Kerala Chicken Ishtu (Chicken Stew)
A pale, gently spiced chicken and potato stew in coconut sauce, traditionally eaten with appam or soft bread.
Made with South Indian coconut curry base. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time50 mins
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.06 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 coconut oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves and cook for 30 seconds until they smell warm.
0 min 30 s - 2
Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes, turning, until the outside is just sealed and no longer pink. Do not brown it hard, as this stew should stay pale.
5 min - 3
Stir in your ready made South Indian coconut curry base (see the base recipe), the water, potatoes and carrots. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer.
- 4
Cover and cook gently for 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through with no pink inside.
25 min - 5
Meanwhile, cook the basmati rice to the packet instructions.
- 6
Stir in the peas and cook for 3 minutes. Take out the whole spices if you like. Taste for salt and serve with the rice.
3 min
Tips
- Thigh meat stays tender in a stew. Breast dries out, so cut it larger and add it for the last 15 minutes if you prefer it.
- Mash a few potato chunks against the pan side to thicken the sauce without flour.
- Serve with soft white bread or appam, the traditional partners for mopping up the sauce.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 to 2 hours. Keeps for 3 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I make Kerala chicken stew with chicken on the bone?
Yes. Use 1 kg of bone in thighs and drumsticks and simmer for 45 minutes instead. Check that the thickest piece has no pink meat and the juices run clear.
What do you eat Kerala stew with?
Appam (lacy fermented rice pancakes), idiyappam (string hoppers) or soft white bread. Plain rice works well for a simple dinner.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. All the ingredients are naturally gluten free. Check the label on whole spices and your rice if you are coeliac.
More made with south indian coconut curry base
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.