Restaurant Style Chicken Curry
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Restaurant Style Chicken Curry

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I've posted around 15 + chicken recipes here, but… every single time I'm cooking for guests, I'm confused what to make! Happened to find this chicken curry during one such time and since then, it has become one of my constant companions while entertaining guests. I made this recently and that's when I realised something… I haven't shared it with you yet! I dont know how I missed it, but as I always say “better late than never”.

Also if you are looking for the thick gravy chicken curry types that you usually get in restaurants, give this one a try. I'm sure you will not be disappointed. While typing down the title of the dish, something caught my attention…There are many restaurants whose advertisements focus on the fact that they try to serve homely food and here we, the home cooks want to make restaurant-style curry, isn't that a sort of irony or is grass always greener on the other side ;)?

What I like most about this curry is,  it goes well with almost anything and it has that minimum guarantee. It's a pretty basic and simple chicken curry, but the process gives it a whole different look and feel :) Hope you also enjoy it.

Recipe adapted from Live To Eat.

Here are the step by step pictures…

Heat oil in a deep pan. Add finely sliced onions and cook till it turns golden brown. Add crushed/grated ginger garlic and cook for 2-3 mins or till the raw smell goes…

Step 114
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Add turmeric, chilli, coriander, fennel, pepper powder and garam masala. Mix well. Cook till the oil appears, around 2-3 mins. Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Mix well…

Step 216
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Cook till the tomatoes becomes soft. Let it cool for sometime.Grind the masala to a smooth paste by adding 1-2 tbsp of water.In the same pan, add some more oil and add cleaned chicken pieces. Mix well. Cook till the chicken pieces start changing colour…

Step 315
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Add the ground masala. Mix well and make sure the chicken pieces are coated well with the masala and cook for 3-4 mins.Add medium thick coconut milk and give a stir. Cover and cook till the chicken is done…

Step 414
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Add thick coconut milk and stir. Cook for 5-7 mins. Remove from fire. Add the fried shallots and curry leaves to the curry…

Step 55
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 If you are interested in more Chicken recipes, check out our Chicken ebooklet

Restaurant Style Chicken Curry
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Restaurant Style Chicken Curry

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Servings: 5 -6
Author: Maria Jose

Ingredients

  • 950 gms Chicken (after cleaning, cut into small-medium size pieces)
  • 3 med - large Onion (finely sliced)
  • 1 - 1.5 tbsp Crushed / grated ginger and garlic (each)
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp Chilli powder
  • 2.5 tsp Coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garam masala
  • 1/2 tsp Fennel powder
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper powder
  • 1 big Tomato (chopped)
  • 1.5 cups Medium thick coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup Thick coconut milk
  • Salt
  • Oil

To temper

  • 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 6 Small / Pearl onion (sliced)
  • Curry leaves
  • Ghee / oil

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a deep pan. Add finely sliced onions and cook till it turns golden brown. Add crushed/grated ginger garlic and cook for 2-3 mins or till the raw smell goes.
  • Add turmeric, chilli, coriander, fennel, pepper powder and garam masala. Mix well. Cook till the oil appears, around 2-3 mins. Add chopped tomatoes and salt. Mix well. Cook till the tomatoes becomes soft. Let it cool for sometime.Grind the masala to a smooth paste by adding 1-2 tbsp of water.
  • In the same pan, add some more oil and add cleaned chicken pieces. Mix well. Cook till the chicken pieces start changing colour. Add the ground masala. Mix well and make sure the chicken pieces are coated well with the masala and cook for 3-4 mins.
  • Add medium thick coconut milk and give a stir. Cover and cook till the chicken is done. Add thick coconut milk and stir. Cook for 5-7 mins. Remove from fire.
  • In another pan heat oil/ghee and splutter mustard seeds. Add sliced small onion and curry leaves. Cook till the onions turn golden brown. Add this to the chicken curry and serve hot.

Notes

I used coconut oil, but you can use ghee or refined oil also. The gravy tends to thicken as the curry rests, so adjust the consistency of the curry accordingly. It pairs well with ghee rice/pulao/roti/appam etc; You can also add cashew paste to make it more creamier. Soak 1-2 tbsp of chopped cashews in 2 tbsp hot water for 10-15 mins. Grind it to a smooth paste. Mix the cashew paste with thick coconut milk and add it to the curry.
Tried this recipe? Let others know by...mentioning @mariasmenu or tagging #mariasmenu
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Have you tried these today?

