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Authentic Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast Recipe (Kundapur Style)

Clay bowl of Mangalorean chicken ghee roast, deep red chicken pieces glistening in thick masala and topped with crisp curry leaves, served on a banana leaf with neer dosa
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Few coastal Indian dishes look as dramatic as chicken ghee roast, and right now it is having a real moment online. Picture tender chicken cloaked in a thick, glossy, almost crimson masala that clings to every piece, with the unmistakable aroma of ghee and roasted spices rising off the pan. It is fiery, tangy, and deeply savory all at once, yet there is not a single onion or tomato in it. That combination of bold flavor and a short, pantry-friendly ingredient list is exactly why reels and videos of it keep racking up views and sending home cooks searching for the recipe.

Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast

About This Dish

Chicken ghee roast is a specialty of Kundapur, a coastal town in the Mangalore region of Karnataka. It is widely credited to the kitchen of Shetty Lunch Home, which began serving the dish in the mid twentieth century, after which it spread across coastal Karnataka and into restaurants everywhere. The technique grew out of the local love for ghee, fresh ground spices, and the bright red byadgi chili, which gives the area’s cooking its glowing color without scorching heat. Today it is considered one of the defining dishes of Mangalorean cuisine.

Ingredient Notes

The heart of this dish is the spice paste, so a few ingredients are worth getting right. Byadgi chilies are the traditional choice because they deliver a deep red color and gentle warmth rather than aggressive heat, and Kashmiri chilies are the closest substitute. Tamarind brings the signature tang, while a little jaggery rounds it out, and good ghee carries all of it, so use the freshest you have. The yogurt and lemon marinade keeps the chicken juicy and helps the masala stick. Bone-in chicken gives the most flavor, but boneless thighs work well and cook a little faster, and the ginger can be left out if you prefer a more garlic-forward paste.

Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast cooking step

Method And Tips

The technique is simple but rewards patience. Roast the whole spices and chilies on low heat just until fragrant, never letting them brown, because burnt spices will turn the whole dish bitter. When you cook the ground paste in ghee, keep the heat moderate and wait for the ghee to separate at the edges, which is the sign the raw flavor has cooked out. From there it is mostly stirring and letting the masala roast onto the chicken until it turns dark and glossy. Add water only by the splash if it tightens up too much, since this is meant to be a thick, clinging roast rather than a gravy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve chicken ghee roast hot, while the masala is still glistening, alongside soft neer dosa, steamed rice, jeera rice, or flaky Malabar parotta to soak up every bit of it. It makes a showstopping centerpiece for a weekend meal or a small gathering. Once you taste how much flavor comes out of a handful of spices and a generous spoon of ghee, it earns a permanent place in your rotation.

Recipe

Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast

A fiery, tangy coastal Karnataka chicken dish from Kundapur, slow roasted in ghee with byadgi chilies, garlic, and tamarind for a deep red, glossy masala. It uses no onion or tomato, so all the flavor comes from the roasted spice paste.

Main Dish South Indian Medium
Prep
20min
Cook
30min
Total
50min
Servings
4servings
Calories
490kcal

Ingredients

  • For the marinade
  • 2 lb chicken, bone-in or boneless thighs, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • For the ghee roast masala
  • 12 dried byadgi or kashmiri red chilies
  • 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 3 cloves
  • 1 inch stick cinnamon
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch piece ginger
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
  • For cooking
  • 1/3 cup ghee
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 2 teaspoons jaggery, grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. 1 In a bowl, combine the chicken with the yogurt, turmeric, salt, and lemon juice. Mix well so every piece is coated, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to a few hours for deeper flavor.
  2. 2 Heat a dry pan over low to medium heat. Add the byadgi chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, cloves, and cinnamon. Roast gently, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant. Do not let the spices darken or burn, since burnt spices turn the dish bitter. Transfer to a plate and cool completely.
  3. 3 Add the cooled roasted spices to a blender along with the garlic, ginger, and tamarind paste. Pour in 1/4 to 1/2 cup water and grind to a smooth, thick red paste, scraping down the sides as needed.
  4. 4 Heat all but 1 tablespoon of the ghee in a heavy-bottomed kadai or wide pan over medium heat. Add the ground masala paste and cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until the raw smell disappears and the ghee begins to separate at the edges. Lower the heat if it splutters too much.
  5. 5 Add the marinated chicken along with any clinging marinade. Stir to coat every piece in the masala, then sprinkle in the 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook on medium-low for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the masala clings thickly to the pieces.
  6. 6 Stir in the grated jaggery and most of the curry leaves. Cook uncovered for another 3 to 5 minutes so the masala roasts onto the chicken and turns glossy and dark red. Add only a splash of water if it looks too dry.
  7. 7 Finish with the reserved tablespoon of ghee and the remaining curry leaves. Taste and adjust salt or jaggery, then serve hot.

Notes

  • Byadgi (also spelled byadagi) chilies give the signature deep red color with only mild heat. Kashmiri red chilies are the best substitute if you cannot find them.
  • Traditional Kundapur ghee roast has no onion or tomato. The body and color come entirely from the roasted spice and chili paste, so resist adding them.
  • Cook the masala low and slow. Rushing on high heat scorches the spice paste and makes the dish bitter.
  • Serve with neer dosa, steamed rice, jeera rice, or Malabar parotta.

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