Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast (Ghee Roast Chicken)

This Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast (also known as Kundapur Ghee Roast Chicken) is my favorite coastal Karnataka dish. Here's my quick and easy recipe with a little twist to make this traditional Mangalorean restaurant-style dish at home.

Chicken ghee roast is famous for its spicy, smoky, ghee-rich flavor. Along with prawn ghee roast and chicken sukka, it's one of my childhood favorites. It is made with tender chicken and cooked in a spicy, tangy ghee-roasted masala. Tastes divine with neer dosa. You will love every single bite.

Ingredients Notes

• Chicken: To make this Kundapur ghee roast chicken recipe, you can use boneless or bone-in chicken. I like bone-in chicken as it adds more flavor. You can also swap with prawns for a delicious prawn ghee roast.
• Ghee: The key ingredient. It adds richness, aroma, and a silky smooth texture. Do not reduce the quantity of ghee. Always use fresh homemade ghee if possible, or good-quality store-bought.
• Byadgi Chilies: They give an authentic, bright red color and mild spicy flavor to this Mangalorean roast chicken recipe. You can substitute it with Kashmiri red chilies. I have tried making it with Kashmiri chilies, and I am happy with the results.
• Tamarind: A staple ingredient in the Mangalorean kitchen. I used it in other Mangalorean dishes, like Mangalorean fish curry or rava fish fry. Adds tanginess to the chicken roast masala. Can be swapped with lemon juice (flavour varies slightly).
• Curry leaves: Adds a distinct South Indian flavor to this Mangalorean chicken roast, often used in dishes like Andhra-style chicken fry. Skip if not available.

How to make Chicken Ghee Roast (Step by Step)

Step 1: Combine chicken pieces, curd or yogurt, salt, and turmeric powder in a mixing bowl. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator. (image 1).

Step 2: Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Dry roast coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin, pepper, fennel, cloves, and cinnamon until aromatic. Remove to a plate (image 2).

Step 3: In the same pan, dry roast byadgi red chilies until crisp (image 3). Remove to a plate. Let all roasted ingredients cool completely. I always deseeded the red chilies to reduce the spiciness (optional) (image 4).

Step 4: Add all the roasted ingredients to a grinder jar. Add garlic cloves and tamarind (image 5). Then grind with ¼ cup water into a fine paste (image 6). Use minimal water; otherwise, later roasting the masala in ghee will be difficult. Homemade ghee roast masala is ready. Set this aside.

Step 5: Heat 2 teaspoon ghee in a pan. Cook the marinated chicken until it turns from pink to white and the marinade thickens slightly (image 7). Remove it to a bowl and keep covered (image 8). The chicken won't be fully cooked yet, don't worry, we'll finish cooking it later.

Step 7: In the same pan, add 2 teaspoon ghee over medium-low heat. Add curry leaves and the ground masala (image 9). Stir and cook the masala until it starts to stick to the pan. Add another 2 teaspoon of ghee and continue roasting the masala in ghee.

Step 8: Taste and add salt only to flavor the masala. Remember, we already added salt to the chicken. Keep stirring and roasting, adding ghee at regular intervals, until the masala starts to release ghee from the sides (it will take about 15-20 minutes) (image 10).

Step 9: Add the chicken back to the pan (image 11) and coat well in the masala (image 12).

Step 10: Stir in 1 tablespoon ghee (image 13). Cover and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so the masala doesn't stick (image 14). Uncover and cook for another 2 minutes.

Step 11: Finally, add jaggery, lemon juice, and curry leaves (image 15). Cook for 1 more minute, then remove from the heat (image 16). Serve hot with neer dosa, steamed rice, or dal.

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