Chicken Chettinad is a delicious mouth-watering gravy made using whole spices, onion, tomato, herbs and spices. Chicken Chettinad is a great combo with rice and any flat bread like roti, paratha, naan etc. Learn to make Chicken Chettinad with step by step pictures.
Chicken Chettinad is my favorite which is my staple order at restaurants. It is spicy, flavorful and yummy perfect to dip in flat breads. Hubby who is not very fond of nonveg dishes, like this gravy with rice or even roti. Here is the recipe with stepwise included.
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About Chicken Chettinad
Chicken Chettinad is a flavorful and aromatic gravy made using whole spices, onion, tomato, garlic, coconut, spice powders and herbs. Chettinad Chicken is enjoyed by all for its taste. If you are fond of authentic chettinad cuisine and taste then this is just right for you.
Chettinad Chicken is a gravy perfect to pair up with both rice and roti. This can be made dry or gravy as per your liking. You can customize the recipe according to your taste and preference, it works great.
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Chicken Chettinad Ingredients
- Chicken – Use chicken with bones, thigh and breast pieces can also be used. You can use country chicken or broiler chicken too.
- Curd – Thick curd is used to marinate the chicken.
- Spice powders – Turmeric powder and red chili powder is used.
- Masala paste – A masala paste is made using coconut, red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper corn, fennel seeds, fried gram dal, onion, tomato.
- Tempering – A tempering is made using whole spices including cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, curry leaves, garlic, onion and tomato.
How to make Chicken Chettinad Step by Step
1.Heat a pan and add red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper corns, fennel seeds, roasted gram and dry roast till slightly golden brown. Then add onion, tomato and sauté till onions turn golden brown and tomatoes raw smell leaves. Finally add in coconut and sauté till golden.
2.Cool down and grind it to a fine paste(sprinkle little water). Add chicken, salt, turmeric powder, curd in a mixing bowl and marinate for at least 1 hour(the more time, the better) and Set aside. In a pressure cooker heat oil, add bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and sauté for a minute.
3.Then add onion, tomato, garlic, curry leaves and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the chicken and sauté it for 10mins at least. Then add the grinded masala paste and mix well. Sauté until raw smell completely leaves and the chicken blends well with the masalas.
4.Add 1/2 cup water , required salt(add red chili powder if required at this stage) and pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame. Once pressure releases, transfer it to a kadai (in medium flame) and allow it to boil until oil separates(this may take sometime). Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off as per your required consistency. It gets thick with time so switch off accordingly.
5.Serve hot with rice or rotis. I love it with both. The freshly ground masala is so flavorful which is the best in this gravy. Don’t hold back seeing the ingredients list, am sure it will become one of your favorites once tried.
Expert Tips
- Instead of adding the whole spices while tempering, you can add them(bayleaf, cardamom,cinnamon, cloves) with roasting and grinding itself.
- Amma always prefers pressure cooking for chicken. Instead you can just cook in kadai with water itself, but chicken will take more time to get cooked.
- Make sure to saute chicken well to get rid of the raw smell.
- The spice level can be adjusted according to taste, we prefer it a bit less spicy.
Serving and Storage
Chicken Chettinad can be served with rice, roti etc. This curry keeps well in fridge for 2 days, reheat and serve it.
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📖 Recipe Card
Chicken Chettinad Recipe | Chettinad Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 grams chicken
- 2 tablespoon curd
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
- salt as required
To roast and grind
- 1/4 cup coconut
- 4 dry red chilies
- 1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper corns
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon fried gram dal
- 1 medium sized onion
- 1 medium sized tomato
To temper
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 inch cinnamon
- 2 1cloves
- 1 cardamom
- 10 1curry leaves
- 7 small onion
- 5 garlic
- 1 medium sized tomato
Instructions
- Heat a pan and add red chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper corns, fennel seeds, roasted gram and dry roast till slightly golden brown. Then add onion, tomato and sauté till onions turn golden brown and tomatoes raw smell leaves. Finally add in coconut and sauté till golden.
- Cool down and grind it to a fine paste(sprinkle little water). Add chicken, salt, turmeric powder, curd in a mixing bowl and marinate for at least 1 hour(the more time, the better) and Set aside. In a pressure cooker heat oil, add bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and sauté for a minute.
- Then add onion, tomato, garlic, curry leaves and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the chicken and sauté it for 10mins at least. Then add the grinded masala paste and mix well. Sauté until raw smell completely leaves and the chicken blends well with the masalas.
- Add 1/2 cup water , required salt(add red chili powder if required at this stage) and pressure cook for 2 whistles in medium flame. Once pressure releases, transfer it to a kadai (in medium flame) and allow it to boil until oil separates(this may take sometime). Garnish with coriander leaves and switch off as per your required consistency. It gets thick with time so switch off accordingly.
- Serve hot with rice or rotis. I love it with both. The freshly ground masala is so flavorful which is the best in this gravy. Don’t hold back seeing the ingredients list, am sure it will become one of your favorites once tried.
Notes
- Instead of adding the whole spices while tempering, you can add them(bayleaf, cardamom,cinnamon, cloves) with roasting and grinding itself.
- Amma always prefers pressure cooking for chicken. Instead you can just cook in kadai with water itself, but chicken will take more time to get cooked.
- Make sure to saute chicken well to get rid of the raw smell.
- The spice level can be adjusted according to taste, we prefer it a bit less spicy.
Kavitha Bhargav
hmm… interesting. As a veggie person I may try this with boiled potato 🙂
ANU
wow I too make this and it tastes so gud…awesome clicks dear….
