South Indian Chicken Curry

Name: South Indian Chicken Curry
Total time: 3600 s
Yield: 2-3 people
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 450 g chicken; 1/2 tsp turmeric powder; 3/4 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 1/4 tsp regular red chilli powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste; 1 1/2 tbsp thick curd (optional); 2 tbsp ghee; 1 large onion, thinly sliced; 1 large tomato, finely chopped; 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste; 1–2 green chillies, slit lengthwise; 1–2 sprigs curry leaves; 1 1/4 tsp coriander powder; 3/4 tsp cumin powder; 1/4 tsp turmeric powder; 1/4 tsp regular red chilli powder; 1/2 tsp garam masala; 1/2–¾ tsp salt, or to taste; 180–250 ml hot water; 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander; 2 tsp coriander seeds; 3/4 tsp fennel seeds; 1/4 tsp cumin seeds; 1/4 tsp black peppercorns; 2 cloves; 1 small cinnamon stick (approximately 1.5 cm); 1 green cardamom pod; 2 tbsp grated coconut; 2 –3 tbsp water

DSK @dskcooks

Bengaluru

A Little Taste of Home ❤️

Sometimes, the best recipes come from simply experimenting in the kitchen. This chicken curry started as an attempt to make something rich, comforting, and full of flavour.

With golden onions, ghee, freshly roasted spices, and coconut, the kitchen filled with the most beautiful aroma. And when I finally tasted it, I knew I had made something special!

It's not a recipe passed down through generations, just a little kitchen experiment that turned into something I truly loved. Sharing it here in the hope that it brings the same warmth and happiness to your home. ❤️🍛

A Little Taste of Home ❤️

Sometimes, the best recipes come from simply experimenting in the kitchen. This chicken curry started as an attempt to make something rich, comforting, and full of flavour.

With golden onions, ghee, freshly roasted spices, and coconut, the kitchen filled with the most beautiful aroma. And when I finally tasted it, I knew I had made something special!

DSK @dskcooks

Bengaluru

A Little Taste of Home ❤️

Sometimes, the best recipes come from simply experimenting in the kitchen. This chicken curry started as an attempt to make something rich, comforting, and full of flavour.

With golden onions, ghee, freshly roasted spices, and coconut, the kitchen filled with the most beautiful aroma. And when I finally tasted it, I knew I had made something special!

A Little Taste of Home ❤️

Sometimes, the best recipes come from simply experimenting in the kitchen. This chicken curry started as an attempt to make something rich, comforting, and full of flavour.

With golden onions, ghee, freshly roasted spices, and coconut, the kitchen filled with the most beautiful aroma. And when I finally tasted it, I knew I had made something special!

Saved

Ingredients

1 hr

2-3 people

For marinating the chicken
450 gchicken
1/2 tspturmeric powder
3/4 tspKashmiri chilli powder
1/4 tspregular red chilli powder
1/4 tspsalt
2 tspginger-garlic paste
1 1/2 tbspthick curd (optional)
For the curry
2 tbspghee
1large onion, thinly sliced
1large tomato, finely chopped
1 tbspginger-garlic paste
1–2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
1–2 sprigs curry leaves
1 1/4 tspcoriander powder
3/4 tspcumin powder
1/4 tspturmeric powder
1/4 tspregular red chilli powder
1/2 tspgaram masala
1/2–¾ tsp salt, or to taste
180–250 ml hot water
2 tbspchopped fresh coriander
For the freshly roasted spice mix
2 tspcoriander seeds
3/4 tspfennel seeds
1/4 tspcumin seeds
1/4 tspblack peppercorns
2cloves
1small cinnamon stick (approximately 1.5 cm)
1green cardamom pod
For the coconut paste
2 tbspgrated coconut
2–3 tbsp water

Saved

Steps

1 hr

1

Marinate the chicken.
In a bowl, combine the chicken with turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, regular chilli powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste and curd. Mix well, cover and marinate for 20–30 minutes in the refrigerator.
2

Roast the whole spices.
Heat a small pan over low heat without oil. Add coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Dry-roast for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously until fragrant. Cool completely and grind into a fine powder.
3

Prepare the coconut paste.
Grind the grated coconut with 2–3 tablespoons of water until smooth. Keep aside.
4

Fry the onions in ghee.
Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed kadai over medium-low heat. Add the green chillies and curry leaves and fry for 20–30 seconds. Add the sliced onion and fry for 8–12 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden brown.
5

Add the ginger-garlic paste.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1–2 minutes until its raw smell disappears.
6

Prepare the tomato masala.
Add the chopped tomato, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, regular chilli powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly and mashing the tomatoes as they soften. Continue until the tomatoes form a thick masala and a little ghee begins to separate around the edges.
7

Add the roasted spice powder.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the freshly ground spice mix and stir for 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Add a tablespoon of water if the masala starts sticking.
8

Cook the chicken in the masala.
Add the marinated chicken along with any remaining marinade. Mix well until every piece is coated in the masala. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9

Simmer the chicken.
Pour in 180 ml hot water and mix well. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and simmer over low to medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Stir gently and check the chicken. Continue cooking for another 5–10 minutes if necessary, adding a little more hot water if the gravy becomes too thick.
10

Add the coconut paste.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the coconut paste. Simmer uncovered for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens and becomes smooth and rich. Ensure the chicken is fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 74°C.
11

Finish the curry.
Add garam masala and chopped fresh coriander. Taste and adjust the salt. If the gravy is too thin, simmer uncovered for another 3–5 minutes.
12

Rest and serve.
Switch off the heat and let the curry rest for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy hot with steamed rice, dosa, neer dosa, chapati or parotta.