Kerala Chicken Curry

Name: Kerala Chicken Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: kerala
Ingredients: 600 g chicken (bone-in pieces, cleaned); 2 tbsp coconut oil; 2 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 1 inch ginger (finely chopped); 6 pcs garlic (cloves, chopped); 2 pcs green chili (slit); 2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 12 pcs curry leaves; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 0.5 tsp fennel seeds; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 pinch black pepper (freshly ground); 1 pinch garam masala; 1 cup coconut milk (thick); 1 cup water; 0.5 tsp salt

RATING

4.6/5(185)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

This homestyle Kerala chicken curry is rich with coconut, curry leaves, and warm spices. The gravy is gently spiced, deeply savory, and perfect with appam, rice, or parotta for a comforting South Indian meal.

PREP

20m

COOK

35m

SERVES

1 KATORI

468 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 8 STEPS

prep
Prepare the chicken and aromatics.
1.Clean the chicken pieces and keep them ready.
2.Slice the onions thinly.
3.Chop the ginger and garlic.
4.Chop the tomatoes and slit the green chilies.
temper · ~1 min
Make the tempering.
1.Heat coconut oil in a kadai over medium heat.
2.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3.Add fennel seeds and curry leaves.
4.Cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
TIPKeep the heat medium so the spices smell fragrant and do not burn.
saute · ~8 min
Cook the onion base.
1.Add the sliced onions and green chilies.
2.Cook until the onions turn soft and light golden.
3.Add ginger and garlic.
4.Cook until the raw smell disappears.
saute · ~6 min
Cook the tomatoes and spices.
1.Add the chopped tomatoes and salt.
2.Cook until the tomatoes soften well.
3.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, black pepper, and garam masala.
4.Mix well and cook for 1 minute.
saute · ~5 min
Coat the chicken in the masala.
Add the chicken pieces to the pan and mix well so they are coated evenly with the onion and spice mixture. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often.
simmer · ~20 min
Simmer the curry.
Pour in the water, mix, and bring the curry to a gentle boil. Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
TIPBone-in chicken gives the gravy better flavor and stays juicy as it cooks.
simmer · ~4 min
Add the coconut milk.
Lower the heat and stir in the coconut milk. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes without boiling hard, until the gravy looks smooth and lightly thickened.
TIPDo not boil the curry vigorously after adding coconut milk or it can split.
serve
Serve the Kerala chicken curry hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Let the mustard seeds fully splutter before adding fennel and curry leaves so the tempering perfumes the oil properly.
2
Slice the onions thin and cook them to light golden, not dark brown, for a sweeter Kerala-style gravy.
3
Cook the tomatoes until they turn jammy before adding powdered spices; this prevents a raw, sharp masala taste.
4
After adding chicken, sauté it in the masala for a few minutes so the spices cling to the pieces before water goes in.
5
Keep the simmer gentle after adding thick coconut milk, or the gravy can split and turn grainy.
6
This curry tastes even better after 30 minutes of rest, when the coconut, pepper, and curry leaf flavors settle together.
7
Reheat on low heat with a splash of water if needed, since coconut-based gravy thickens noticeably as it stands.