Chicken Chettinad, also called Chettinad chicken, is a spicy chicken curry from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. Chicken is marinated in yogurt, turmeric and ginger-garlic, then cooked in an onion-tomato gravy with a freshly roasted Chettinad masala made from coconut, dry red chillies and kalpasi (stone flower). Here are step-by-step pictures and the recipe to make authentic chicken Chettinad at home.
This chicken chettinad can be cooked dry or in gravy form. It can also be cooked in an instant pot or pressure cooker or in a deep bottomed utensil on stove top. In today’s recipe I have mentioned cooking chicken chettinad curry in pressure cooker.
Cooking chicken in pressure cooker saves time. Also, chicken gets cooked to perfection quickly. So, if you have hungry souls waiting for food, pressure cooking chicken is the best option. It is best to learn South Indian recipes from people there. I learnt this recipe from yummy Tummy Aarthi and modified it slightly.
This authentic chicken chettinad is one of my favourite chicken curries. This spiced chicken curry is somewhat like Goan Chicken Xacuti as it used freshly grated coconut and roasted spices in the recipe.
Ingredients for chicken Chettinad
- Chicken: Boneless or bone-in chicken pieces can be used in this Indian chicken curry recipe.
- For marination: Ginger, garlic and green chilies are crushed to paste and applied to chicken along with yogurt, turmeric powder and lime juice.
- For Chettinad masala powder: Spices like coriander seeds, dry red chillies, cumin seeds(jeera), cinnamon, kalpasi (black stone flower/dagad phool/patthar ka phool), whole black peppercorns, cardamom pods, star anise, cloves and fennel seeds(saunf) are dry roasted to make the spicy masala.
- Coconut: Freshly grated coconut is also added while roasting the whole spices.
- Onion: Sliced onion is used in making the chicken curry. Red onion is used in this recipe.
- Tomato: Fresh tomato is used in this curry chicken recipe.
- Curry leaves: Lots of fresh curry leaves is one of the main ingredients which adds the authentic South Indian taste and flavour.
- Ginger paste and garlic paste: These two pastes go hand in hand to add the pungent taste to the chicken recipe.
- Coriander leaves: Coriander leaves are used for garnishing the chicken recipe.
How to make Chettinad chicken gravy, step by step
- Take a blender and make paste with garlic, ginger and green chillies.
- Take a mixing bowl and add chicken. Add the blended ginger, garlic and green chili paste, yogurt, turmeric powder and lemon. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
For the chettinad masala:
- Heat a kadai and dry roast all the spices mentioned in “For Chettinad masala” section except grated coconut.
- Once the spices turn aromatic add grated coconut and roast till coconut turns brownish. After it turns brownish, switch off the gas and let it cool.
- After cooling, grind it into thin coarse powder.
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add curry leaves and fry for few seconds.
- Add ginger paste and garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
- Add onions and sauté till it turns soft.
- Add tomatoes and sauté till tomatoes turn slightly mushy.
- Add marinated chicken, ¾ th cup water and mix well. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 4 whistles. Switch off the heat and wait till the pressure gets released.
- Pour the contents of cooker into a kadai or deep bottomed utensil. If you want to make gravy, add 1 cup water.
- Add the ground masala and mix well. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Chicken Chettinad dry or gravy?
The chicken chettinad curry can be cooked in dry or gravy form. If cooking dry recipe, do not add additional water after pressure cooking. The chicken can be cooked in a deep bottomed pan on a stove top instead of pressure cooker.
What to serve with chicken Chettinad
This spicy South Indian chicken curry can be served with dosa, appams, plain rice or rotis.
FAQs
- What is Chettinad masala made of? Coriander seeds, dry red chillies, cumin, cinnamon, kalpasi (stone flower) and grated coconut, dry-roasted until aromatic and ground to a coarse powder.
- Is chicken Chettinad very spicy? Yes, it is one of the spicier South Indian chicken curries. Use fewer dry red chillies in the masala for a milder version.
- Can I make chicken Chettinad without a pressure cooker? Yes. Cook it covered in a deep-bottomed kadai on the stove until the chicken is tender, adding a little water if the gravy gets too thick.
- What goes well with Chettinad chicken? Dosa, appam, steamed rice or rotis.
Also try other chicken recipes like:
This Chettinad fish fry recipe is also made with Chettinad masala. You may try it out too.
Chettinad Chicken Curry
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Kadai / wok
- Mixer grinder
Ingredients
- 1/2 kg chicken pieces
For marinating the chicken:
- 10 garlic pods
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 2 green chilies
- 1/2 cup curd/yogurt
- 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the curry:
- 2 onion sliced
- 2 tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- Lots of curry Leaves approximately 20
- 2 tablespoon Oil
For Chettinad masala:
- 3 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 3 dry red chilli
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds / jeera
- 1 inch cinnamon Stick
- 3 pieces Kalpasi / black stone flower
- 2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 5 cardamom Pods
- 1 star anise
- 4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds / saunf
- 1/4 cup coconut freshly grated
- Chopped Coriander Leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Take a blender and make paste with garlic, ginger and green chillies.
- Take a mixing bowl and add chicken. Add the blended ginger, garlic and green chili paste, yogurt, turmeric powder and lemon. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
For the chettinad masala:
- Heat a kadai and dry roast all the spices mentioned in “For Chettinad masala” section except grated coconut.
- Once the spices turn aromatic add grated coconut and roast till coconut turns brownish. After it turns brownish, switch off the gas and let it cool.
- After cooling, grind it into thin coarse powder.
- Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add curry leaves and fry for few seconds.
- Add ginger paste and garlic paste and sauté for a minute.
- Add onions and sauté till it turns soft.
- Add tomatoes and sauté till tomatoes turn slightly mushy.
- Add marinated chicken, ¾ th cup water and mix well. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 4 whistles. Switch off the heat and wait till the pressure gets released.
- Pour the contents of cooker into a kadai or deep bottomed utensil. If you want to make gravy, add 1 cup water.
- Add the ground masala and mix well. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Notes
- The chicken Chettinad curry can be cooked in dry or gravy form. If cooking dry recipe, do not add additional water after pressure cooking.
- The chicken can be cooked in a deep bottomed pan on a stove top instead of pressure cooker.
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Note: The recipe was published on 15 June 2015 and is republished.
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