Chicken Madras Curry

Chicken Madras Curry is a spicy, hot, tangy and slightly sweet curry that’s believed to be inspired by the Tamil cuisine. This better than restaurant version is flavor-packed, super delicious and easy to make under 50 minutes. Serve this Chicken Madras Curry over plain steamed rice or with Chapati, Roti or Plain Parathas.

It is said that much before the British Era, Tamil merchants from Madras (now Chennai) sold curry powder to British travelers and settlers in India. Later several curries inspired from Indian cuisine were born in British Indian Restaurants and curry houses.

About Chicken Madras

Chefs trying to mimic Indian food, ended up developing many new mouth-watering and unique dishes that really do not exist in the Indian cuisine. Like Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Madras Curry also became very popular in the British Indian Restaurants and curry houses.

With different kinds of Indian inspired curries in these places, a Madras Curry means a spicy and hot curry. Not as hot as the Phaal Curry and somewhat similar to Vindaloo but with different flavors and taste.

In restaurants a base gravy, precooked meat and different spice blends are used to whip up many different dishes. Since recipes evolve, you will find Chicken Madras being finished in different ways – with a sweet sour chutney, tamarind, coconut milk or a tempering made of curry leaves, red chili and mustard seeds.

Every restaurant or a chef has his own thought. But hot, spicy, tangy and slightly sweet is what makes a Madras Curry! Ingredients like spicy hot dried red chilies, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, tamarind and coconut are some of the ingredients used in a Madras Curry & powder.

About the Recipe

This recipe is easier than you think and it is hot, but not very hot. You can control the heat levels by making my homemade Madras Curry Powder which is super aromatic. In the absence of a spice grinder, use store bought curry powder or Madras curry powder for high heat.

You can further tone down the heat with a splash of coconut milk, which is optional.

I love making my own spice blends for a depth of flavors and freshness which you really don’t find in the store bought versions. A curry powder can make or break your dish so choose a good fragrant spice blend.

Watch the video to make

Photo Guide

How to Make Chicken Madras Curry (Stepwise Photos)

In this post I marinate the chicken and saute before simmering in the Madras curry. However you can use any leftover chicken from another meal like this Chicken Tikka, roasted chicken, Tandoori Chicken (cut up to bite sizes) or Chicken Kebabs.

Preparation

1. To a mixing bowl add the following ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder 
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (omit for low heat, forgot to picture but used ½ teaspoon )
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic grated/ crushed (½ tbsp. each)
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (handful leaves fine chopped)
• 1½ tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

2. Add 1.1 lbs (½ kg) boneless chicken (or bone-in) and marinate well. Cover and keep in the refrigerator until the curry sauce is ready. (You can rest up to 2 days in the refrigerator.)

3. To make the curry sauce, prepare the following:

• 1 cup onions sliced (100 grams, 1 medium onion) 
• 1¾ cups tomatoes sliced or diced tomatoes (200 grams, 3 medium tomatoes) 
• ½ inch ginger (4 grams, peeled and sliced)
• 3 medium garlic cloves sliced (7½ grams) 
• ⅓ cup carrots sliced (35 to 50 grams) 
• ⅓ cup red bell pepper sliced (35 to 50 grams, optional)
• 1 tablespoon Madras curry powder 
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (I used ¼)
• ½ to 1½ tablespoon tamarind paste (or chutney or 1 tsp concentrate or lemon juice, adjust to taste. I use 3 tbsps of this date tamarind chutney)
• ½ to 1 tablespoon sugar or jaggery (adjust to taste, omit if using chutney)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• ½ cup coconut milk at room temperature (optional, use to tone down the heat)

4. Pour 1½ tablespoon oil or ghee to a hot pot/pan and saute onion, carrots, ginger & garlic for 5 mins.

5. Add tomatoes and bell peppers. Saute for 2 to 3 mins and pour 1 cup water.

6. Bring to a rolling boil, turn down to medium. Cover and cook until the veggies are fully cooked through and completely mushy.

7. Cool down & transfer to a blender. Blend to a smooth puree.

Make Madras Chicken

8. Pour 1½ tablespoon ghee (not oil) to the pan and add marinated chicken. Saute for 5 mins on a medium heat. Stir in the curry powder, salt and chili powder.

9. Transfer the onion tomato base curry sauce and mix well.

10. Pour half cup hot water & mix well.

11. Cover and cook until the chicken is fork tender, for another 5 to 8 mins. If you use chicken breasts, don’t overcook.

12. Stir in lower amount of tamarind, sugar if using & mix well (if using lemon, add at the time of serving).

13. Taste test and add more salt, tamarind/ chutney or garam masala to taste. The sauce should taste spicy, hot, slightly sweet and tangy. My homemade curry powder and garam masala are super fragrant so I didn’t have to add any more garam masala here.

14. If it is too hot, turn down the heat and pour the coconut milk (at room temperature). Bring it to a gentle boil and turn off.

If you want you may make an additional tempering. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee and add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds, 2 dried red chilies and a sprig of curry leaves (do not forget to pat dry). when the curry leaves turn crisp turn off and pour it over the Madras curry. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapati or roti. This Cucumber Salad or Cucumber Raita goes well on the side.

Pro Tips

• I have provided the link to curry powder recipe in this post. Note that it has 2 recipes to make curry powder – mild and madras. I use Madras Curry Powder for this recipe. Mild curry powder is very mild for this recipe.
• Chicken Madras you get in restaurants has plenty of ghee/ oil, sometimes floating on top. I don’t cook our food that way so you won’t find any extra layer of fats. You may temper the dish with another tbsp of ghee, which indeed adds some fresh ghee flavor.
• To avoid sugar, I use this homemade date tamarind chutney. To make a small batch without blender under 10 mins, you can also refer to the tamarind chutney (recipe card 2) in my samosa post.
• Sometimes I also use 1½ tbsp each of homemade tamarind paste and 1 tablespoon jaggery/sugar.
• Note that tamarind paste and tamarind concentrate is not the same. Concentrate is very tangy. It is safe to start with smaller amounts of tamarind and sugar/jaggery. You can also use this Mango chutney. Make a smooth chutney and use.
• It is not essential to use coconut milk. Every brand of curry powder is different. Some brands of Madras curry powder can be too hot so coconut milk helps to tone down.
• In restaurants, chicken is prepared as a separate component. It is either boiled with spices, grilled in tandoor or oven baked. If you want you may oven bake or air fry the marinated chicken instead of sauteing.

Related Recipes

Recipe Card