Kerala Chicken stew, also often called chicken ishtu, chicken stew is a well-liked side dish from Kerala region. It’s a white color chicken stew which is mild and made with whole spices, onions, green chillies, chicken, ginger, garlic and coconut milk. On this blog post I even have shared two ways of creating chicken stew with and without vegetables. This mild chicken stew goes well with idiyappam, appam, puttu, idli or dosa.
Chicken Stew
It is a dish which we make fairly often at home. There are such a lot of versions of stew made specially with chicken, vegetables or mutton. This curry is so popular with the children since it is rather mild and never spicy. You’ll be able to have it with a wide range of item like idiyappam, appam, puttu, idli or dosa.
About Chicken Stew
Chicken stew is a well-liked dish all around the world. It often refers to a comforting dish all over the world. Depending on the region, recipe for making chicken stew vary.
Specially chicken stew is a classic dish. In other parts of the world it’s a stew manufactured from parboiled whole chicken in a cream or milk-based broth, butter, and seasonings similar to salt, pepper, and other ingredients. The stew is traditionally served within the late fall and winter months. This time of 12 months is often known as mull season in northern Georgia. The term chicken stew or chicken mull is often used to confer with an event or gathering where the dish is served.
But in India, specially Kerala stew known as as Ishtu. It’s made by sauteing onions, ginger, garlic, whole spices, vegetables and chicken simmered in coconut milk till the chicken is succulent and tender.
Depending on the preference a standard ishtu has vegetables added or skipped. You’ll be able to have it with a wide range of item like idiyappam, appam, puttu, idli or dosa.
Similar Chicken Recipes
Chicken Salna
Easy Chicken Curry
Chettinad Chicken Curry
Chicken Masala
Watch Chicken Stew Video
Chicken Stew Ingredients

Chicken – use bone-in chicken which is more flavourful than boneless breast. I wish to cut my chicken into small pieces so the chicken absorbs the coconut milk higher.
Vegetables – every time I cook stew or ishtu, I wish to use green beans, carrots, potatoes and green peas which matches well with chicken.
Onions – use sliced onions or chopped shallots and cook in coconut oil till golden and fragrant.
Ginger & Garlic – crushed ginger and garlic or ginger garlic paste may be used.
Whole Spices – spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf is used as whole spices to flavour the stew.
Curry leaves – be certain you add a handful of curry leaves to flavour the oil.
Coconut Milk – thin and thick extract of coconut milk is used to flavour the stew. Start by cooking the chicken and vegetables in thin coconut milk and finish with thick coconut milk.
Cashews – I add cashew paste to thicken the stew. It adds a wealthy taste and silky texture. As an alternative of cashews you should use blanched almonds, melon seeds.

Cooking Chicken Stew 3 Methods
Pressure Cooker – On this recipe I used the simple option of cooking chicken stew in pressure cooker. It’s fast method and the curry may be finished in lower than half-hour.
Cooking Pot – As an alternative of using pressure cooker or fast pot, you should use a daily kadai or cooking pot to make this. You would possibly need to make use of extra coconut milk or water for cooking the chicken. Cover the pot and cook until chicken is tender.
Fast Pot – Start cooking in saute mode in Fast pot. Follow the recipe because it is. Once the skinny coconut milk is added cover and set the fast pot to pressure cook mode. Cook for 10 mins in pressure cook mode. Let the pressure release by itself and serve.

Two Ways of Making Chicken Ishtu
With vegetables – you’ll be able to add carrots, beans, green peas, potatoes and cauliflower when making stew for added nutrients and it makes the stew vibrant. Ensure that you add vegetables once chicken is sort of cooked, else it could turn mushy.
Without vegetables – that is classic recipe and simple to make as well.

How you can Make Kerala Chicken Stew (Stepwise Pictures)
Cashew Paste
1)Take cashews in a bowl. Pour in hot water and permit them to soak for 10 minutes. Now take the soaked cashews in a blender and grind them right into a smooth paste. As an alternative of cashews, you should use almonds or melon seeds.

