Chicken Chettinad
A peppery, aromatic curry from Tamil Nadu, thickened with roasted coconut and fragrant with fennel and star anise.
- Time55 minutes
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.94 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Dry fry the coriander, fennel, peppercorns, cumin, dried chillies and coconut in a pan for 3 minutes until fragrant and the coconut turns pale gold.
3 min - 2
Grind to a coarse powder in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle.
- 3
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the star anise and cinnamon, then the onions, and cook for 10 minutes until golden.
10 min - 4
Stir in the ginger, garlic and curry leaves for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and turmeric and cook for 6 minutes until soft.
6 min - 5
Add the chicken and ground spice mix and stir well for 3 minutes.
- 6
Pour in the water and salt, cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thick.
25 min - 7
Serve with rice, dosa or chapatis.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.