Kolhapuri chicken with video – Learn to make spicy chicken kolhapuri curry with fresh ground masala. Kolhapuri cuisine is popular for the spicy & flavorful foods. Veg kolhapuri, kolhapuri misal pav, paneer kolhapuri, mutton and chicken kolhapuri are some of the popular foods that are found on restaurant menus.

The uniqueness, flavor and taste of these dishes come from the roasted & freshly ground spices. I have also mentioned how to make the kolhapuri masala in this post, however you can also use ready made kolhapuri masala.
Key ingredients used in the masala are spices, poppy seeds, dry coconut (copra) and sesame seeds. Since poppy seeds are banned in Singapore I made this without using them.
The gravy turns out exceptionally good if poppy seeds and dry coconut / copra are used. If you do not have them replace with cashew nuts and dry coconut with desiccated coconut.
This spicy chicken curry goes very well with plain steamed rice or even with chapati or roti.
You may like to check chicken recipes
Related Recipes
Maharashtrian kolhapuri chicken

Kolhapuri chicken
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 500 grams chicken (bone-in)
- 1 onion large , chopped or sliced
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tomato medium , chopped finely deseeded
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ¾ tbsp ginger chopped
- ¾ tbsp garlic chopped (about ¾ tsp paste)
- Salt
- 1 handful coriander leaves Chopped
spices to roast and powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg powder or small piece (jaiphal)
- 4 cloves (laung)
- 1 strand mace (javitri)
- 1 ½ tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus) (substitute with 5 to 6 cashewnuts)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds (til)
- 4 to 5 pepper corn
- 4 to 5 red chilies (lavangi chillies or byadgi)
- ¼ cup dried coconut (preferably copra)
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds (daniya)
- 1 inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 3 green cardamom (elaichi)
- 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
- 1 tsp cumin
Instructions
- Heat a pan on a low flame and saute red chilies, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, pepper, mace and nutmeg until golden. If using nutmeg powder, add it in the next step.
- Add coconut, cumin, sesame seeds and poppy seeds. Saute until all the ingredients turn to golden. Do not over roast as the spices will taste bitter.
- Set these aside and cool. Blend spices to a fine powder.
Making kolhapuri chicken
- Meanwhile add oil to a pan and saute onions until golden.
- Add chopped ginger garlic and saute without burning until the raw smell goes off. Set these aside to cool.
- Transfer onion and ginger garlic to the powder and blend again to a fine powder. It will be slightly oily and lumpy but make sure ginger garlic is ground well.
- Add this masala to the chicken and marinate. Set this aside for at least 45 mins to one hour.
- Pour oil to the same pan and add tomatoes. Sprinkle salt and saute until the tomatoes turn soft.
- Transfer marinated chicken and saute well for 3 to 5 mins on a medium heat.
- Add salt to the chicken.
- Pour water just enough to partially cover the chicken.
- Mix well. Add coriander leaves. Regulate the flame to low flame and cook chicken until done.
- Serve kolhapuri chicken with plain steamed rice or chapati, onions slices and lemon wedges.
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.
Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes

I tried this recipe on my husbands birthday and my family loved it. Thanks a ton for this superb recipe. You made my day
So Happy to know Cecilia!
Thank you!
I tried this last week and enjoyed it so much I’m cooking it again tomorrow for some friends. Great recipe!!
Glad to know Phil
Thank you
No chicken curry is born yet to beat this recipe of chicken kolhapuri..perfect masala n the flavour it gives to the curry is uff! …its that yummy!tastie.. thank you for this mouth watering recipe..
dear all,please try it if you have not yet!
Thank you so much!
Hi Swasthi.. sounds like a yummy recipe. Gonna try it soon.. 😊 Could you please tell me the name of the masala that’s created from the roasted spice blend? Is it the Goda / Kala Maharashtrian masala by any chance?
Coz if I make this, then won’t have to purchase any of those masalas.. thank you..
Hi Salomi,
For this recipe, you don’t need any goda or kala masala. You just have to use the masala I have given
It is good receipe
Going to make it
My American husband ate Kholapuri chicken in Pune and is looking to eat it again
Hope you both enjoy it!
Dear Swasthi,
just finished the dish (i was able to save 1 serving for tomorrow :D). We absolutely loved your recipe! The Masala is the perfect base and turns out great when mixed with the tomatoes and water!
I added a carrot sliced in stripes and previously shortly sauted.
Roasted almonds and mint-yoghurt fit great as siders 🙂
Thanks again for your great recipe and keep up the good Work!:-)
Greetings from Germany
Patrick
Hi,
Welcome! That’s a lovely spread! Glad it turned out great. Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
🙂
Tried the Kolhapuri Chicken. Turned out Awesome. Thank you very much.
You are welcome
Glad to know
When ever i have to make anything be it veg or non veg i first see your blog… U are always on top of my list…while trying ur recipe i have full trust that dish will turn out good surely without any worries…
Tried chicken kolhapuri today… and i will give it six stars out of five.. ☺️ ☺️
A small request.. Please make non veg kofte… ??
Regards & wishes
Hello Tabassum
Thank you so much for the trust. Glad to know! Yes I will try to share.
🙂
Hi,
I love the way you explain how to cook. The ingredients are simple, yet they turn out to be very tasty. I tried a lot of recipes from you and amazingly, they all turned out to be excellent. I loved this recipe and the most that I and my friends liked was butter chicken. We are all great fans of butter chicken, but the one you explained was simply succulent. I search for a recipe first on your website and if I don’t find any, I look for another option.
I suggest that you create a PDF document with all your recipes. But please, it should be free 🙂
Hi Sinu
Thank you so much! Glad to know!
Hope you enjoy more recipes from here
Hi,
I tried it today, Sunday, for lunch. Turned out awesome. I tried a lot of your recipe ,they did turn out good but this one is took good.
Thank you so much Asha
Glad your kolhapuri chicken turned out good.
🙂
Awesome recipe, loved it
Thanks Neelam
I get it what your trying to say there but you forget to mention what do we do with the spice paste we made ???
Hi Selena,
I did not forget. I said to add the sauteed onions and ginger garlic to the spice powder and blend again. Then I say to marinate the chicken with this paste. Please watch the video if you are not clear.
Can’t wait to make this. Could I substitute paneer for the chicken?
Hi Julie
Yes you can use paneer. Skip the marination part and just add the spice powder to the pan after cooking the tomatoes. When the gravy is ready just add the paneer towards the end. Hope you will like it.
Hello mam . Warm greetings , This is ganesh 25 yrs old bachelor from tamilnadu . I m a big fan of your dishes and have tried a few . and the taste is amazing . I found a dish long back and have cooked few times , but now i forgot the recipe name and procedure , can you help me out mam . Things i remember is . I think starting itself we have to put chicken in oil and saute for 5 mins i used cumin powder in the dish and sprinkled cardamom powder at last. please help me to find out the dish and i would be obliged if you send the link directly to my mail. ganestm @gmail.com
Hi Ganesh,
Thanks for trying the recipes. I am not sure which recipe that is. Just tell me whether it is a starter, curry or dry chicken. This helps me to find out.
I have ready-made kholapuri masla how much quantity should I use if I want to make veg kholapuri
Sajida,
I haven’t used readymade masala anytime. So don’t know the spice level.
Thank u sswathi love your recipes
Welcome Fs Khot
Thank you
I have ready-made kholapuri masla how much quantity should I use if I want to make veg kholapur
Lovely chicken gravy…a twist to the usual chicken curry… Tq so much.
Welcome Reena
Thank you
Hi ma’am.can v use tomato puree.in kolhapuri chicken.
Hi Tasneem,
Yes you can use
Hi Swasthi, I cook occasionally but when I tried your Kolhapuri Chicken it turned out awesome! The only thing I tried different was I blended the tomatoes instead of chopping them. Will make this many more times.
Hi Abhishek
So glad to know it turned out good. Thanks for the comment.
Swasthi I have tried your kolhapuri chicken recipe twice and it came out super awesome. You have explained each step very well. Now I get request from my family to make this preparation every second day ?. Thanks a lot for sharing. Will soon try your other recipes too.
Welcome Shweta
So glad to know you liked it. Thanks for sharing the outcome.
Mouth watering
Thanks Madhavi