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A rich, fragrant, and spicy curry with tender chicken, Madras curry is an aromatically complex dish that is easily made at home and enjoyed by many!
The older I’ve gotten, the more I am able to tolerate spicy foods. In fact, I love eating spicy foods now and sometimes feel like I have missed out half my life by omitting it! You could say I’m making up for lost time right now as I explore various spicy dishes in various cultural cuisines. Of course, I don’t love the mouth-numbing spicy because I still like to taste my food! I’m talking about that kick of heat that warms you up and makes your tongue buzz a little.
When I discovered madras curry, my tastebuds were immediately awakened by its bold and spicy flavor profile. The combination of aromatic spices creates a complex and multi-layered taste experience. In addition to spicy, it has a blend of earthy and warm flavors as well from the paprika, cinnamon, and cloves. The sauce is enriched with coconut milk which adds a creaminess to the sauce that makes it so smooth and balances the heat of the dish.
What is madras curry?
Madras curry is a popular dish originating from the southern region of India, particularly the city of Chennai (formerly known as Madras). It is a flavorful and aromatic curry that showcases the vibrant and diverse flavors of South Indian cuisine. The dish often contains a thick, smooth, and spicy curry sauce that is cooked with chicken, lamb, fish, or even just vegetables for a vegetarian option. The end result is a robust and rich curry that is often enjoyed with naan and rice.
Why You’ll Love This
- Authentic South Indian flavor. Whether you’re exploring Indian cuisine or familiar with it, madras curry is a great dish to dabble in as it is loaded with robust flavor and that spice that is well-known in Indian cuisine.
- Restaurant quality at home. Close out of that food delivery app and set your phone down! You can easily make this dish at home and just as well as it is in restaurants! Follow my simple step by step instructions and you’ll be well on your way to a delicious curry in no time.
- Versatile and easily customizable. Not a huge fan of spice? Totally fine. The beauty of this dish is that you are able to customize it for your tastebuds! Not only that, you can choose the type of meat used and several other ingredients!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Indian cuisine has the most unique blend of spices and this chicken curry is full of that flavor created from those spices. Make sure to scroll down to view the full recipe for exact measurements.
- Oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Madras curry powder
- Ginger
- Chili powder
- Sweet smoked paprika
- Sugar
- Pepper
- Cinnamon
- Cloves
- Cayenne pepper
- Chopped tomatoes
- Coconut milk
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
How To Make Madras Curry
My easy step by step instructions will make this chicken madras curry recipe be a breeze to make! Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full recipe.
Cook the aromatics. Heat oil in a dutch oven on low heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add all spices and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the liquids. Raise heat to medium. Add diced, undrained tomatoes and coconut milk to your pan and stir together with spices. Allow this to simmer for 15 minutes. The liquid will thicken quite a bit.
Simmer the chicken in the sauce. Add chicken pieces and stir to coat them. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes then remove the cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
Recipe Tips, Substitutions, and Variations
- Toasting the spices is key. While it definitely is easier to just throw everything at once into the pot, it is actually better to toast the aromatics for a little bit to release the flavors and really get them fragrant.
- Using another protein. Lamb, beef, or fish are often substitutes in madras curry and you can certainly use those if you don’t want to use chicken.
- Adjust for your spice levels. Madras curry powder is spicier than regular curry powder. You can adjust the spiciness by adjusting the amount of madras curry powder and cayenne that you use. You could also substitute regular curry powder for the madras curry powder.
- Make it vegetarian. Substitute chickpeas, squash, potatoes and cauliflower for the meat for a hearty and filling vegetarian meal!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Allow madras curry to come to room temperature before storing leftovers in an airtight container. The curry will last up to five days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this for up to three months.
To reheat, if you are reheating from the refrigerator, pop in the microwave or reheat in a pot on the stovetop. To reheat from the freezer, place mixture in a pot on the stovetop until warmed through. You may need to let the mixture thaw a little bit before it will release from your container.
What to Serve with Chicken Madras Curry
My favorite way to serve curries is to serve it with a side that allows you to sop up all the goodness of the curry. Naan and rice are my go-to’s for this, especially a biryani!
More authentic Indian recipes
- Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
- Dal Makhani
- Gobi Manchurian
- Vegetable Biryani
Madras Curry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 tablespoon madras curry powder
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- Pinch cayenne
- 28 ounce (794 g) can diced tomatoes, don’t drain
- 14 ounce (397 ml) can coconut milk
- 4 (452 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks, about 2 pounds total
Instructions
- Heat oil in a dutch oven on low heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Add all spices and cook for another 5 minutes. (If this mixture becomes dry as you are combining, you can add a bit more oil) Allow this to simmer and bubble for a minute while occasionally stirring to avoid burning.
- Raise heat to medium. Add diced, undrained tomatoes and coconut milk to your pan and stir together with spices. Allow this to simmer for 15 minutes. The liquid will thicken quite a bit.
- Add chicken pieces and stir to coat them. Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes, then remove the cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
