Malabar coast, Kerala · Side dish
Malabar chicken curry
Also called Malabar kozhi curry, Kerala chicken curry with coconut, varutharacha chicken curry, nadan chicken curry
A Malabar-style chicken curry cooked in coconut oil with a ground paste of roasted coconut, coriander seeds, pepper and red chillies, plus onions, curry leaves and green chillies. Eaten with appam, parotta, pathiri or rice.
The short answer
Malabar chicken curry has about 392 kcal in a regular serving (1 katori, about 210 g), with 27.9 g of protein and 3.2 g of fibre. It rates 2.5/5 (moderate fit) for weight management: it is low in calories for its weight and it gives good protein for its calories, but a regular serving is a large portion and it has little fibre for its calories.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 6 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 392 kcal
- 1 katori (about 210 g)
- For weight management
- 2.5 / 5Rated 2.5 out of 5. Moderate fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 27.9 g · 3.2 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 1 hr 15 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in malabar chicken curry?
Raw weights for one serving (1 katori, about 210 g), from the standard recipe
- Chicken, 135 g
- Coconut oil, 5 g
- Fresh coconut, grated, 14 g
- Ginger, 1 g
- Garlic, 1 g
- Green chillies, 1 g
- Curry leaves, 1 g
- Onion, 59 g
- Coriander leaves, 1 g
How is malabar chicken curry made?
Preparation 20 min · Cooking 25 min
- 1Roast the coriander seeds, dry red chillies, pepper, cumin, mustard, fenugreek, cinnamon and grated coconut in a little coconut oil until fragrant.
- 2Cool and grind to a coarse paste with a little water.
- 3Heat the rest of the oil and fry ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and curry leaves for a minute.
- 4Add the onions and fry until light brown.
- 5Add the chicken, turmeric, salt, the ground paste and half a cup of water, and cook until the chicken is tender.
- 6Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.
Malabar chicken curry nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (1 katori, about 210 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 392 kcal | 187 kcal |
| Protein | 27.9 g | 13.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 7.1 g | 3.4 g |
| Fat | 28.1 g | 13.4 g |
| Fibre | 3.2 g | 1.5 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Sanjeev Kapoor: Malabar Chicken Curry, serves 10) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (1166 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: Sanjeev Kapoor, Malabar Chicken Curry 117 g, Shana Shameer (Recipes are Simple), Easy Malabar Chicken Curry 255 g and Swasthi's Recipes, Kerala Chicken Curry (Nadan Kozhi Curry) 253 g. Food composition: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. How we calculate nutrition facts. Home and restaurant versions vary with the oil, rice and portion used.
Is malabar chicken curry good for weight management?
It rates 2.5/5, a moderate fit, because it is low in calories for its weight and it gives good protein for its calories, but a regular serving is a large portion and it has little fibre for its calories.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)1.86 kcal · 63/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)7.1 g · 71/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)0.8 g · 27/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)392 of 200 kcal (side dish) · 0/100
Each part is scored against fixed limits, then weighted. A higher rating does not mean a food causes weight loss. How the rating works
Lighter ways to have malabar chicken curry
- Take the chicken pieces with a little of the gravy; the coconut and oil sit in the gravy
- Eat it with one appam or a small portion of rice rather than two parottas
- Add a vegetable thoran or salad on the side
- At home, use 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and half the grated coconut
- Choose breast pieces for more protein
Common questions about malabar chicken curry
How many calories are in malabar chicken curry?
About 392 kcal in 1 katori, about 210 g, or 187 kcal per 100 g. A half katori has about 196 kcal.
Is malabar chicken curry good for weight management?
It rates 2.5/5, a moderate fit: it is low in calories for its weight and it gives good protein for its calories, but a regular serving is a large portion and it has little fibre for its calories. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in malabar chicken curry?
About 27.9 g in 1 katori, about 210 g, which is 7.1 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in malabar chicken curry?
About 1 hr 15 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
Is coconut in chicken curry bad for weight management?
Coconut adds fat and calories, but a katori of this curry is still a fair choice because chicken gives plenty of protein. Keep the gravy and the bread or rice in check.
Is coconut oil better than other oils?
All cooking oils have about the same calories per spoon; the amount used matters more than the type.
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Compare it in:Malabar dishesChicken dishes
Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.