This is my go-to chicken recipe, especially when I am hard-pressed for time and require something easy yet flavorful. It is also one of the few recipes I’ve tried and absolutely loved from a cookery show on television. I don’t remember the exact name of this particular dish. Maybe it doesn’t have one since it is such a rustic preparation, the recipe passed down generations simply by word-of-mouth. We’ve always called it ‘Gobi chicken’, because the only thing I remember from the show is the chef saying it was a popular village/country style recipe from around the Gobichettipalayam region in Tamil Nadu. Since the cuisine around that region is the famed Kongunadu cuisine, let’s just call it that.
You would be surprised at how few ingredients this recipe actually needs. A few shallots, ginger, turmeric, a whole lot of dried red chilies, combined with the smoky sweetness of turmeric and roasted coconut pieces (thenga kothu) make this a quick and easy recipe. I’ve left out the coconut on many occasions and it still turns out perfect.
Using a well-seasoned earthen pot to cook the chicken will give it an authentic flavor. Don’t worry if you don’t have one, a regular pan will work too. Don’t be fooled into thinking this recipe lacks flavor or spice. The chicken is slow cooked in it’s own juices along with a generous handful of torn red chilies. You can use de-seeded chilies or whole ones to amp down the spice factor and still end up with a lovely dish. Sometimes I add a generous pinch of roasted and ground cumin, just to round off the flavors.
This chicken dish is best when eaten with steaming hot white rice and a simple dal or sambar and maybe some pappads on the side. It goes well with chapathis and rotis too. Just to add a fun new twist, I served it with a simple green peas couscous – green peas sauteed in a touch of ghee and garam masala and mixed with fluffy couscous. The nutty grain was the perfect accompaniment to this spicy chicken dish.
So, let’s get on to the recipe, shall we?
KONGUNADU CHICKEN {COUNTRY STYLE SPICY CHICKEN}
You will need:
- Oil – 2 tbsp
- Curry leaves – a few
- Red onion – 1, thickly chopped (or, use 1 cup of small Indian shallots)
- Ginger – 2 tbsp, finely chopped
- Dried red chilies – 8-10 (whole or de-seeded or cracked open depending on your heat level)
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Chicken – 1 lb, boneless and cut into small pieces
- Salt – to taste
- Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp (use roasted and ground cumin for best results)
- Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
How to:
- Heat oil in a pan or skillet. Add curry leaves, red onions (or shallots) and ginger. Saute till onions are red. Now add the red chilies. I add most of them whole and de-seed the rest. Saute for a few more seconds.
- Add the turmeric powder and mix well. Add chicken and combine thoroughly. Season with salt, reduce the heat, cover and allow the chicken to cook in it’s own juices. The chicken will let out some liquid, so you don’t need water at all.
- When the chicken is done, open the lid and increase the heat to thicken the gravy. Add garam masala and roasted cumin powders and cook for a couple more minutes, till most of the liquid evaporates.
This dish is somewhat dry, but the chicken pieces will be coated with the lovely gravy.
Notes:
- For the green peas couscous, prepare couscous as per package instructions. Saute a small handful of green peas (and any other vegetable you like) in a teaspoon of ghee, season lightly with salt and a fat pinch of garam masala, mix with the cooked couscous and serve. I kept the couscous preparation simple here since the kongunadu chicken is spicy. You can prepare couscous like you would prepare regular spicy pulao too.
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Looks so aromatic and delicious! Love the idea of cooking chicken in an earthern pot!
Thank you, Indu. Traditional recipes are best cooked in an earthen pot to maximize the flavors.
Happy Fiesta Friday again, Anjana! You could just call this “chicken” because it doesn’t matter what you call it…it looks absolutely delicious! I can see why it’s one of your “go to” dishes… I’d make it when I was pressed for time…or if I had all the time in the world! I think that there is a comfort element in this…especially paired with the couscous… I say yum. Just yum. Love this. <3
I guess you could just call it “chicken”! Most of the traditional dishes don’t have a proper name, do they?
This one goes perfectly with rice, couscous, bread or whatever. I love that versatility!
They say you eat with your eyes first, and that is definitely true with this dish! It looks so good!
Aww… thank you, Michelle!
I don’t think I’ve heard of this great curried chicken… will definitely give it a try, and I like that you Indianized the couscous :)) Great combo! Definitely a comfort food in my books.
Do try it, Loreta. It is quite simple, but really delicious!
It’s right up my alley! I love the ease of making it!
Yes, it is really simple and delicious, Suchitra!
This does look spectacular and so simple! When you say the dish is somewhat dry, do you mean lacking in sauce, or dry tasting?
No, curry can almost never be dry tasting because the chicken is slow cooked in its own juices. A dry masala or curry refers to the consistency of the sauce, there is no pouring sauce left after it is cooked.
Oh great to know! Thanks!
Love finding more quick chicken recipes! Looks delicious Anjana 🙂
One can never have too many chicken recipes, right?! This one is a keeper for me. Do give it a try, Naina 🙂
Easy and flavorful….those can be the best recipes huh?
Absolutely!
I don’t know that I have ever had a dish with this flavour profile but it sounds so so good!
Yes, it really is quite different. The masala is really simple, but ends up very flavorful and delicious.
Beautiful Chicken dish… Its so simple to make yet so delicious.. Love it.. 🙂
Thank you, Arpita. It’s beauty lies in it’s simplicity. This recipe is so easy to put together, it really is my go-to recipe 🙂
yum yum !!!!
🙂
Thank you, Khadiza!
Looks absolutely scrumptious. I want some! Lol
Thank you. Come on over and I will make some!
Anjana, this is sooooo yummmm!! 😊Sounds really quick too.. Thanks for sharing this delicious preparation with us!!❤ ed it..
Thank you, Nimmi. And yes, it is so easy and delicious. Give it a try!
Looks delicious…so if I keep the chili whole, it will lower the spice level. Good to know when I’m cooking for the kids.
Yes, keeping those chilies whole will help in flavoring the dish without too much heat. The heat of the chilies are mainly inside the skin and in the seeds.