A rich, fragrant and fairly hot curry, chicken madras is simple to make at home in one pan. Blending the onion creates a thick, sumptuous sauce. A perfect Friday-night curry!
Nicky’s Notes
Madras is a fairly hot curry with a deep red sauce — the colour comes from chillies and paprika. It has slightly tangy notes from tamarind and a hint of bitterness from fenugreek. In this recipe the chicken isn’t marinated; the spices are added during cooking to build flavour.
The sauce is smooth and velvety. I use a ready-made Madras spice mix and add a few extra spices for depth. Blending the onion with garlic and ginger gives the sauce a lovely smooth texture, and using passata rather than chopped tinned tomatoes keeps it lump-free.
My version has warming heat but isn’t overpowering — my kids enjoy it and they don’t like overly spicy food.
I also add coconut milk. While not always traditional for a Madras, coconut milk is common in British-Indian restaurant styles and brings richness and a touch of sweetness to balance the tomatoes and spices.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients
- 🧑🍳 Abbreviated Process
- Pro Tip
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- 🍲 More fantastic curries
- Want to make a Chicken Tikka Madras?
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Chicken Madras Recipe
- Can I make it ahead?
- Can I freeze it?
- Can I make it in the slow cooker?
📋 Ingredients
Note on Madras Curry Powder
Madras curry powder is typically fairly hot. If you prefer the flavour without the heat, substitute a mild curry powder in the same quantity. Garlic, ginger, cinnamon, tamarind, paprika and fenugreek in the recipe still deliver the characteristic tang and complexity of a Madras.
Swap the chicken for beef or lamb?
Yes. For a quick beef or lamb version, use thin strips of lean steak, fry briefly in a hot pan until sealed, then add them to the sauce at the end after the sauce has simmered for 10 minutes so they stay tender.
For slow-cooked beef or lamb, use diced braising cuts, add them at the same stage you’d add the chicken, increase the passata by 200ml and add 200ml beef stock as well as the coconut milk. Bring to the boil, then cook in the oven at 160°C/320°F for about 3 hours or in a slow cooker on high for 5–6 hours or low for 7–8 hours.
🧑🍳 Abbreviated Process
Full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card below.
- Blend the onion, garlic and ginger to a paste. Fry it in ghee or oil over high heat until the edges begin to brown.
- Add chopped chicken and cook 2–3 minutes until sealed.
- Turn heat to medium, add the spices and seasonings and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add passata and tomato puree, bring to the boil, stir in coconut milk, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Pro Tip
Make the curry as mild or as hot as you like. Use Madras hot curry powder for heat, add fresh chillies for more kick, or swap to a medium or mild curry powder to tone it down.
I enjoy a bit of heat, but I prefer it balanced so the spices and aromas remain the stars.
🍽️ What to serve it with
- Serve over boiled basmati rice, onion fried rice or pilau rice.
- Mop up the sauce with peshwari naan or garlic naan.
- Accompany with a simple tomato and onion salad and some mango chutney for contrast.
I like to finish the curry with fresh coriander, sliced red chillies and finely sliced red onion.
🍲 More fantastic curries
Curries
Lamb Rogan Josh
Curries
Easy Chicken Korma
Curries
Paneer Curry
Curries
Prawn Balti Curry
Curries
Easy Keema Curry (Minced Beef Curry)
Slow Cooked
Slow Cooker Beef Coconut Curry
Want to make a Chicken Tikka Madras?
Marinating the chicken in a tikka-style yogurt mixture and grilling it before adding to the sauce adds smoky char and extra flavour. Mix 120ml thick natural yogurt, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp minced ginger, juice of half a lemon, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp each turmeric and cumin, mild chilli powder (or hot if you prefer), salt, pepper and a pinch of cinnamon. Toss in chopped chicken and refrigerate for 2–3 hours. Grill or broil until cooked through, then add the cooked chicken to the sauce just after it has simmered for 10 minutes.
📺 Watch how to make it
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Chicken Madras
Ingredients
Chicken Madras:
- 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tsp minced ginger
- 3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
- 3 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size chunks (about 525g / 18.5oz)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 tbsp madras hot curry powder (see note)
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground fenugreek
- 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 400 ml passata (14 oz)
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 200 ml coconut milk (full-fat)
To serve:
- Small bunch fresh coriander
- 1 finely sliced red chilli
- 1/4 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
- Boiled rice
Instructions
- Add the onion, garlic and ginger to a mini food processor and blend to a paste, adding a splash of oil if needed to loosen.
- Heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the onion paste and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges start to brown.
- Add the chicken and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until sealed.
- Reduce heat to medium and add cinnamon, madras curry powder, paprika, ground fenugreek, tamarind paste, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until the spices release their aroma.
- Add passata and tomato puree and bring to the boil.
- Stir in the coconut milk, bring back to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
- Serve topped with fresh coriander, sliced chillies, red onion and boiled rice.
Notes
Note 1 – Madras curry powder
If you can’t find Madras powder, use regular curry powder and add 1–2 tsp cayenne or hot chilli powder to increase heat.
Note 2 – Fenugreek
If you don’t have fenugreek you can omit it; many madras blends already contain some fenugreek.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Cook the curry, cool quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over medium heat, adding a splash of water if it looks dry, until piping hot throughout.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Cool quickly, cover and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat over medium heat until piping hot, adding a little water if needed.
Can I make it in the slow cooker?
Yes. Make the recipe up to the end of step 5, transfer to the slow cooker with the coconut milk, and cook on low for 3–4 hours or high for 1–2 hours.
Nutritional information is per serving without rice or garnish and is approximate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
This post was first published in March 2020 and updated in March 2025 with improvements and housekeeping edits.
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