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Restaurant style Chicken Madras Recipe that'll become your new favorite. It's even better than takeout, I say this because it's made with a special homemade spice mix known as Madras Curry Powder. The secret taste lies in the masala powder & how you cook the whole recipe. Don't miss the Video! 3 methods of cooking shared - Instant Pot or pressure cooker, slow cooker & stove top.
Recipe Video
Chicken Madras Restaurant Recipe
Chicken Madras - the very popular & one of the most ordered curry dishes in the curry houses of UK & also several other countries.
It's chicken (on the bones or boneless) cooked in an onion tomato base gravy with a special spice mix that consists of a plethora of Indian spices & a special herb.
Don't worry because you can find each & every ingredient in Indian stores.
It's the cooking technique & the Madras curry powder that combine together to give this dish an outrageous flavor.
If you love curries you won't resist this one. No wonder that Madras dishes are one of the hottest take out food in the UK.
And now you can easily make it at home with my easy recipe steps + Video.
So what are you waiting for, ditch your favorite curry house & make some today.
We love Madras recipes & since eons I have been lovingly making them in my kitchen.
The more I make the more I fall for it.
A riot of soothing fragrant spices play a major role in making this dish so delectable.
The Madras Curry powder recipe is so well balanced, not a single spice in it tastes piquant.
It's an extraordinary combination of flavors with a subtle kick from peppercorns & chilies.
I am sure you are going to love today's recipe of Chicken Madras curry.
What is Chicken Madras?
Chicken Madras is a fairly spicy curry that's made with chicken cooked in an extraordinarily fragrant spice mix along with onions & tomatoes. It may or may not contain yogurt or tamarind.
Madras Chicken curry is a famous take out favorite back in the UK & almost every curry house carry it in their menu.
The specialty of Chicken Madras lies in the Madras curry powder & the way the whole recipe is cooked.
Where does Chicken Madras come from?
Chicken Madras is believed to have originated back in Madras (now Chennai) in India back in 1640s' with the arrival of the British merchants.
It's however not known by the same name back in India.
Back in India Madras curries are typically more fiery & hot & also varies from region to region.
The name of this recipe has it's origin back in the United Kingdom.
Chicken Madras Ingredients
Today's recipe is very simple.
You just need to stock on the recipe of Madras Curry Powder which I have already shared a few days back on the blog.
Don't miss it if you are after that restaurant taste.
Here's what you'll need to cook a fantastic bowl of Chicken Madras:
- Chicken marinated & on the bones: You can use boneless chicken too but chicken on the bones is highly recommended because it tastes the best. Skinless meat is a must. Marinate the chicken with ginger garlic, turmeric, chili powder & a bit of salt.
- Onions: Roughly chopped. You may use red or white but avoid the sweeter varieties.
- Tomatoes: Roughly chopped.
- Tomato paste: This adds tons of color & a slightly sweeter note to the recipe. It's better to say that it balances the flavors of the spices beautifully. We used store bought from the tube.
- Ground spices: Turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chili - all of them in the powder form.
- Special Spice: Homemade Madras Curry Powder. Don't miss this one, this is the heart & soul of todays' Chicken Madras recipe. The recipe is up on the blog & I have also shared the link here in this post below.
- Whole Spices: Whole cumin seeds + dry red chili.
- Marinated yogurt: Throw in some tandoori masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt to the yogurt & whisk well. A fantastic spiced up yogurt that boosts the flavors of today's chicken Madras & also mellows down the heat from the chilies.
- Fresh Curry Leaves: Available in every Indian grocery store. You may omit this if you want to.
Pro Tip: Want to cook the Chicken Madras with boneless chicken? Buy some good skinless chicken thigh meat. Avoid breast pieces. Chicken thighs will yield a tender juicy meat in the gravy whereas you'll end up with a stiff cooked chicken meat if you choose chicken breasts.
7 Tips to make the best Chicken Madras Recipe take out style
- Do not Skip the homemade Madras Curry Powder recipe. That'll add tons of flavor, texture & taste to your Chicken Madras recipe.
- Do not sub the homemade Madras Curry powder with it's store-bought counterpart. You won't manage the best flavors. No store bought masala can beat the flavors of the homemade spice mix.
- Sear the Chicken before starting the curry recipe: This is very important because searing helps to lock the juices of the chicken. It will remain ultra juicy & tender in the gravy & will taste the best.
- Fry the Onions well: This will make the curry more tasty, the onion will not stand out & the Chicken Madras will have a lovely color too.
- Fry the spices well: The taste lies in the frying method known as Bhuna. Do not miss out this technique even if you are in a hurry. Fry the spices until the raw smell disappears & oil begins to ooze out.
- Spice up the yogurt: Spice it up before adding it to the curry base. It adds depth & helps develop the flavors.
- Add the homemade Madras curry powder liberally. It contains the magic flavors. The complexity, depth & intensity of the Madras chicken recipe comes from this homemade masala powder.
