Recipe for spicy chicken masala, Tamilnadu style. Spicy chicken masala made with home made masala paste and spices. Excellent side dish. Recipe with step by step pictures.
This recipe for spicy chicken masala is from Ganesan. Ganesan is a home cook who works at Vinodh’s brothers place. We recently had this curry and I really liked it. The home ground masala with coconut and fennel forms the base of the curry. The masalas are simmered on a low flame for a long time and it gets nicely caramelized and yumm! Do try this recipe at home. I have minimally changed the original recipe to suit my kitchen.
Whenever making a thick thokku, masala etc involving meat, here is the trick I follow. Once the meat is cooked, I remove the meat and allow the gravy to reduce. It does two things. The meat stays soft without over cooking and doesnt break down. The gravy can be reduced to our liking. Cooking the gravy for a long time caramalizes the onions etc.. and the taste is super delicious and addictive.
If you must have observed the Tamil style hotels, they would pour the gravy on a big dosa tava and reduce it first. The meat will be added in the end and mixed. The concentrated flavours of the gravy combined with the meat is what makes some dishes stand out.
Here is the video of how to make Chicken Masala
Here is how to do Chicken Masala.
First we will roast some ingredients and make a masala paste that will form the base of this curry. Here is how to go about it.
Heat Indian sesame oil / gingely oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon and cloves.
Now add in the Indian shallots (small onions), ginger, garlic and the regular chopped onions.
Add in the fennel seeds, black pepper and the salt. I have used sea salt today. Rock salt will also work well for this recipe.
Saute for five minutes till the onions are soft. Add in a teaspoon of kuzhambu milagai thool. Also add in the fresh shredded coconut. Saute for a minute and remove from heat. Set aside.
Note: “Kuzhambu milagai thool” is a home ground spice that is similar to sambar powder and each house has its own blend. You can buy them online too! If you do not have kuzhambu milagai thool, add in store bought powder or just omit it. Do not substitute with anything else.
Once the ingredients in the pan is cool, add it to a mixie and wash the pan with a cup of water and add it back to the pan. The caramelized bits sticking in the pan adds a lot of flavour. Grind to a really smooth paste. Set aside.
For Indian curries, you will need a heavy duty mixie and here is what I recommend.
Heat Indian sesame oil in a pan and add in the sliced shallots. Saute for 5-6 minutes till the shallots are soft.
Add in the chopped tomato and saute for a couple of minutes.
Add in the turmeric powder and the chicken pieces. Chicken thighs work well for this recipe. Always use chicken with bone as bone is where a lot of flavour is.
Add in the ground masala. A lot of masala will be sticking to the mixie. Wash the mixie with half a cup of water and add it back to the pan.
Add in a teaspoon of vinegar. Any regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work.
Remove the seeds of the dry red chillies and add it to the pan. The chillies is just for the flavour. It will become very spicy if you add it along with the seeds. So a little caution there about the red chillies.
So please remove the seeds and then add it to the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer on a low flame for 20 – 25 minutes. Stir every five minutes so the masalas dont scorch at the bottom.
After 20 – 25 minutes, the chicken should be cooked. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside on a plate.
Now, we will reduce the masala to a thick “gojju”. Simmer on a low flame and stir occasionally so the masalas does not scorch at the bottom of the pan.
The oil from the gravy will slowly start separating and small specks of grease will float on top. This is the indication that the gravy is done.
Add in black pepper powder.
Add in a few sprigs of curry leaves. Fresh curry leaves adds a nice flavour and aroma.
Add back the chicken and mix well. Spicy Tamilnadu style chicken masala is ready.
The chicken masala can be served with dosa, appam and rice.
Chicken Masala Recipe, Tamil Restaurant style chicken Masala
Recipe for spicy chicken masala, Tamilnadu style. Spicy chicken masala made with home made masala paste and spices. Excellent side dish. Recipe with step by step pictures.
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the masala paste
- 1 tablespoon Indian sesame oil
- 4 cloves
- 1/2 inch cinnamon
- 5–6 Indian shallots (small onions)
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 inch piece ginger, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon rock salt or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon kuzhambu milagai thool
- 1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut
- 1.5 cups water – divided
Other ingredients
- 1/2 kg chicken with bone
- 2 tablespoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
- 15 Indian shallots (small onions), sliced
- 2 small country tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar / apple cider vinegar
- 6 dry red chillies, seeds removed
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 3 sprigs curry leaves
Instructions
- Heat Indian sesame oil / gingely oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon and cloves. Now add in the Indian shallots (small onions), ginger, garlic and the regular chopped onions. Add in the fennel seeds, black pepper and the salt.
- Saute for five minutes till the onions are soft. Add in a teaspoon of kuzhambu milagai thool. Also add in the fresh shredded coconut. Saute for a minute and remove from heat. Set aside.
- Once the ingredients in the pan is cool, add it to a mixie and wash the pan with a cup of water and add it back to the pan. Grind to a really smooth paste. Set aside.