126 thoughts on “Restaurant Style Chicken Curry”

  2. If I had to choose a culinary giddiness based on this recipe – then it would be Maria! I’ve been making this recipe for 3 to 4 years now. I’m a non mallu and my mallu friends are going gaga over this. Please launch your app Maria ?
    Thank you for sharing your recipes

    Reply

    • Hi Saran,

      I guess you can use cashew paste instead of coconut milk, to get the thick gravy. Soak 7-8 cashews in hot water for 10-12 mins and grind to a smooth paste. Add this in the later stage and cook for 3-5 mins. Hope this helps.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  6. Thank You Maria for this Great Recipe . Made this yesterday.It turned out so good that my Nephew & nieces took the remaining portion home.

    Thank You .

    Reply

  7. Yet Another successful attempt with this restaurant style chicken curry from your site. My husband loved it.Thanks Maria, keep up the good work.

    Reply

  8. hi Maria, hope you are doing great… im a regular follower of your blog for a quite long time… precisely from the time i got married and started cooking…and its been 4years now… though most of my reading will not get converted into cooking, i tried this particular recipe as im a chicketarian :)…it came out very well and yummy… so i thought of doing it when i visited my In law’s place for vacation… Thank you so much Maria…i must say this…ur recipe made me a star before my MIL…. and the full credit goes to you…….

    Reply

    • Hi Asha,

      I’m doing goo dear, thank you :)

      Really happy to know that you are a long time reader. Glad that this recipe worked out well for you and your family appreciated it.

      Thank you so much for taking time to share your feedback with me. Please do keep reading and also experimenting the recipes when time permits.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  10. I tried it for a potluck party n it turned out yummy!! Loads n loads of praises!! Thanks a lot fr this recipe ????????

    Reply

  11. Hi Maria, the recipe you’ve prepared looks really interesting and very tempting to prepare. Will definitely try this out. I happened to stumble upon another Chicken curry recipe, Coconut chicken curry and found that really interesting as well.

    Reply

  13. I had made this dish and was a great success….i love your blog..thanks a lot for such wonderful recipes..Your step wise pictures helped me a lot……
    appreciate your efforts

    Reply

  14. Hi Maria,

    Yours is such a wonderful blog.I just tried this chicken curry of yours and it turned out to be great.Waiting for my family’s feedback.But anyways I’m loving it.
    I love yours step wise pictures.Thanks a lot for sharing these super duper recipes.Appreciate your efforts.

    Reply

  15. Hi Maria,

    I tried this recipe and it turned out excellent. My husband never likes when i add coconut to gravy (he thinks its removes the spicyness from it, makes it sweeter). But this recipe of yours he could not find out about the coconut and it was super spicy. Thank u very much.

    Reply

  16. Luvd tis dish. .easy as well as tasty..to top it the final look yummy yummy…its going to b one of our regular chkn dishes frm now on…thanks a lot maria….

    Reply

  18. Hi Maria.
    Simply love this recipe, I am having a Dinner soon for 10-15 guests and want to prepare this for them. What are the ingredient quantities for 10-15 guests?
    Much Appreciared
    Terry from Cape Town, South Africa

    Reply

    • Thank you Terry :)

      I think you will need 2.5 kg chicken for that many people. So kindly adjust the qty of other ingredients accordingly.

      Hope it comes out well and you’ve a great dinner.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  19. Maria Chechi greetings from Tanzania, I’m this bachelor guy who likes to get into the kitchen once in a week Your restaurent chicken curry looks perfect :)Keep the easy ones coming :)

    Reply

  23. Hi Maria,

    I usually follow ur blog. I am vegetarian and my husband is non veg. So I cook non veg at times and followed this restuarant style chicken style.it was instant hit :-) and followed the same recipe to make green peas curry and also with soy chunks..what to tell..it was super duper hit :-) thanks..

    Reply

  24. Hi!

    I am a vegetarian married to a Kerala boy!! :-)

    I bought some “fake” chicken strips. Is there any modifications I need to make to your recipe if I want to use Soy substitutes?

    Please let me know. I tried your Papaya Thoran and he liked it a lot!

    Thanks
    Anu.

    Reply

    • Hi Anu,

      Thanks for trying the thoran :)

      I havent tried this recipe with soya, however, I dont think, any modification is required. Hope it comes out well.

      Happy cooking :)

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  25. Hi Maria ,

    I prepared this curry ; but the chicken was hard. is it because i kept it on the fire more than it was necessary before adding the masala?

