Playing a 4-2-2-2 formation, Jose Mourinho's tactics of stifling West Ham in wide areas and counter-attacking, worked a treat as they rattled in four goals to rout their East London neighbours, who actually took the lead.
Didier Drogba was the star man for the champions, scoring their first goal and inspiring the rest of the team to victory.
Remarkably, it was West Ham with their first attack on goal who scored on ten minutes. Yossi Benayoun's outswinging corner was met beautifully by defender James Collins who arrowed his header between Petr Cech and his left upright.
Chelsea countered immediately and in the space of three minutes. Firstly, Danny Gabbidon cleared the ball off the line with Hernan Crespo ready to pounce.
Then Maniche rattled the West Ham crossbar with a strike from 16 yards, before watching Michael Essien head the rebound wide.
Things worsened for Chelsea on 16 minutes, when Maniche was red-carded by referee Chris Foy for a foul on Lionel Scaloni.
With ten men, Chelsea completed a remarkable turnaround. They increased pressure on West Ham by retaining possession and on 29 minutes got a deserved equaliser.
An excellent defence-splitting ball by Frank Lampard allowed Drogba to race into the area, his right-footed shot was blocked by Collins, but the Ivory Coast hitman slotted home the rebound.
Two minutes later and Chelsea took the lead - this time Drogba, just outside the area on the right, drove across the box a fierce daisycutter which fell invitingly to Crespo, who sidefooted home from six yards.
Drogba had an excellent chance to hit goal number three following a 40-yard pass by Geremi. Drogba chested the ball down, but his shot was blocked by West Ham keeper Shaka Hislop.
Chelsea took complete control and increased their lead on 35 minutes. Captain John Terry showed brilliant technique to ram home a fine right-footer from 16 yards out past Shaka Hislop.
But the ball only came to Terry after it had ricocheted off the crossbar from a William Gallas power drive.
Marlon Harewood should have scored with a glancing header for West Ham on 61 minutes, but he screwed the ball wide of Cech's far post.
Mourinho replaced Crespo with Arjen Robben on 66 minutes, leaving just Drogba as the lone striker.
Within seconds of his introduction, the Dutchman clipped across a free-kick from the right. The ball was won at the far post by Terry, knocked on by Drogba, and up popped Gallas to tap home a simple but crucial right-footer from four yards to increase the score to 4-1.
Hammers boss Alan Pardew introduced 40-year-old Teddy Sheringham for Benayoun and the veteran's left-footer on 87 minutes was cleared off the line by Gallas.
That was too little too late for the visitors and Chelsea are now odds-on to retain their Premiership title.