Chicken Madras (Restaurant Style)
Tender chicken thigh in a medium hot, tangy red madras sauce, just like the takeaway but made in 45 minutes.
Made with Curry base sauce (onion and tomato) and Madras paste. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time45 mins
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.50 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a wide, deep pan over a medium heat. Add your ready made madras paste (see the base recipe) and fry for 2 minutes, stirring, until it smells rich and the oil starts to separate.
2 min - 2
Add the chicken and stir until every piece is coated in paste. Fry for 3 minutes.
3 min - 3
Pour in your ready made curry base sauce (see the base recipe) and the chopped tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down.
- 4
Simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken is cooked through with no pink inside and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.
25 min - 5
Stir in the lemon juice and taste. Add the salt only if you need it, as the paste and sauce are already seasoned.
- 6
Scatter over the coriander and serve with basmati rice, or with naan if gluten is not a concern.
Tips
- Cut the chicken into even pieces so it all cooks at the same time and stays juicy.
- For a milder madras, add a spoon of coconut milk at the end rather than using less paste.
- A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the tamarind in the paste, so do not skip it.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
How hot is chicken madras?
Medium hot. It sits between a tikka masala and a vindaloo. Use less paste, or stir in a spoon of plain coconut milk, for a gentler version.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thigh?
Yes, but cut it into larger chunks and simmer for only 12 to 15 minutes, as breast dries out faster. Thigh gives a more tender, forgiving curry.
Is this madras gluten free and dairy free?
Yes. Made with the madras paste and curry base sauce, it is free from gluten, dairy, egg and nuts. Check the label on the tinned tomatoes if you are coeliac.
More made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
Salmon Tikka Masala
GFEFNFSquid Masala (Calamari Curry)
GFDFEFBeef Ularthiyathu (Kerala Dry Fried Beef with Coconut)
GFDFEFAloo Baingan Masala (Potato and Aubergine Curry)
DFEFNFSee every dish made with curry base sauce (onion and tomato)
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.