How long can you store Madras Chicken Curry?
You can store Madras Chicken Curry in air tight containers for 10 days in the fridge.
Can you freeze Madras Chicken restaurant recipe?
Yes you can freeze Madras Chicken restaurant recipe. It keeps good for 1 month in the freezer.
Store it in air tight freezer safe bags or containers.
Reheating tips
- Stored it in fridge? Do this to reheat: Scoop out the curry on a skillet, sprinkle some water. Reheat over medium heat. Stir in between. It might take 2-3 mins approx. to warm up.
- Freezed it? You can do this to reheat: You may or may not thaw the curry. Dump it in a saucepan, skillet or pot. Add about ½ cup water. Allow to warm up over medium heat. It should take you about 10-15 mins approx. If you choose to thaw the curry overnight in the fridge first than follow the reheating technique of No 1 shared above.
What to serve with Chicken Madras?
We love to mop our restaurant style Chicken Madras with hot Naan breads, butter Naan, Garlic Naan or plain Naan.
I specially love it with homemade parathas. You can even enjoy it with plain basmati rice & chapathi.
Does Chicken Madras have dairy?
Chicken Madras Recipe may or may not contain dairy. Recipes vary & people love to cook it in various ways.
But, today's just-like-takeout Chicken Madras contains dairy in the form of yogurt.
Yogurt makes things better, it takes away the spicy-ness from the recipe & balances off the taste with a certain subtlety.
Pro Tip: Yogurt does not make it spice free or bland. It just balances off the heat, adds a mild tang & boosts the flavor quotient. Try cooking Madras Chicken with & without yogurt & see what you love 🙂
Don't miss these Chicken Recipes from Foodies Terminal.
How to make Chicken Madras? Step by Step in Instant Pot
Steps in words below pictures
How to make Chicken Madras?
- Marinate the chicken
Flash marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, chili powder & some salt.
- Sear the chicken
Sear the marinated chicken pieces until golden & set aside. Do this on SAUTE kept at NORMAL in an Instant Pot.
- Sizzle the whole spices
Keep the IP settings the same & add more oil. Throw in the whole cumin, fresh curry leaves & dry red chili & sizzle them for a few seconds.
- Fry the onion
Throw in the chopped onion & fry very well until the onion becomes golden brown & oil begins to leave the sides of the pot.
- Sauté the tomatoes
Throw in the fresh tomatoes & fry until they becomes completely mushy & oil begins to ooze out.
- Add the dry spices
And fry them very well until the raw smell completely disappears & oil begins to ooze out.
- Throw in the special homemade Madras Curry Powder
Add the homemade Madras Curry Powder in generous amount & fry well.
- Add the chicken
Throw in the seared chicken pieces & give everything a very good mix. Fry for 3-4 mins until oil begins to leave the sides of the pot & the chicken pieces are well coated with the rest of the ingredients in the pot.
- Add the tomato paste + spiced yogurt
Lower the heat to LOW on SAUTE. Throw in the tomato paste & the spiced up yogurt sauce & give everything a very good mix. Fry for sometime until you see oil leaving the sides of the pot.
- Add warm water + pressure cook
Pour warm or hot water. Cancel the SAUTE mode & pressure cook with the lead on for just 5 mins on HIGH.
- Simmer the sauce until desired consistency
Follow a QPR (Quick pressure release). Open the lid & cancel the pressure cook mode, press the SAUTE & simmer the sauce until the desired consistency is reached. We love it on the thick side. Garnish with more fresh curry leaves & serve hot. Enjoy!
How to make Chicken Madras in slow cooker?
It's very easy to cook chicken Madras in a slow cooker.
I alternately do cook it in slow cooker as well as in a pressure cooker.
The recipe remains exactly the same. Follow the steps until step 9 mentioned above (the instant pot method) and than add enough water to just cover the chicken pieces.
Put the lid of the slow cooker & cook it for 3-4 hrs until the meat falls off from the bones.
Serve hot. Enjoy!
Chicken Madras Recipe - FAQs
How hot is Chicken Madras?
Chicken Madras is fairly hot. But again, every persons heat tolerance level varies.
How spicy is Chicken Madras?
Madras Chicken recipe is fairly spicy. It's not something that we cook every night. It's spicy & it's rich. It's a dish to enjoy occasionally.
Does Chicken Madras have nuts?
No, Chicken Madras is nut free.
Is Chicken Madras gluten free?
Yes, Chicken Madras recipe is completely gluten free.
Is Chicken Madras spicy?
Yes, Chicken Madras recipe is fairly spicy.
Chicken Madras Curry powder recipe:
Here's the Chicken Madras Curry Powder recipe. It's exclusively made with best whole spices & at home. Don't miss the informative post of Madras Curry Powder Recipe shared below.
Don't miss the MADRAS CURRY POWDER RECIPE to cook today's recipe.
