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Chicken sukka is usually made with soft and fresh chicken pieces that are marinated with salt, lemon juice, turmeric powder, and ginger garlic paste. These marinated pieces are cooked in a rich and dry masala gravy made from tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, curry leaves, coriander leaves and a touch of lemon juice. Along the way, a specially ground masala is also added for that traditional flavor comprising coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, garam masala and a few other aromatic spices. I will walk through my recipe with you to show the quick and easy steps to make chicken sukka at home.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Chicken sukka is a very popular starter served in parties and weddings or as a side dish at homes.
Serve it hot alongside roti, naan, paratha, or dal chawal, if not simply as a starter.
Chicken sukka tastes spicy, earthy, tangy and savory.
Other similar recipes are chicken ghee roast, chicken bhuna, chicken Kolhapuri, chili chicken dry, and pepper chicken.

The Ingredients:

To marinate chicken:

1 kg chicken
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp salt
2 tsp lemon juice

To cook the masala gravy:

3 tbsp cooking oil
5 pieces onions (medium sized, very finely chopped)
2 tbsp garlic (very finely chopped)
1 tbsp ginger (very finely chopped)
2 tbsp green chilies (very finely chopped)
5 pieces tomatoes (medium size, very finely chopped)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder
Lemon juice (half a lemon)
10 pieces curry leaves
Coriander leaves (a handful, finely chopped)

To make the spice mix:

3 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp black peppercorns
2 pieces cinnamon stick (1 inch in size)
6 pieces green cardamom (whole pods)
2 pieces bay leaves
1 piece mace
1 piece black cardamom
8 pieces cloves
2 tsp dry fenugreek leaves (Kasuri methi)

I learned this recipe from one of my friends who came over one weekend for dinner at our place. She suggested that she would make the starter and inquired whether there was chicken at home. Finding it and all the spices required in hand, she started making the dish, and I, just like an obedient student, noted every step and instructions in my kitchen diary.

I made it one weekend for dinner, and the result was far better than I expected. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and they were soft and juicy. My two sons and husband liked the dish and had a couple of more rotis than they usually have. It was such a pleasing sight. I thanked my friend for teaching me the recipe, which now features often in our dinner menu or at parties at home.

How to Make Chicken Sukka? (Step by Step Guide with Images)

Step 1: Marinate 1 kg of chicken with ½ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp of salt, and 2 tsp of lemon juice. Cover and keep aside for 1 hour.

Step 2: Fry very finely chopped 5 pieces of medium-sized onions in 3 tbsp cooking oil until deep brown on a medium flame. Mix 2 tbsp of garlic, 1 tbsp of ginger and 2 tbsp of green chilies, all very finely chopped.

Step 3: Then add 5 pieces of tomatoes (medium size, very finely chopped) and ½ tsp of salt. Cook until tomatoes are soft and the oil separates.

Step 4: Add the marinated chicken and 1 tsp of Kashmiri red chili powder. Cook on a high flame until the chicken changes color.

Step 5: Dry roast 3 tsp of coriander seeds, 1 tsp of fennel seeds, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, ½ tsp of black peppercorns, 2 pieces of cinnamon stick (1 inch in size), 6 pieces of green cardamom (whole pods), 2 pieces of bay leaves, 1 piece of mace, 1 piece of black cardamom and 8 pieces of cloves on a medium flame until golden. Then add 2 tsp of dry fenugreek leaves (Kasuri methi). Switch off the flame and fry for 30 seconds.

Step 6: Grind the spices when cool.

Step 7: Mix it with the chicken. Cover and cook on a low flame for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 8: Add the juice of half a lemon and 10 pieces of curry leaves and a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves and mix them on a high flame until the curry leaves and coriander leaves are soft. Switch off the flame and transfer it onto a serving plate.