Among the strong-flavoured and pungent spice dishes of the South Indian region of Tamil Nadu, the Chettinad region has one of the key dishes: Chicken Chettinad. The classic Chettiar community's savoury culinary traditions reverberate through its famous and delightfully spicy dishes. The chicken is prepared with strong spices for the love of spice in every meal. Chicken Chettinad is prepared with tender pieces marinated in a spice blend of coriander, cumin, black pepper, and red chilli powder. Chicken Chettinad recipe is flavourful! The marination, apart from infusing deep flavours into the chicken, makes the meat soft and succulent. It's made fresh with roasted masalas that improve the taste. The base for the curry is onions, garlic, and ginger, saut ed in oil until turned golden. Then follow the tomatoes and marinated chicken, giving it a good option to soak up these aromatic flavours. What makes Chicken Chettinad different from other chicken curries is the use of coconut: grated fresh coconut or coconut milk, which adds a creamy richness to the dish and helps balance its spiciness. Chicken Chettinad slowly stews to perfection and is finished with a sprig of fresh coriander; it must be served hot, steaming from fluffy rice, naan, or parotta. The tender chicken, pungent spices, and rich coconut gravy delight every corner of their mouth with every one of their bites. Delicious recipe of Chicken Chettinad. No matter whether it is a family meal or some other festive get-together, Chicken Chettinad is one quintessentially South Indian dish that has something more than an explosion of tantalising flavours to leave the diner craving for more and more. With its history and bold flavours, this is a dish full of rich love; it is the epitome of heart and soul in Chettinad cooking.

• 500 gms chicken
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• Ginger garlic paste
• Salt
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 onion
• Coriander
• 2 tomato
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• Dry red chilli
• Cooking oil

• Throw in 2 tablespoons of coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds, one tablespoon of fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns, 4-5 dry red chillies, and one tablespoon of poppy seeds into a dry pan over medium heat.
• Brown the spices lightly with a fragrant smell over 5-7 minutes by constant stirring.
• Remove the pan from the flame after roasting let the spices sit a while, and relax. Let them sit and continue using it for several more minutes.
• Pack the cooled spices into a spice grinder or mortar pestle and grind them up to fine powder. That is your homemade Chettinad masala, ready to take your chicken curry to the next level.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan or kadhai over medium heat. For a true flavour, coconut oil will do its magic, but you can make do with vegetable or sunflower oil.
• Add one teaspoon of mustard seeds to the hot oil. Let it splutter. This step contributes not only to flavour but also to the aroma as well.
• Add one finely chopped onion to the pan. Saute the onion till it turns golden yellow colour; stir occasionally. This is the most important step because the caramelised onions add sweetness and richness to the curry.
• After the onions turn golden in colour, add one tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste. Again, saut for about 2 minutes till the raw smell is gone. This curry mainly holds a flavour of ginger and garlic.
• Add two chopped tomatoes to the pan. They cook for about 4-5 minutes till they are soft, mushy and cook. They also provide a sour base to the curry.
• Add the prepared Chettinad masala as ready with 1/2 Tsp turmeric powder. Add salt to taste. Mix well and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes. This makes the spices bloom, as well as their essential oils and flavour factors.
• Add the cleaned and chopped 500 gms of chicken pieces to the spice mixture. Stir well so that each piece of chicken is now well covered with masala. On medium heat, cook for about 5 minutes so that the chicken absorbs the flavours.
• Add 1 cup of water and boil the mixture. Water will be used to make thickly rich gravy flavouring; it is recommended that one use less or more as wished for the curry to be thick or thin.
• It is covered and simmered on low after it boils. Boil for 20-25 minutes until ready when the chicken is well-cooked and cooked. It ought to be stirred every so often so that it doesn't stick together, hence spreading properly.
• Now it has to be done for 20-25 minutes. And by now, the chicken should have turned into a soft and well-cooked one. If you want your gravy to be thicker, then lower the flame and cook it without any lid for around 2-3 minutes.
• Once done, turn the stove off. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. And this would make it look more appealing by giving an instant pop of colour and freshness to it.
• Serve it with steaming white rice or jeera rice. The flavour of the gravy through rice went very well, and it is just a fulfilling meal.
• Serve the curry along with chapati, naan, or paratha for an Indian feast.
• You can serve the curry along with cucumber raita or some simple salad to balance the spices.