Reshmi Mahesh
Delicious preparation…Looks yumm..and lovely clicks…BTW which lens-Prime?
Sharmilee! :)
Yes 35mm prime lens 🙂
manjooo
looks so delicious..will try this for sure…
divya
Happy Valentine's day..these curry look tempting..
Namitha
I''m sold at the word, chettinad 🙂 love this curry S,anytime 🙂
Sumi
A traditional recipe beautifully presented.Nice work 🙂
Kanchan
Hmmm I always love this type of chicken, Btw, can we make vegetarian version of this ?
Sharmilee! :)
Yes you can make the same recipe with potatoes or cauliflower
Torviewtoronto
deliciously done favourite looks wonderful
Rekha shoban
i love chettinadu chicken…whenever i go to anjappar i order for this gravy! looks yummy…perfect with rice!
priya ravi
Hmmm.. could feel the aroma rightaway.. nice clicks 🙂
Shumaila
This looks delicious! And congrats on the new lens!
Sangeetha Nambi
Bookmarked !
Shabitha Karthikeyan
Wonderful curry !! Looks so delicious !! Our favorite !!
Priyas Feast
Yummy chicken gravy and most wanted for nonvegterians..Luvly click with new lens.
Anonymous
yummy!!!… naan unga veetuku varumpodhu(adhu epponu ketkaadhe!!!) senju thaa…;)
Dev
Tina
so tempting and mouthwatering..
Suchi
Hi Sharmi, I also love this dish, but never made it at home. Will try your recipe and let you know how it went 🙂 Your photos look awesome!
An Open Book
absolutely mouthwatering…im craving some right away
maha
wat tempting and mouthwatering dish…….looks just hot……
Cham
I like this different masala used in this chettinadu chicken.
TheYummyMorsel
I can smell the aroma right from here! Looks very delicious.
Jills
I tried and it came out good……..my husband loved it…..thanks a lot for sharing this……similar to anjappar chettinadu kuzhambu taste…..great
Sri
WOW….
I tried it, for the first time itself the dish came out very well… My in-laws, parents and hubby everyone liked it.
Its all because of u,ur exact measurements are the key to success 🙂
Anonymous
Hi, did you use boneless chicken for this dish? thanks for sharing.
– Lena
Sharmilee! :)
@Anon : I used chicken with bones that is fine too….
Govindaraman Varadarajan
its delicious.. I tried it twice 🙂 .. thx for sharing …
vijipraveen
Hi..
Sharmi…
Thanks for all your recipes which is helping me a lot to prepare Indian dishes since i am in USA.I dont go to kitchen before marriage, now your site helps me make awesome dishes.
thank you
sharmi….
poovitha kesavan
Thanks so much, it came very well 🙂 delicious
Achal Gupta
Tried ur recipe…….result was yummy Chettinad style chicken……thanks!!!
saravanan esakky
I tried, it had come out well.. tks very much for the lovely process.
Sri Shanthini
i tried it,result was too good,thank you sharmi
Adam Clarke
Hi,
I have just came across your website – cant wait to try some of the recipes. Particularly looking forward to the juices!
Could anyone please tell me what "Curd" is please?
Thanks
Sharmilee! :)
Curd is Yogurt…
viswini
Hi.. Tried it.. It came out so well.. Thank you so much..
sudhir haridas
Hi today I tried the recipe and it just turned out to be eclactic….my in laws cudnt stop licking their fingers n my wife simply loved it n I got a big hug n a kissi ……..thanks for the recipe…..Sudhir haridas (mumbai)
aswatha arthi
Following ur dishes at home for past 3years but never commented.inspiring everyone as a cook and a gr8mother…..following
rajalakshmi rajesh
I tried this..It was very yummy
Meenal Ramanathan
should we dry roast all things chillies,cumin,pepper,onion,tomato,coconut
SHARMILEE J
Yes
susha
i tried it twice.. Simply mindblowing..
Thank u
Naveen Paul
I cooked for the very first time n it came out really well, thank you so much
rash
Was searching for a spicy chicken recipe and this just fit th bill..Tried this yummy recipe..its just gggrreeaatttttt!!!! Looking forward for more such recipe's…..
Angu Raj
Its very tasty I never tasted like this item
Anguraj
Tirunelveli
Angu Raj
ITS VERY TASTY & I NEVER TASTED LIKE THIS DISH.
THANK U
ANGURAJ
TIRUNELVELI
Alamelu Raj
I tried it and it really really came out very well… everyone relished it… Felt very happy… Thank u so much….
Alamelu Raj
I tried it and it really really came out very well.. Felt very happy.. Thanks for the receipe…
achoo
wow… what a great receipe…. tried it today and got thumbs up for this dish…. thanks a lot sharmi …. 🙂
sab
Hi sharmi. Tried this and you are right. This has become one of my favorite. Thanks for such a flavorful dish 🙂
rumblingsofanuttybrain
Can Besan be substituted for Roasted gram? I dont live in India and find it a lil hard to get all the ingredients
Zeenee
Sharmi, I’m a great fan of your recipes. I tried this today with mock chicken (made out of soy and wheat, and easily available in Malaysia). It tasted like something out of a restaurant. Amazingly simple but mindblowingly flavourful. I used thick coconut milk instead of curd. Thanks so much for this keeper.
Bee
Hi,
Did you use fresh coconut or dry?
Can coconut be skipped for this recipe?
Sharmilee J
fresh coconut only…yes you can skip that
SHANMUGAPRIYA
CAN U SAY ME HOW MUCH WEIGHT THIS CHICKEN RECIPE .
Sharmilee J
250 gms