Tempering Spices
2)I made this chicken stew in a pressure cooker. You should use a standard pot to make the chicken stew.
Heat coconut oil in a pressure cooker. Add in bayleaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and curry leaves. allow them to sizzle within the oil.

3)Add in sliced onions, sliced green chillies and blend well. As an alternative of onions you should use sliced shallots.
Pro Tip: Green chillies are the one spice that’s utilized in this curry. We do not add chilli powder. So you’ll be able to add as much green chillies as possible.

4)Add in ginger garlic paste and saute for 1 to 2 minute till the raw smell leaves. As an alternative of using ginger garlic paste, you’ll be able to add chopped ginger and chopped garlic.

5)Add in chopped chicken into the onions, sprinkle salt to taste. Use chicken with bone-in for max flavour.

Cooking Chicken
6)Once the chicken is added in, stir fry it with the onions for a minimum of 10 minutes till the chicken is well seared and gets a little bit of color. Now add within the second extract coconut milk.
Pro Tip: When you are using coconut milk powder, for 3 tbsp of coconut milk powder add 2 cups of water to get second extract coconut milk.

7)Cover the pressure cooker and cook for two whistle. Let the pressure release by itself. Open the cooker, the chicken will likely be half cooked at this point.

Adding vegetables in chicken stew
8)Now add in your chopped veggies. I used chopped beans, carrots, peeled and chopped potatoes. Mix well.

9)Cover the pressure cooker again and cook for two more whistle. By this time the chicken and vegetables will likely be completely cooked. Let the pressure release by itself before opening the cooker.
Pro Tip: As an alternative of pressure cooking the vegetables, you’ll be able to cook on low heat in an open pot for 15 to twenty minutes.

Adding cashew & thick coconut milk
10)Now add in green peas, cashew paste. Mix well and cook on medium high heat for two minutes.

11)I transferred the mixture to an even bigger pot. Now add in the primary extract coconut milk.
Pro Tip: When you are using coconut milk powder. Mix ¼ cup coconut milk powder with 1 cup of warm water to get first extract coconut milk.

12)Once the primary extract milk is added, don’t boil. Simmer the flame and cook on low heat for two minutes. Turn off the flame and add in coriander leaves. Mix well.

13)Serve.

Chicken Ishtu without Veggies
1)Take cashews in a bowl. Pour in hot water and permit them to soak for 10 minutes. Now take the soaked cashews in a blender and grind them right into a smooth paste. As an alternative of cashews, you should use almonds or melon seeds.

2)Heat coconut oil in a pressure cooker, add in whole spices, crushed ginger and garlic. Saute for 1 minute.

3)Add in chopped onions, slit green chillies and saute for two minutes till raw smell leaves.

4)Add in chicken, sprinkle some salt to the chicken and blend well.

5)Stir fry the chicken within the oil for five to 10 minutes till it’s seared. Now pour in second extract coconut milk and blend well.

6)Pressure cook the chicken for 3 to 4 whistle depending on the dimensions of the chicken. let the pressure release by itself. Open the cooker and check whether the chicken is cooked completely.

7)Add in cashew paste and blend well.

8)Finally add in first extract coconut milk and blend well. Simmer on low heat for two minutes. Turn off the warmth. Add in coriander leaves and blend well.

9)Serve.

Expert Suggestions
- use bone-in chicken for making chicken stew which makes the curry flavourful.
- Use fresh coconut milk for higher flavour.
- As an alternative of cashews, you should use badam or melon seeds.
- You’ll be able to add or skip vegetables.
More chicken recipes
📖 Recipe Card
Kerala Chicken Stew Recipe | Chicken Ishtu Recipe
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 610kcal
Equipment
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Pressure cooker
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Blender
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Cooking pot
Ingredients
Chicken Stew with Vegetables
Chicken Stew without Vegetables
Instructions
Chicken Stew with Vegetables
Chicken Stew without Vegetables
Notes
- use bone-in chicken for making chicken stew which makes the curry flavourful.
- Use fresh coconut milk for higher flavour.
- As an alternative of cashews, you should use badam or melon seeds.
- You’ll be able to add or skip vegetables.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servings | Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 40g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 677mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 236IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 8mg
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