Coimbatore Chicken chukka
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Chicken Chukka Masala Powder:
  • Cumin seeds/Jeeragam - 1 tbsp
  • Fennel seeds/Sombu - 1 tbsp
  • Peppercorns/Milagu - 1 tbsp
Base ingredient:
  • Chicken - ¾ kg
To temper:
  • Sesame/Groundnut oil - 1 tbsp
  • Cinnamon stick - 2 inch
  • Long dry red chillies - 4 to 10 as per your spice level
  • Onion - ½ of a big or handful of small onions
  • Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
  • Tomato - ½
  • Curry leaves - 20+
Spices:
  • Chilli powder - 1 to 2 tsp
  • Coriander powder - ½ tsp
  • Pepper powder - ¼ tsp
  • Chukka masala powder - ¼ tsp + ½ tsp
  • Tumeric powder - as required
  • Salt - ½ heaped tsp or as required
To garnish:
  • Curry leaves - Few
Instructions
Chicken Chukka Masala Powder:
  1. In a dry pan, roast 1 tbsp each of cumin, fennel and peppercorns in low-medium heat. Fry continuously for even roasting.
  2. Once aromatic and color changes slightly, switch off the stove and immediately, transfer to a plate.
  3. Once cooled down completely, grind in dry mixer.
  4. Transfer to a container and let it cool down completely.
  5. Store airtight and use in chicken/mutton chukka or any grills or dry fries.
Chicken Chukka:
  1. In a pan, add 1 tbsp oil.
  2. Once hot, simmer and add 4 to 10 deseeded long, dry, red chillies.
  3. Once chillies bulge, add washed curry leaves and chopped onion.
  4. Add lil salt and fry in medium-high heat.
  5. Once onions are fried, add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste and fry in medium heat.
  6. Once raw smell of ginger garlic leaves, add chopped tomato.
  7. Add lil turmeric powder and fry in medium heat.
  8. Once tomatoes turn mushy, add 1-2 tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ¼ tsp pepper powder and ¼ tsp chukka masala powder.
  9. Fry in low flame for 30 seconds.
  10. Add washed and chopped (bite-sized) chicken pieces and fry for 1 minute until spices coat all the chicken pieces. Let the stove be in medium heat now.
  11. Add ½ tsp salt and fry for another 1 minute.
  12. Do not add any water as chicken will let out water. Cook closed for 5 mins in medium heat.
  13. Chicken would have let out water. Stir now and then to avoid burnt bottom. Again cook closed for 3 more mins.
  14. Open and check for doneness by cutting the meat using ladle. Should be soft and easy to cut. For bone-in pieces, you might need to cook few more (say 4 more mins) minutes.
  15. Once cooked, open and add ½ more tsp of chukka masala powder and fry.
  16. Fry in high heat until dry.
  17. Wash fresh leaves, tear into pieces, add it at the end and give a quick mix for nice flavor.
Notes
1.Do not add or splash water in this recipe. Cooking in chicken's own stock makes this recipe tastier.
2.Increase dry red chillies, chilli powder and pepper powder for more spicier version.
3.Both bone-in and boneless chicken taste good in this recipe. Bone-in chicken takes few more mins to cook.
4.Chicken thighs with bones are preferred for this recipe. Mix of bone-in and boneless pieces are recommended. Scroll down to see the last picture for this outcome.
5.Prefer skinless chicken in this recipe.
Recipe by My Healthy Kiddo at https://www.myhealthykiddo.com/coimbatore-chicken-chukka-recipe/