Curry leaf chicken is a delicious and healthy twist on traditional Indian dry chicken recipes. Bursting with the rich flavors of fresh curry leaves and a blend of aromatic spices, this dish is a standout among South Indian chicken recipes. Perfect as a protein-packed meal or appetizer, this dry chicken recipe is simple to make with everyday ingredients and avoids ultra-processed foods. Enjoy it with rice, flatbreads, or as a standalone dish.
Why you’ll love this chicken with curry leaves
Whether you’re exploring new dry chicken recipes or craving a quick and wholesome South Indian meal, this recipe promises unbeatable flavor and ease.
- Authentic South Indian flavor: Features the bold aroma of fresh curry leaves and traditional spices.
- Healthy and wholesome: Low in calories, minimal saturated fat, and made without ultra-processed ingredients.
- Quick and easy: Perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep, ready in under 30 minutes.
- Versatile dish: Enjoy as a main course, side dish, or pack for lunch.
- Simple ingredients: Made with pantry staples, no hard-to-find items required.
- Family-friendly: Packed with flavor but adjustable spice levels to suit all taste preferences.
- High-protein meal: Ideal for health-conscious eaters and fitness enthusiasts.
Did you know? Curry leaves are not just flavorful but also packed with antioxidants that support heart and hair health!
Now let’s see how to elevate your dinner table with this healthy South Indian chicken recipe!
Ingredients
(You can find the exact measurements and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this page.)
- Chicken: Boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
- Baking soda to tenderize the chicken breasts.
- Fresh curry leaves: If you don’t have fresh ones, it’s not worth making this chicken recipe.
- Cashews to mellow down the flavors of the rustic spices and give a creamy texture.
- Whole spices: Peppercorns, coriander and cumin seeds.
- Ground spices: Chilli powder or cayenne pepper
- Other flavor-makers: Onions, ginger-garlic paste (you can also use grated ginger and garlic or dry ground versions), green chillies and lemon juice.
- Oil: Any oil is fine, though I prefer olive oil.
How to make curry leaf chicken: Step by step
Tenderize the chicken
Clean and chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. If you’re using boneless chicken thighs, skip the tenderizing step.
Mix chicken with baking soda and let it soak. Rinse after 20 minutes.
Marinate the chicken
Blot the chicken dry with kitchen towels. Add chili powder, salt and lemon juice and toss until combined.
Pierce the chunks of chicken with a fork for better absorption of the marinade.
Cover and let the chicken marinate for about 10 minutes.
You can marinate longer if time permits, even overnight for the best results. (In that case, refrigerate the chicken and take it out 20 minutes before cooking.)
Make curry leaves powder
While the chicken marinates, make the curry leaf powder with spices.
Heat a kadai or pan. Dry-roast curry leaves for a couple of minutes.
Add roughly chopped cashews and roast.
Stir in the whole spices: peppercorns, coriander and cumin seeds. Roast on low flame for 5 to 10 minutes until the curry leaves turn crisp and you get a nice aroma of the spices.
Let the mixture cool down. Grind it into an almost smooth powder.
Cook chicken with curry leaves
Heat oil in a wok or deep pan.
Add finely chopped onions and sauté on medium heat until the onions start to brown.
Stir in green chilies and ginger-garlic paste. Sauté until the raw smell goes away.
Add the marinated chicken and stir for a few minutes until they turn opaque.
Cover the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes.
Open and check if the chicken is cooked and most of the water has evaporated.
Add the ground curry leaf spice powder.
Stir on medium-high heat until well combined and the chicken is browned. Your delicious curry leaf chicken is done!
Recipe Tips
- Curry leaves: Clean and dry the curry leaves before roasting. If there is moisture, the curry leaves will not crisp up well and the powder might turn out clumpy.
- Curry leaves powder: You can make it smooth or slightly coarse depending on your preference.
- Sauté the onions for a good 8 to 10 minutes. This step is important, since it brings all the flavors together when you add chicken and spices and makes it very aromatic.
- Before you add curry leaves powder, check if most of the water has evaporated. If not, crank up the flame and stir on high heat for a couple of minutes.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It tastes better if reheated in a pan or wok (rather than microwave).
- Meal planning: Curry leaf chicken can be frozen for a month. Store it in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pan.
What to pair with curry leaves chicken
- Rice dishes: Biriyani pulao with vegetables, South Indian lemon rice with brown rice, or creamy curd rice with fruits
- Low-cal accompaniment: Coconut cauliflower rice
- Rice and curry: Dal palak, one-pot Brussels sprouts curry or the authentic chana masala
- Roti or paratha
- Soups: Black chana soup or easy one-pot chana dal soup
- Salads: Red lentil salad, Indian chickpea salad or sprouted mung bean salad
More Indian dry chicken recipes
- Easy jeera chicken
- Chicken hariyali kabab
- Tandoori chicken legs
- Chicken mince kababs
- Tandoori chicken tikka
South Indian Curry Leaf Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
To marinate
- 500 grams boneless chicken breasts or thighs (1.1 pounds)
- ¾ teaspoon chilli powder or cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For curry leaves powder
- ½ cup curry leaves
- 10 cashews
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Others
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 green chili
STEP BY STEP IMAGES
Scroll back to find detailed recipe photos!
Instructions
Tenderize the chicken (optional, if using chicken breasts)
- If you’re using chicken thighs, skip this step.
- Clean and chop 500 grams boneless chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Mix chicken with 1 teaspoon baking soda and let it soak. Rinse after 15 minutes.
Marinate the chicken
- Blot the chicken dry with kitchen towels. Add ¾ teaspoon chilli powder, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and toss until combined.
- Pierce the chunks of chicken with a fork for better absorption of the marinade.
- Cover and let the chicken marinate for about 10 minutes.
Make curry leaves powder
- While the chicken marinates, make the curry leaf powder.
- Heat a kadai or pan. Dry-roast ½ cup curry leaves for a couple of minutes.
- Add 10 roughly chopped cashews and roast.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon peppercorns, 1 teaspoon coriander seeds1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Roast on low flame for 5 to 10 minutes until the curry leaves turn crisp and you get a nice aroma of the spices.
- Let the mixture cool down. Grind it into an almost-smooth powder.
Cook chicken with curry leaves
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wok or deep pan. Add 2 finely chopped onions and sauté on medium heat until the onions start to brown.
- Stir in 1 chopped green chili and 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste. Sauté until the raw pungency of the ginger and garlic mellows.
- Add the marinated chicken and stir for a few minutes until they turn opaque.
- Cover the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground curry leaf powder.
- Stir on medium-high heat until well combined and the chicken is browned. Enjoy your delicious curry leaf chicken with rice/paratha or on its own with a side salad to complete the meal.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken: You can marinate longer if time permits, even overnight for the best results. (In that case, refrigerate the chicken and take it out 20 minutes before cooking.)
- Curry leaves: Clean and dry the curry leaves before roasting. If there is moisture, the curry leaves will not crisp up well and the powder might turn out clumpy.
- Curry leaves powder: You can make it smooth or slightly coarse depending on your preference.
- Sauté the onions well until soft. This step is important, since it brings all the flavors together when you add chicken and spices and makes it very aromatic.
- Before you add curry leaves powder, check if most of the water has evaporated. If not, crank up the flame and stir on high heat for a couple of minutes.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. It tastes better if reheated in a pan or wok (rather than microwave).
- Meal planning: Curry leaf chicken can be frozen for a month. Store it in an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pan.
★★★★★Did you try this recipe? Please give a star rating in the comments below ★★★★★
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