Chinthamani Chicken 5/5 (1)

Sinfully Desilicious is bringing another Chicken recipe for this month’s theme of Regional chicken cuisine. Last week, the post was from Karnataka, Mangalorean Bunt cuisine Kori rotti, and there was a warm response to it…in continuation with the theme, I chose my own state Tamilnadu’s regional chicken cuisine. Eager to know which region of Tamilnadu? …😉😉, it’s our proud Kongu region.

Kongunaadu region comprises today’s Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruppur, Salem, and few more places. This regional cuisine has become a staple to the whole state due to its simplicity and captivating taste. Even the people who are reluctant to eat non-veg or chicken, if they try this recipe, it becomes their all-time favourite.

It’s bite-sized boneless chicken cubes, seasoned with whole red chillies, shallots, garlic, and curry leaves along with whole spices, simmered, and cooked in its juice itself, finally tempered with curry leaves in coconut oil. The spiciness from chillies, robust flavour from garlic and whole spices, and nutty aroma from the coconut oil gives a wholesome taste to this dish. It also includes grated coconut or thinly chopped coconut. You can keep coconut as optional if you are not interested to add it to the chicken. But don’t skip the coconut oil tempering, it’s a must inclusion as it imparts a unique earthy flavour and aroma to the dish.

This recipe can be prepared with boneless pieces of chicken or with bone. But it should be bite-sized. Authentically, natives prepare this dish with country chicken, the taste and texture of the chicken will be completely different from the broiler chicken. When it comes to native chicken, you need water to cook especially with bones whereas for broiler chicken water is not needed, it gets cooked in its juice itself or you may require 2-3 tbsp of water or just sprinkle water depending on the quality of the chicken.

It goes well with Steamed rice, Jeera rice, or Coconut milk rice. Even with Naan, Rotis and puris. What are you waiting more for, let’s know how to make this simple (in preparation) but grand (in taste) chicken recipe.

Click here to jump to recipe card!

Wash and clean the breast pieces of chicken with turmeric powder and cut them into small-sized cubes.

Marinate the cleaned chicken with chilli powder, turmeric powder, and ginger garlic paste.

And let it rest for 30 minutes to overnight(maximum).

Meanwhile, peel and half the shallots; break the red chillies, you can partially use the seeds while breaking or completely discard the seeds. Now heat a thick bottomed kadai or pan with 2 tbsp oil, then add bay leaves, fennel seeds, cinnamon, and cloves.

Add chopped curry leaves, then add broken red chillies or you can directly break them while adding. Sauté for a minute.

Then add chopped garlic, sauté for 2 minutes.

Then add the halved shallots.

Add some salt, sauté for a couple of minutes, immediately add 1 tbsp of red chilli 🌶 paste, (refer notes to how to prepare it). Mix it well.

Now add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan and mix well with some salt.

And close it and cook for 15-20 minutes in medium-low flame.

You can add 2-3 tbsp of water, depending on the quality of chicken, because some will cook in their own juice itself. Add water if necessary.

Open and stir in between to avoid it getting burnt and to check the salt level.

After 20 minutes, open and cook for another 5-10 minutes on a completely low flame, till the water if any evaporates and the chicken gets roasted well. Then switch off the flame.

Take a small pan, add 2 tbsp coconut oil, and heat it.

Then take 2 sprigs of curry leaves.

And add this tempering to the chicken.

Kongunaadu Chinthamani chicken is ready to serve with Jeera rice, turmeric rice, ghee rice, or even with rotis, parathas, wheat instant naan, pooris. Or it can be taken as appetizers, these heavenly bites best suited for parties and get together. The absolute party hit!

Recipe card

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Cuisine: Indian, regional

Category: Curries, Dry

Serves: 4

Author: Manimala

Ingredients:

For Chicken marination:

Diced Chicken cubes (boneless) -1/2 kg

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

For Chinthamani:

Oil – 2 tbsp

Bay leaf – 2 small

Fennel seeds – 1 tsp

Cinnamon – 2”

Cloves – 4

Red chilli whole – 8 (broken)

Chopped curry leaves – 1 sprig

Chopped garlic – 2 tbsp

Shallots/small onion – 1 ½ cup

Red chilli paste – 1 tbsp (refer notes)

Water – 2-3 tbsp (optional)

For tempering:

Coconut oil – 2 tbsp

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Instructions:

1. Wash and clean the breast pieces of chicken with turmeric powder and cut them into small-sized cubes.
2. Marinate the cleaned chicken with chilli powder, turmeric powder, and ginger garlic paste and let it rest for 30 minutes to overnight(maximum).
3. Meanwhile, peel and half the shallots; break the red chillies, you can partially use the seeds while breaking or completely discard the seeds.
4. Now heat a thick bottomed kadai or pan with 2 tbsp oil, then add bay leaves, fennel seeds, cinnamon, and cloves.
5. Add chopped curry leaves, then add broken red chillies or you can directly break them while adding. Sauté for a minute.
6. Then add chopped garlic, sauté for 2 minutes, then add the halved shallots, with some salt, sauté for a couple of minutes, immediately add 1 tbsp of red chilli 🌶 paste, (refer notes to how to prepare it). Mix it well.
7. Now add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan and mix well with some salt and close it and cook for 15-20 minutes in medium-low flame.
8. You can add 2-3 tbsp of water, depending on the quality of chicken, because some will cook in their own juice itself. Add water if necessary.
9. Open and stir in between to avoid it getting burnt and to check the salt level.
10. After 20 minutes, open and cook for another 5-10 minutes on a completely low flame, till the water if any evaporates and the chicken gets roasted well. Then switch off the flame.
11. Take a small pan, add 2 tbsp coconut oil, and heat it.
12. Then take 2 sprigs of curry leaves and add this tempering to the chicken.
13. Kongunaadu Chinthamani chicken is ready to serve with Jeera rice, turmeric rice, ghee rice, or even with rotis, parathas, wheat instant naan, pooris. Or it can be taken as appetizers, these heavenly bites best suited for parties and get together. The absolute party hit!

Notes:

• This regional cuisine is authentically prepared only with shallots and lots and lots of red chillies. I improvised this version, to add more flavour.
• One such addition is chilli 🌶 paste, to prepare it deseed the chillies and soak in hot water for 30 minutes to 1 hr. Then grind them into a fine paste with few drops of water or you can add gingelly oil. Oil gives a shiny texture to the paste and increases shelf life. It can be stored in the refrigerator if excess. Use them in any curries you make.
• Adding this chilli paste intensifies the colour of the dish as well as taste.
• Shallots and red chillies are a must for this recipe. You can try this recipe with big onions, but you’ll not get the authentic taste and originality that shallots provide.
• As I mentioned above, you can be flexible with water, depending on the quality of the chicken and if it’s with bone.
• Tempering with coconut 🥥 oil enhances the flavour and aroma of the chicken. It’s a must-try step.
• It goes well with Jeera rice, turmeric rice, ghee rice, or even with rotis, parathas, wheat instant naan, pooris.