALTH CORNER

RAGI RECIPES
OATS RECIPES
MILLET RECIPES

Advertisement
Advertisement

© 2012 - 2020 - Swasthi's Recipes. The content is copyrighted to SWASTHI'S and may not be reproduced in any form.