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Spicy Chicken Kottu Roti with Vegetables and Curry Sauce

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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine Sri Lankan
Servings 4

Equipment

  • Large wok or flat griddle (tawa) Authentic kottu is made on a tawa, but a large non-stick wok or frying pan will do the job.
  • Sharp knife or dough scraper Used to chop roti into smaller pieces. In Sri Lanka, they use metal scrapers to rhythmically chop on the griddle—feel free to recreate that vibe at home!
  • Cutting board & mixing bowls
  • Wooden spoon or spatula for stir-frying
  • Small saucepan for making the curry sauce

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken and Marinade

  • 500 g boneless chicken thighs cut into small pieces (preferably thigh for juiciness)
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Curry Sauce (inspired by sri lankan chicken curry)

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1- inch piece of ginger grated
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 green chili sliced
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp roasted curry powder or a mix of coriander, cumin, fennel, and cinnamon
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 200 ml thick coconut milk
  • 100 ml water
  • Salt to taste
  • Juice of ½ lime

For the Kottu Roti

  • 3 godamba rotis or plain parathas chopped into 1-inch pieces (store-bought or homemade)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 carrot julienned
  • 1 small cabbage thinly sliced
  • 1 small bell pepper sliced
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp chili flakes optional, for heat
  • Salt to taste
  • A handful of chopped spring onions or cilantro

Instructions
 

Marinate the Chicken

  1. In a bowl, combine chicken pieces with turmeric, chili powder, curry powder, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well and let it marinate for at least 20 minutes. This adds depth and gives a nod to many sri lankan chicken recipes easy enough to whip up on a weeknight.

Prepare the Curry Sauce

  1. Heat coconut oil in a small saucepan. Sauté sliced onions until golden brown. Add garlic, ginger, curry leaves, green chili, and cumin seeds. Stir until fragrant.
  2. Add the roasted curry powder and paprika. Cook for a minute, then pour in the coconut milk and water. Simmer on low for about 10 minutes, letting the flavors meld into a creamy sauce. Season with salt and a squeeze of lime.
  3. This sauce is loosely based on a srilankan chicken curry recipe and can be used for other curry chicken recipes too.

Cook the Chicken

  1. In a wok or skillet, heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until fully cooked and slightly browned. Set aside.

Scramble the Eggs

  1. In the same pan, push the chicken to one side. Pour in beaten eggs and scramble them gently until just set.

Stir-Fry the Vegetables

  1. Add onions, garlic, carrots, bell pepper, and cabbage to the pan. Stir-fry everything together with the chicken and eggs until the veggies soften but remain crisp.

Add Roti and Seasoning

  1. Toss in chopped roti pieces. Mix thoroughly. Add soy sauce and chili flakes (if using). Cook everything together for 5–7 minutes, allowing the roti to absorb all those savory, spicy flavors.

Pour Over Curry Sauce

  1. Finally, spoon a generous amount of curry sauce over the hot kottu and mix well. You can keep some on the side for dipping, too. This mimics the concept of rice and curry sri lanka style, but with a street food twist.

Garnish and Serve

  1. Top with chopped spring onions or fresh cilantro. Serve hot, ideally on a banana leaf or a sizzling plate for full effect.