Kalia Poulet (Chicken Kalia)

Name: Kalia Poulet (Chicken Kalia)
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 Onions; 2 Tomatoes, blended; 1 Handful Coriander; 1 Handful Mint; 1 Whole Chicken, cut into pieces; 1/2 Cup (125g) Yoghurt; 1 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste; 2 Tbsp Briyani Spices; 1 Tbsp Cumin Powder; Salt to taste; 1 Handful Coriander, chopped; 1 Handful Mint, chopped; 2 Chillies; 2 Handful Fried Onions; 2 Large Potatoes, cut into cubes and salted; 2 Cinnamon Sticks; 5 Cardamoms; 1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds; 5 Cloves; 1/3 Cup (75ml) Water; A few Saffron Threads; 1 Tsp Ghee; Peas; 4 Hard Boiled Eggs (Optional); Coriander, Mint and Fried Onion for garnish

Lunch & Dinner ChickenVegetableCreole Main Meal Party Food

Source: Cuisine Mauritian•July 2, 2025

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Chicken Kalia, is a chicken curry from Mauritius that is prepared with yoghurt and lots of spices. Don’t hold back on the spices, even if some some of the quantities might seem rather a lot. This dish is best served with plain white rice or cumin rice or rotis. You can accompany it with mixed salads, pickles, chatini or chilli.

Recipe Ingredients

Servings:

Paste
1 ½ Onions
2 Tomatoes, blended
1 Handful Coriander
1 Handful Mint
Marinate
1 Whole Chicken, cut into pieces
½ Cup (125g) Yoghurt
1 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste
2 Tbsp Briyani Spices
1 Tbsp Cumin Powder
Salt to taste
1 Handful Coriander, chopped
1 Handful Mint, chopped
2 Chillies
2 Handful Fried Onions
The briyani spice mix consists of cumin powder, chilli powder, cloves powder, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, cardamom powder, black pepper, garlic powder and ginger powder, with garam masala as an optional addition.
2 Large Potatoes, cut into cubes and salted
2 Cinnamon Sticks
5 Cardamoms
1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
5 Cloves
⅓ Cup (75ml) Water
A few Saffron Threads
1 Tsp Ghee
Peas
4 Hard Boiled Eggs (Optional)
Coriander, Mint and Fried Onion for garnish

Instructions

Marinate

1
Blend 1 1/2 onions, 2 tomatoes, 1 handful coriander and 1 handful mint.
2
Place chicken pieces in a bowl with yoghurt, ginger and garlic paste, briyani spices, cumin powder and salt.
3
Add chopped coriander, chopped mint, chillies and fried onions.
4
Add the blended onion-tomato mixture and mix everything together.
5
Allow the chicken to marinate for 2-3 hours.

Recipe

1
Fry the salted potato cubes until golden brown, then remove from the oil.
2
Discard some of the oil, then fry cinnamon sticks, cardamoms, cumin seeds and cloves on medium-low heat.
3
Add the marinated chicken pieces and stir on medium heat.
4
Add 1/3 cup water and cover the pan.
5
Uncover, add saffron threads and stir.
6
Add salt to taste, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
7
Uncover, stir, then add ghee and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
8
Add the fried potatoes and peas.
9
Add hard boiled eggs if using, cover briefly, then turn off the heat.
10
Garnish with coriander, mint and fried onion.

Photos