Chicken Madras Recipe
4.91 from 20 votes
Print Recipe Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 526kcal
Author: Meghna
Watch Recipe Video
Chicken Madras is a delicious chicken curry that you can cook anytime & for any occassion with the homemade special Madras Curry Powder. This Chicken Madras tastes even better than any take out & you can cook it in an Instant Pot, slow cooker or stove top.
Ingredients
- 2.20 pounds chicken on bones without skin (1 kg)
- 2 cups onion roughly chopped
- 1.5 cups tomato roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste (diluted)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
- ¼ tsp Red Chili Powder
- ½ cup Oil
- Salt (to taste)
Spice Powders
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 2-3 tbsp homemade Madras Curry Powder
For the spiced yogurt
- ¾ cup Yogurt
- ½ tsp Tandoori Masala (store bought)
- ¼ tsp Paprika or Deggi Mirch or Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- a pinch of turmeric powder
- Salt (to taste)
Spices for sizzling & garnishing
- ½ tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
- 2 dry red chili
- 10 fresh curry leaves (optional)
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Instructions
How to marinate the chicken?
Take the chicken on bones in a clean dry bowl. Add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp red chili powder, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste & some salt to taste. Massage the chicken pieces well so that all the pieces are uniformly coated with the ingredients. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the stuff.
How to make the spiced yogurt sauce?
Whick the yougurt with all the mentioned ingredients from "For the spiced yogurt". Set aside.
How to cook the Chicken Madras in Instant Pot?
Set the Instant pot on SAUTE & keep it on NORMAL. Add about ½ the mentioned oil.
When the oil becomes moderately hot gently release the marinated chicken pieces & sear them until golden. Set aside once they are nicely seared.
In the same pot add the rest of the oil & sizzle the cumin, dry red chili and a few curry leaves for a few seconds or until aromatic.
Next. add the chopped onions & fry very well until the onions become light brown in color & oil begins to leave the sides of the pot.
Add the chopped tomatoes & fry them until the tomatoes become completely mushy & oil begins to ooze out. It should take you about 2-3 mins.
Next, add the dry spice powders except the Madras curry powder. Give eveything a good mix & fry the spices until the raw smell completely diasppears & oil begins to ooze out. If the spices stick to the bottom of the pot sprinkle some water & keep on frying.
Now, add the homemade madras curry powder & fry until aromatic.
Throw in the seared chicken pieces & give everything a good mix so that the chicken pieces are well coated with the bhuna masala. Fry for some time until the chicken pieces are well roasted in the masala. It should take you about 3-4 mins.
Lower the heat & keep it at LOW. Now, add the tomato paste + the spiced yogurt & mix everything well. After about 1 min up the heat to NORMAL in SAUTE mode. Keep on frying until the oil oozing stage is reached. The masala will become darker as you keep on frying them.
Add warm or hot water and give eveything a very good mix. Do not add too much water. The chicken pieces should be just 70% submerged in water.
CANCEL the SAUTE mode & close the lid of the IP & make sure that the vale is at the SEALING position. Now, press the PRESSURE COOK button & set it on HIGH for 5 mins.
After 5 mins when you hear the beep of the IP immeditely do a QUICK PRESSURE RELEASE. Open the lid of the pot.
CANCEL the PRESSURE COOK mode & turn on the SAUTE mode & set it on NORMAL. Simmer until the sauce thickens & the desired consistency as per your liking is reached.
Garnish with a few more fresh curry leaves if you want to & serve hot. Enjoy!
How to cook Chicken Madras on the stove top?
The whole recipe remains exactly the same. Just use a skillet or Kadai to cook the Madras chicken curry & use medium heat to cook it. After adding water to the skillet or kadai cover & cook over medium heat until the chicken pieces are well done. It should take you 15-20 mins. Serve hot.
Notes
- Measuring units used, 1 cup = 240 ml & 1 teaspoon = 5 ml.
- Instant Pot used = 6 quart IP DUO.
- Don't miss the homemade Madras curry powder recipe. Use it to make todays recipe. It's this masala powder that's the flavor bomb in today's chicken Madras recipe.
- Don't miss the spiced yogurt. It adds tons of flavor & do flash marinate the chicken pieces before searing the meat.
Calorific details are provided by a third party application & are to be used as indicative figures only.
Nutrition Facts Chicken Madras Recipe Amount Per Serving (2 g) Calories 526Calories from Fat 333 % Daily Value* Fat 37g57% Saturated Fat 7g44% Cholesterol 90mg30% Sodium 1025mg45% Potassium 792mg23% Carbohydrates 14g5% Fiber 3g13% Sugar 2g2% Protein 31g62% * Read our privacy policy - Calorie information is provided as a courtesy only and should be leveraged as an estimate rather than a guarantee.Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition
Serving: 2g | Calories: 526kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 1025mg | Potassium: 792mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g
Course :Main Course
Cuisine :Indian
Keyword :Chicken Madras, Madras Chicken Curry
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