Coimbatore/Kovai chicken chukka is my husband’s recipe, and we have more fans for this recipe at home and in our friend’s circle. He makes effortless cooking, but the outcome is commendable. He is too good at grills and non-veg recipes. I have already posted his Lamb rack grill(link), Chicken thigh grill(link), Whole chicken grill(link), Salmon grill(link), Pomfret/Fish grill(link), Baked baby potatoes(link), Baked potato wedges(link). This chicken chukka is his signature dish, and I bet you will love it 😉 I have already published a video recipe of the same in my Tamil Youtube channel with complete English subtitles. You shall watch it by clicking the video link below:
- Cumin seeds/Jeeragam - 1 tbsp
- Fennel seeds/Sombu - 1 tbsp
- Peppercorns/Milagu - 1 tbsp
- Chicken - ¾ kg
- 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+
- 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
- Curry leaves - Few
- In a dry pan, roast 1 tbsp each of cumin, fennel and peppercorns in low-medium heat. Fry continuously for even roasting.
- Once aromatic and color changes slightly, switch off the stove and immediately, transfer to a plate.
- Once cooled down completely, grind in dry mixer.
- Transfer to a container and let it cool down completely.
- Store airtight and use in chicken/mutton chukka or any grills or dry fries.
- In a pan, add 1 tbsp oil.
- Once hot, simmer and add 4 to 10 deseeded long, dry, red chillies.
- Once chillies bulge, add washed curry leaves and chopped onion.
- Add lil salt and fry in medium-high heat.
- Once onions are fried, add 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste and fry in medium heat.
- Once raw smell of ginger garlic leaves, add chopped tomato.
- Add lil turmeric powder and fry in medium heat.
- Once tomatoes turn mushy, add 1-2 tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ¼ tsp pepper powder and ¼ tsp chukka masala powder.
- Fry in low flame for 30 seconds.
- 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.
- Add ½ tsp salt and fry for another 1 minute.
- Do not add any water as chicken will let out water. Cook closed for 5 mins in medium heat.
- Chicken would have let out water. Stir now and then to avoid burnt bottom. Again cook closed for 3 more mins.
- 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.
- Once cooked, open and add ½ more tsp of chukka masala powder and fry.
- Fry in high heat until dry.
- Wash fresh leaves, tear into pieces, add it at the end and give a quick mix for nice flavor.
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.
This chicken chukka goes well with Mutton biriyani(link), Chicken biriyani(link), Vegetable Pulav, Dosai(link) and Chapathi(link)/Phulka(link). Too easy to make and my kids too love this chukka. Do try and I am sure your family will love it 🙂
Both boneless and bone-in chicken goes well in this chicken chukka recipe. I personally love bone-in pieces. Try the same recipe with chicken thigh pieces with bones. Cut out the big flesh parts around the bones and just let some flesh cover the bones. The big flesh parts can be chopped into bite-sized pieces. This will give a mix of bone-in and boneless pieces and these are perfectly fine in this recipe and this mix is highly recommended.
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