This Quick and Easy Chicken Madras is a deeply flavored Indian curry that is on the table in about 30 minutes. If you’re a curry fan, this is the dish for you because we all want our curry in a hurry. Traditionally made hot, you can customize this to your liking.

Chicken madras served in an Indian Karahi topped with fresh cilantro

From scratch and could not be easier. Serve with a side of naan bread for curry sauce mopping.

It is made known on this blog that I love Indian food. I mean love! It comes from being British and growing up with a heavy Indian influence in the UK.

When I made my first curry Indian recipe for the blog, back in 2013 it was chicken tikka masala. This was an instant hit and is still one of my most popular dishes to this day.

A piece of chicken madras on a fork
What is Chicken Madras?

Madras sauce or Madras curry, originates from the south of India, named after the city of Madras (now Chennai). Always red in color, Madras is typically a hot curry

Spice level

In keeping with tradition, this is a fairly spicy madras curry, as If you like it spicer, add an extra hot red chili powder to taste. 

What I love about this Quick and Easy Chicken Madras is that it has a rich, depth of flavor that tastes like it cooked for hours. The garam masala that is the spice base and  main flavor for the dish is mild and slightly sweet.

Large pieces of chicken bathed in delicious

The Indian Spice Blend: Garam masala is complex combination of many spices that include cardamom, coriander, fennel, fenugreek, nutmeg, cinnamon, the list goes on. This is why this is an amazing spice blend and allows you to achieve a wonderfully flavorful curry.

Maximize the flavor of the spices

Whenever I see an authentic Indian dish being made, the cook always toast the spices in a dry pan as the first step of the recipe. This brings out the flavors and takes away any raw taste that they may bring to the dis

Slices of orange and green skinned acorn squash on a pewter plate

The day I made this chicken Madras, was in the store shopping for the ingredients and my husband spotted is favorite squash, the acorn squash. They had them in green and orange. I had no idea they came in orange, look very similar to a pumpkin.

I promised I would make him a side dish to go with the curry and that is when I came up with the really easy roasted acorn squash with Indian spices, that is  a wonderful side dish for this curry.

What happens when all the chicken is eaten? You’ll need something to mop it up. I have the easiest naan bread recipe (< click for link).

If you’ve tried this Quick and Easy Chicken Madras or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it turned out in the comments below. I love to hear from my readers!

Yield: 4

Quick and Easy Chicken Madras

Quick and easy chicken madras in a copper serving dish

This quick and easy chicken Madras is a deeply flavored, mild Indian curry that is on the table in about 30 minutes. If you're a curry fan, this is the dish for you.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into large chunks
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Indian kashmiri (hot chili powder) add 1 more teaspoon for extra heat
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 14-ounces (400 grams) diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 14 ounces (400 grams) unsweetened coconut milk
  • Fresh cilantro/coriander, chopped

Instructions

  1. To a large sauté pan add garam masala over low heat and toast in a dry pan. Remove and set aside.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook until slightly brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  3. To the same pan over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and add the onion and cook until softened.
  4. Add garlic and ginger, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, tomato paste, stir. Add diced tomatoes and mix well.
  5. Add the chicken pieces, salt pepper and coconut milk. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove lid and simmer for 10 more minutes.
  6. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 243Saturated Fat 9gCholesterol 72mgSodium 455mgCarbohydrates 4gProtein 24g

More Indian Dishes:

Easy Indian Tomato Chutney

Dipping a piece of naan bread into Indian tomato chutney

Indian Spiced Peas

A bowl of peas and vegetables with dal, curry and naan bread