LONDON - New signing Nicolas Anelka made his Chelsea debut but goals from Juliano Belletti and Shaun Wright-Phillips ensured Avram Grant's side continue to keep pace with the leaders at the top of the Premier League.
Anelka, who moved from Bolton for £15 million, was introduced as a second-half substitute and denied a debut goal by the woodwork in the final minute.
But the game was settled by Belletti's 30-yard screamer in the 19th minute and another from Wright-Phillips 10 minutes from time.
Tottenham were hoping to record their first victory at Stamford Bridge in almost 18 years but found themselves under sustained pressure in the opening moments.
Joe Cole sent over a dangerous cross in the 11th minute but unfortunately the ball eluded everyone in the penalty area.
Seconds later Florent Malouda left Pascal Chimbonda in a spin on the edge of the penalty area but his attempted cross to the unmarked Wright-Phillips was just too high.
Tottenham were guilty of giving the ball away too much but Chelsea, despite the creativity of Joe Cole and Belletti on the right flank, failed to make the most of it until the 19th minute when the defender put the home side ahead.
There seemed little danger to Tottenham when Belletti collected the ball just inside the away half.
But in the absence of a challenge from Tottenham's players, Belletti moved forward before unleashing a 30-yard drive that soared into the roof of the net beyond Radek Cerny's outstretched hands.
Tottenham midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng was then booked for a challenge that belonged more on a rugby pitch as he brought down a rampaging Joe Cole with both hands.
Spurs should have equalised in the 29th minute when Aaron Lennon's cross found Steed Malbranque lurking unmarked at the far post.
The Spurs midfielder let fly with a volley which threatened to find its way into the net at the near post until the agile Petr Cech pushed it to safety.
In the 32nd minute Tottenham's Boateng tried his luck from 20 yards but his accuracy was not a patch on that displayed by Belletti earlier in the game and the ball flew over the crossbar.
Chelsea's goal had forced Tottenham to increase both their work-rate and pace but much to the frustration of coach Juande Ramos, their final ball left a lot to be desired.
Joe Cole continued to give Young-Pyo Lee problems on Chelsea's right flank and his pass to Wright-Phillips in the 37th minute allowed the England winger to take aim at the Spurs goal.
Fortunately for the visitors, Ledley King managed to block the shot and the ball span away for a corner which Chelsea wasted.
Another cross from Joe Cole in the 40th minute ran untouched right along the edge of the six-yard box much to the England midfielder's frustration.
Chelsea had a goal by Michael Ballack ruled out for offside after a mistake by King had allowed Malouda to open up the Spurs defence yet further.
Ramos' side had been distinctly lack-lustre in the first period with little of their renowned attacking flair on show.
But it was Chelsea who began to assert themselves with Joe Cole testing Cerny's concentration with a low drive from 18 yards in the 49th minute.
The Spurs keeper, preferred to England's Paul Robinson, dealt with Cole's effort easily.
In the 52nd minute, Malbranque was booked for a late lunge on Wright-Phillips.
One of the biggest cheers of the afternoon was reserved for new signing Anelka when he began warming up on the touchline in the 54th minute.
He got an even bigger cheer when he replaced Claudio Pizarro in the 58th minute.
Anelka almost made it a spectacular debut with his third touch of the game when a back-heel from Wright-Phillips found him unmarked eight yards out.
Anelka, with his back to goal, turned and struck a half-volley that Cerny saved superbly.
Tottenham then enjoyed a long spell of possession but it failed to produce results. The closest they came to a goal was in the 69th minute when Ballack was booked for a foul on Lennon on the edge of the penalty area.
Dimitar Berbatov took the kick but sent his effort just wide of the target.
Chelsea ensured they increased their unbeaten home run in the league to 74 games 10 minutes from time when Joe Cole's run and pass allowed Wright-Phillips to send a low right-foot drive into the bottom corner.
But the margin of victory could have been higher. Wright-Phillips wasted a chance to make it three by firing wide from 18-yards and Anelka hit the crossbar after a mistake by Michael Dawson in the last minute of normal time.
