Chettinad Chicken Stirfry

Chicken Chettinad is a popular chicken curry with plenty of punch and fire from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. This simpler and quicker version of Chettinad chicken stirfry from Maunika Gowardhan via Olive Magazine adapted the flavours of this classic curry with ginger, turmeric, curry leaves, fennel seeds, cinnamon and dried red chillies. For a fuller flavour, marinate the chicken for up to overnight as the flavours intensify with time. Serve it hot with steamed rice, flatbread or cauliflower rice if you are on lowcarb.


500 g Skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces 1 tbsp Coarsely grated ginger ½ tsp Ground turmeric 1 tsp Chilli powder (or to taste) ½ tsp Fennel seeds 2 cm Cinnamon stick 3 Dried red chillies ½ tsp Black peppercorns 3 tbsp Chicken schmaltz 1 tsp Black mustard seeds 4-6 Curry leaves 1 Large onion, thinly sliced 2 Small tomatoes, chopped A handful coriander, chopped

Put the chicken in a large bowl along with the ginger, turmeric and chilli powder. Stir well and leave to marinate for 20 minutes or up to overnight.
Use a pestle and mortar to lightly bash the fennel seeds, cinnamon, dried chillies and peppercorns, and set aside.
Heat the chicken schmaltz over a medium heat in a wok or large frying pan. Add the mustard seeds and, when they begin to pop, fry for 10 seconds. Add the crushed spices and fry for a minute.
Add the curry leaves and, as they splutter, add the onion. Fry for 7-8 minutes, stirring often. Add the marinated chicken and turn the heat up slightly, frying for 4 minutes. Season with a little salt. Lower the heat, cover and cook the chicken for 10 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Add the tomatoes and continue cooking uncovered for 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle over the coriander and serve with flatbread or steamed rice.

16 comments:

Tom 27/2/26 13:10: ...Angie, this looks great!
Lola Martínez 27/2/26 13:11: El pollo al curry nos gusta, pero sin picante, de todas formas tu receta es muy buena.
Ananka 27/2/26 13:41: Looks good :-D Warm you up on a cold day!
DEZMOND 27/2/26 15:00: I've been having terrible stomachache so I am mostly on mint tea and not much else lol Hope I survive the weekend...
Christine 27/2/26 15:05: Yummy
Judee 27/2/26 15:40: Looks very good Angie. You share so many interesting ethnic recipes. Perfect for chicken lovers...
Pattie Tierney 27/2/26 16:40: This looks so good! I have all of the ingredients (last week I bought a bunch of cilantro/coriander, and then wondered why) except for the curry leaves. Years ago I grew a curry plant that smelled just like the curry powder (that I know is a mix of spices) but I don’t think it was edible.
David Scott Allen 27/2/26 17:11: Wow -- this sounds fantastic, Angie -- definitely saving this to make.
Lori 27/2/26 18:13: What a beautiful dish and I am sure it tastes just as good. Happy Friday!!
eileeninmd 27/2/26 18:28: Hello Angie,
Another great chicken recipe! Take care, enjoy your day and happy weekend.
Brian's Home Blog 27/2/26 19:18: Yes, that looks fabulous!
🌺JoAnna🌺 27/2/26 21:22: Looks so good 👍
Have a great weekend dear Angie. 🌼☀️
Bill 27/2/26 21:43: Looks good and yummy.
Frank | Memorie di Angelina 27/2/26 21:48: Another winner, Angie! Mouth watering..
Linda's Relaxing Lair 27/2/26 22:16: It looks amazing Angie. 👏
roentare 27/2/26 22:57: That is a yummy looking dish