- Heat Indian sesame oil in a pan and add in the sliced shallots. Saute for 5-6 minutes till the shallots are soft. Add in the chopped tomato and saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the turmeric powder and the chicken pieces.
- Add in the ground masala. A lot of masala will be sticking to the mixie. Wash the mixie with half a cup of water and add it back to the pan.
- Add in a teaspoon of vinegar. Any regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work.
- Remove the seeds of the dry red chillies and add it to the pan. The chillies is just for the flavour. It will become very spicy if you add it along with the seeds.
- Cover the pan with a lid and let it simmer on a low flame for 20 – 25 minutes. Stir every five minutes so the masalas dont scorch at the bottom.
- After 20 – 25 minutes, the chicken should be cooked. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside on a plate.
- Now, we will reduce the masala to a thick “gojju”. Simmer on a low flame and stir occasionally so the masalas does not scorch at the bottom of the pan.
- The oil from the gravy will slowly start separating and small specks of grease will float on top. This is the indication that the gravy is done.
- Add in black pepper powder.
- Add in a few sprigs of curry leaves. Fresh curry leaves adds a nice flavour and aroma.
- Add back the chicken and mix well. Spicy Tamilnadu style chicken masala is ready.
- The chicken masala can be served with dosa, appam and rice.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Tamilnadu
Can we replace vinegar with lemon
You can.
Thank you for sharing this lovely receipe.
The aroma and fragrance of the spices has filled my kitchen and my stomach.
Curry has come out so well just how I love it kongunadu style.
One goof 🤪 up I made – I forgot to roast the spices.
Thank you.
Hi,
This recipe looks really good. Would you please post the recipe for kuzhambu milagai thool. Thank you.
will do. Thank you.
You are such a wonderful cook and you have got a great way of explaining everything in detail. I once stumbled on this recipe and my husband was super excited when he tasted it,. My husband once made mutton soup for me and I loved it a lot. Usually i dont like eating mutton. After food we were chatting and he mentioned he followed your recipe. We were both shocked. Now you have 2 more fans !!
Thank you so much. Means a lot.
Thank you for sharing. It’s so yummy and aroma is good. It turned out to be one of our favorite dishes that we would like to make often.
Thank you!
Can i use your curry powder for the milagai thool? Pls advice!
Sure. You can.
I was asking about this below. This looked like garam masala powder so just checking with you. Does this replace the milagai thool you used for this masala ? Sorry for asking so many questions but I really want to make this chicken masala . 😊
CURRY MASALA POWDER – HOME MADE CURRY POWDER
https://www.kannammacooks.com/curry-powder-curry-masala-powder-curry/
Looks and sounds super yummy. Need to try it asap!! Could you please give me the recipe for kulambu milagai thool. I don’t think this recipe would taste as yummy as you made if not for that special milagai thool you made. Would appreciate it if you could share the recipe ! Thanks in advance !
Will share soon.
Waiting !! Thanks for replying !
Eagerly waiting for the recipe! 😀 Thanks for replying !
I tried this today Suguna. It’s smelling so much flavorful right out of the pot. I’m going to try it with rice tomorrow.
Excellent recipe Suguna… 😋😋 my family day it’s finger licking good! I am a veggie but the aroma in the house is heavenly. Thank you for sharing so many lovely recipes. I have tried a lot of them since my friend (Priya) introduced me to your webpages
Thank you for making cooking a pleasure
Thank you so much!
Also can i have kolumbu milagai thool recipe please?
Ms. Suguna, I love your recipes and it is normally well accepted in my tamil big household. I have abasic question. Your recipes most of the time do not include dhania powder. I learnt/follow my MIL cooking and she doesnt accept the absense of dhania thool. Whats your advice?
Tried it out today, used my version of kulambhu powder an it was yummilicious
Thanks Suguna for your quick and prompt response.
Hi Suguna,
I love all the recipes you post. Every recipe I have tried till date has turned out great. Thank you for posting them.
In the above recipe you have mentioned kuzhambu milaga podi. What podi is this? Is it not the regular chilli powder? Is there is a substitute for it?
Your advice I appreciated.
Thanks
Leela
Hi Leela,
Really glad that you like the recipes.
You can substitute sambar powder.
Thank you.
hi, why wouldnt sambhar pwd work well as a substitute in the recipe if the spice
mix is similar as mentioned earlier?- was planning to add it as a sub. but thought
i’d clarify first – regards
The ingredients are slightly different. You can just omit it if you do not have it.
Hi,
I love your recipes. I live in the US and have a blender. I see you recommend a “heavy duty mixie.” Does a blender work as well? The mixie you recommend is not available in the US (at least through Amazon).
Thanks!!
Hi Alona. A blender will work. Add water and grind to a really fine paste.
Thanks Suguna!
Any substitute for kuzhambu milagai thool?
Hi Asha, No. If you cannot source online, better to omit it.
Delicious..I tried and it came very well.tnx
Thank you!