    Sharmila

    Reply

  27. hii maria chechii…i tried this recipe last day for ma family members every 1 loved it…nd it came out very well thaks a lot chechiiii 4 ur such a wonderful recipe..

    Reply

  28. hii maria chechii…i tried this recipe last day for ma family members every 1 loved it…nd it came out very well thaks a lot chechiiii 4 ur such a wonderful recipe..

    Reply

  29. Maria,I tried this tonight and found it to be watery with no taste so i finished up adding another 1.5 tsps of garam masala and reducing a bit more.Maybe because i had to add more water to get the masala to blend.Tastes nice now though.I’m just having a few beers and will try soon with some naan bread

    Reply

    • Hi Semaj,

      Sometimes, it happens that the water content from the chicken is too high, in that case the masala may not blend well with chicken.

      Good to know that it turned out well in the end.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

    • Hi Semaj,

      Sometimes, it happens that the water content from the chicken is too high, in that case the masala may not blend well with chicken.

      Good to know that it turned out well in the end.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  30. Maria,I tried this tonight and found it to be watery with no taste so i finished up adding another 1.5 tsps of garam masala and reducing a bit more.Maybe because i had to add more water to get the masala to blend.Tastes nice now though.I’m just having a few beers and will try soon with some naan bread

    Reply

  31. Hi Maria,

    After a very long time, we bought chicken for this week….and since it was after a long time, i wanted to try something…and finally decided to go ahead with this recipe….. And you know the result…. it came out really well….was yummmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyy…………..we had it with a veg pulao……very good side dish for the pulao……my hubby really liked it……

    i love your blog…i have tried few dishes from here easter chicken curry, coriander chicken, pepper chicken, gobi manchurian, stew, mushroom peas, Egg n pas kurma, chicken paalu curry, paalpayasam…… they all came out excellent…..

    thanks dear for all these wonderful recipes………

    Reply

    • Hi Divya,

      Thanks a bunch dear for the comment! I’m so thrilled to see the long list of recipes you’ve tried from here :)

      Thanks again for trying all those recipes and also for taking time to leave a comment here.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

    • Hi Divya,

      Thanks a bunch dear for the comment! I’m so thrilled to see the long list of recipes you’ve tried from here :)

      Thanks again for trying all those recipes and also for taking time to leave a comment here.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  32. Hi Maria,

    After a very long time, we bought chicken for this week….and since it was after a long time, i wanted to try something…and finally decided to go ahead with this recipe….. And you know the result…. it came out really well….was yummmmmmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyy…………..we had it with a veg pulao……very good side dish for the pulao……my hubby really liked it……

    i love your blog…i have tried few dishes from here easter chicken curry, coriander chicken, pepper chicken, gobi manchurian, stew, mushroom peas, Egg n pas kurma, chicken paalu curry, paalpayasam…… they all came out excellent…..

    thanks dear for all these wonderful recipes………

    Reply

  33. I am so thankful to u for this recipe….i made this gravy for my grandparents and they loved it so much…i always try making chicken gravy with masala packets since i dnt knw the actual procedure and i am a boy..:p the pics provided r very much helpful so that i dont make any mistakes…thanks once again…I am gonu follow a lot of recipes from u:)

    Reply

  34. I am so thankful to u for this recipe….i made this gravy for my grandparents and they loved it so much…i always try making chicken gravy with masala packets since i dnt knw the actual procedure and i am a boy..:p the pics provided r very much helpful so that i dont make any mistakes…thanks once again…I am gonu follow a lot of recipes from u:)

    Reply

  35. Hi Maria..

    Made this curry at least 5 times now.. for guests as well as for the family… everyone loved it each time.. then i thought it was high time i came back here n gave u credit ;)
    Thanks Mariakutty………….
    Bindu

    Reply

  36. Hi Maria..

    Made this curry at least 5 times now.. for guests as well as for the family… everyone loved it each time.. then i thought it was high time i came back here n gave u credit ;)
    Thanks Mariakutty………….
    Bindu

    Reply

  37. Maria, to say that I am a big fan of yours would be an understatement. I have been trying your recipes continuously for the last one week, and I must say, they all came out excellent – restaurant style chicken, pepper chicken, chilli chicken, carrot halwa, carrot cake, and today, malabar fish curry. I have been following your blog for the last few months, but this last one week, I have tried some recipe of yours each day.

    By the way, i used cows milk instead of coconut milk in the restaurant style chicken, and it came out good. Thought I should tell u.

