Chicken Mappas

Name: Chicken Mappas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Kerala Cuisine
Ingredients: 1 kg skinless chicken, cut into curry pieces; ½ teaspoon turmeric powder; ¾ teaspoon fine salt; 3 tablespoons coconut oil; 2 medium onions, thinly sliced; 3 green chillies, slit; 2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger; 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic; 2 sprigs curry leaves, divided; 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds; ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; ½ teaspoon garam masala; 500 ml full-fat coconut milk, divided; 250 ml water; 1 tablespoon coconut oil; 2 tablespoons chopped coriander

About Chicken Mappas

Chicken Mappas is a gentle Kerala-style chicken curry known for its creamy coconut milk gravy, mild spice profile and aromatic finish. It is often lighter in colour and softer in character than darker roasted-coconut curries, with green chilli, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and whole spices bringing warmth without making the dish overly hot.

The chicken is simmered in a balanced gravy where coconut milk adds body and richness, while the spices remain rounded and fragrant. The finished curry should feel comforting and elegant rather than heavy.

Chicken Mappas is especially well suited to appam, idiyappam, pathiri, chapati or Kerala Matta rice. It also works well for family lunches, catering menus and restaurant service where a mild but flavourful Kerala chicken dish is needed.

Cooking Chicken Mappas Outside Its Home Region

For home cooks, South Indian caterers and restaurant kitchens outside Kerala, including across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, North America, Australia and New Zealand, the main challenge is achieving the right coconut-milk balance without making the gravy too rich or too thin.

For home cooks, bone-in chicken thigh and drumstick pieces give the best flavour and remain tender during simmering. Full-fat coconut milk gives the curry its rounded finish, but it should be added gently over a low heat rather than boiled aggressively. Dried curry leaves are widely available through South Asian grocery shops and work well in the base or final tempering. Fresh curry leaves can also be batch-frozen at home when bought in abundance from local grocery shops.

For professional kitchens, Coconut milk can vary in richness between brands, so measured liquid ratios are important. The chicken should be cooked until tender before the final coconut milk is added, then held at a gentle temperature to avoid splitting or thickening too heavily. Preparing the base in advance and finishing with coconut milk close to service gives better consistency across batches.

A good Chicken Mappas should have a smooth, creamy gravy that coats the chicken lightly, with enough spice and curry-leaf aroma to feel distinctly Kerala in character.

Chicken Mappas

CoChilli Pro

Servings

4 servings

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Cuisine

Kerala Cuisine

Ingredients

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1 kg skinless chicken, cut into curry pieces
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
¾ teaspoon fine salt

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3 tablespoons coconut oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 green chillies, slit
2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 sprigs curry leaves, divided
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon garam masala

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500 ml full-fat coconut milk, divided
250 ml water
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons chopped coriander

Directions

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Mix the chicken with turmeric and salt. Rest for 15 minutes while preparing the sauce.

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Heat coconut oil. Cook onions, green chillies and one sprig curry leaves until soft and pale golden.
Add ginger and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Add fennel, turmeric and black pepper with a splash of water. Cook for 1 minute.

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Add the chicken and turn through the aromatics.
Add water and 300 ml coconut milk. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through.
Stir in remaining coconut milk, garam masala, curry leaves and coconut oil. Simmer on low heat for 2 minutes and finish with coriander.

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A More Practical Route to Chicken Mappas

Chicken Mappas depends on a gently seasoned coconut sauce that feels aromatic and rounded rather than heavy or split. Achieving that smooth balance from scratch, while keeping the chicken tender, can take careful heat control. For a more practical route to this coconut-led chicken curry, explore the CoChilli Pro product used for this dish below.