    Do keep up the good work.

    Reply

    • Dear Lakshmi,

      Thanks a ton dear for the wonderful comment. I’m so thrilled to see the list of recipes you’ve tried from here :)

      Hope you keep trying the recipes and like them too..

      Happy cooking!

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  39. Maria…am just done cooking that curry and had to sit down for a few ticks and say…Thanks a ton for sharing this ! must say I had some doubts about whether this recipe will actually go with chapathis /north Indian pulao /ghee rice…it seemed more like a side for rice flour based stuff…but just had to pin down something or the other for dinner for a guest tonight.and just cos i am beginning to have a whole lot of faith in your little collection of lovely recipes, I went ahead. And boy! I love it…and am sure it’s going to be devoured with gusto. :) ..am making some dal, ghee rice, fish fry and salad ,a veg Korma ,rotis and a cucumber raita to go along with it followed by some pineapple biscuit pudding. Keep at it, Maria..u are gifted!
    Another Syrian christian mallukutty :)

    Reply

    • Hi Rekha,

      Thank you so much for taking time to share your feedback here, appreciate it very much :)
      Hope your guest also enjoyed it and your menu sounds awesome!
      Wish you a happy new year!

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  40. I was not sure about trying this recipe simply because the recipes i have tried by pureeing the masala were ultimate flops. But about 50 comments that said it came out well,gave me a confidence n i gave it a go..and am so glad I did.. one more yummy recipe for chicken! And whenever i buy chicken I always check here for some new recipe tht goes well with rice n chapathi ..my current addiction is your pepper chicken..hav already made it atleast 6 or 7 times! keep adding such yummy recipes! ;)

    Reply

  43. Maria, I tried this recipe and it came out superb ! my husband and son were literally licking their fingers. Thanks for posting this in ur blog. :)

    Reply

  44. Hi Falak,

    Thank you very much for your wonderful comment! I’m so thrilled to see the list of items you tried from this space, wow!!

    I’m so so happy that you like the recipes posted here. Thanks again for taking time to share your feedback here, appreciate it very much :)

    Cheers
    Maria

    Reply

  45. I tried this recipe when there was a small get together of my husband’s frnds…trust me they didn’t even leave enough for me to taste…it came out really nice

    Reply

  46. hi!! i tried out this dish today..and it came out really well..n i must
    say u deserve all the compliments and appreciations..the best thing
    about ur recipe is the ingredients that u mention are very easy to
    get..plus ur recipes are really helpful for a beginner like me who
    doesnt know anything about cooking….thanx a lot..u r doing a gr8
    work:)

    Reply

    • Hi Liz,

      Thanks dear! Hope you get to try it soon..

      hhmm I dont have a special measurment or anything for garam masala. I just dry roast cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, fennel seeds, star anise. Once it cools, I grind them, that’s it :)

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  56. Thanks a lot Maria.

    Me & my husband were on a no chicken diet for 1 1/2 month and last Sunday we bought chicken and I was supposed to make chicken curry for yesterdays dinner. When I checked my mail there was your new and attractive recipe and wasted no time and made it and it was really tasty. Thus the return to chicken was grand.
    When he asked me whats the new taste I told him it was Maria’s menu, yea he too likes Ur blog.

    Reply

    • Hi Kripa,

      You are welcome dear! I’m so glad that you got the chicken recipe on time :) Thanks a lot dear for trying this and also for sharing your feedback with me. Thanks to your husband also :)

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  59. Thanks for sharing this recipe.Going to try it tomorrow. By the way ur chilli powder is really tempting red. May I know the brand.

    Reply

    • Hi Shirley,

      Thank you! Hope you liked it. About my chilli powder brand, I’ve to say it’s my mother in law’s brand :) She actually gets it powdered in Kerala and packs for me.

      Cheers
      Maria

      Reply

  60. Maria, thanks for the recipe.I wanted to share a tip with you.Instead of staring from scratch, I always make a paste of whole garam masala, onions, ginger-garlic, corriander pwd, chilly pwd,, turmeric pwd, jeera pwd,, meat masala and tomatoes, saute it in oil and store it in the fridge for a week. This is the base for all my gravies, so that way i have to only add meat or any vegetable and curry is ready.
    Got this tip from a restaurant chef!!!

    Reply

  61. hey maria..looks very delicious..will def be trying it during this weekend.but i have a small doubt,is it similar to ur chicken tomato roast as i fee lthe ingredients look similar?

    Reply

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