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A brilliant late Eden Hazard strike following a Gary Cahill goal wiped out a 2-0 half-time deficit against Chelsea.
It also preserved Chelsea ’s long unbeaten home run against Spurs and decide this season’s title race.
The Blues started the game solidly without frequently threatening the visitors’ goal.
But when Harry Kane and then Heung-Min Son found the Shed End net before the interval, this game looked a lost cause.
The introduction of Hazard at half-time did much to turn the tide and when Cahill scored from a corner on the hour, Chelsea moved up a gear.
Hazard’s equaliser with seven minutes left on the clock is a late contender for goal of the season.
He had worked a move with Diego Costa before unleashing an unstoppable curler.
Six minutes of stoppage time were negotiated as Spurs lost their cool and collected bookings before the final whistle blew to begin Leicester’s party.
The storyline leading into the final game of this round of Premier League fixtures needed little explaining.
Anything other than a win for Tottenham and Leicester were the 2015/16 champions tonight and for Chelsea.
Also at stake is the local pride that is in any meeting with the Lilywhites from the north of the capital, with Stamford Bridge the venue.
Tonight there was Chelsea ’s 26-year unbeaten home run against them to protect, a source of immense pride for Blues followers.
For such a high-profile fixture Guus Hiddink was able to call upon his big guns in central defence with captain John Terry and Cahill returning to the team.
That meant Branislav Ivanovic and Cesar Azpilicueta back in the roles they have filled most often in recent times.
John Mikel Obi and Nemanja Matic were a solid centre ahead of the defence with Cesc Fabregas pushed up to support Diego Costa with Pedro and Willian the wide men.
Spurs were able to select pre-match-doubt Eric Dier so there was only the one enforced change from the slip up against West Brom, with Son in for suspended Dele Alli.
It was one of the two restored centre-backs, Cahill, who got his head to the first corner of the game, delivered in by Fabregas.
The England international’s effort was downwards but a yard or two wide.
Willian had the chance to whip a free-kick over inside the first 10 minutes but its curve towards the far post was too high for Matic who had made the best run.
It was a promising start by the home side who were having a good share of possession.
Tottenham full-back Danny Rose had a good attempt at the other end before Fabregas was the next presented with a free-kick out wide.
A Spurs head flicked that one away but Willian won a corner.
Could Chelsea make these attacking set-pieces count? Not this time with Fabregas crowded out at the near post.
As one would expect, there was a physical edge to the encounter with referee Mark Clattenburg opting to lecture rather than show cards to those he considered early offenders.
It all added to the stop-start nature of the first quarter of the game.
Spurs survived a minor scare when Rose slipped in the box when waiting to deal with a Pedro, following a corner that owed much to the endeavour of Fabregas in a couple of 50-50s.
On 26 minutes came the best move of the game so far as Chelsea’s commitment in the middle kept the ball pinging between blue shirts.
Azpilicueta raced forward to create a chance that Fabregas placed not too far wide of the far post.
Kyle Walker was booked for a late challenge on Pedro in the build-up.
Son soon had a shot for the visitors which also went wide to his and his manager’s clear frustration.
Then, on 30 minutes, Diego Costa’s strike following a mistake by Walker was touched over by Hugo Lloris.
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When the ball was in our Chelsea’s half, the Blues had done well so far to deny space in the central attacking zone.
But on 34 minutes, Lamela was found there and with the time to deliver a first-time pass.
Kane was played just onside by Terry as he received it and made no mistake in going round Begovic for a 1-0 lead.
It could have been 2-0 five minutes later but for a block by Cahill and Willian had a difficult chance for a leveller but flashed well wide.
Before then Jan Vertonghen had been booked for pulling the shirt of Diego Costa.
The deficit was doubled with three minutes to go before the break and it stemmed from a misplaced pass by Ivanovic near halfway.
Eriksen fed Son who scored low to Begovic’s left.
Tempers flared before half-time after a tackle between Willian and Rose and many were involved in separating them.
Both players were booked and questions will be asked about a grab by Mousa Dembele at the face of Diego Costa.
Hazard for Pedro was Hiddink’s half-time switch and the Belgian drew a save from Lloris at the near post before long.
Lamela was the fourth Tottenham yellow card for scything down Fabregas.
As in the first half, the Blues were seeing enough of the ball but finding it tough to work it into the danger zone.
However there had always been that set-piece threat and it paid dividends just before the hour.
Willian sent the ball into the Shed End penalty area, Tottenham allowed the ball to drop and there was Cahill to stab the ball home.
It was 2-1 with plenty of the game left to play and suddenly it felt the momentum was shifting Chelsea ’s our way.
The crowd, so vociferous before the Tottenham goals, was alive again.
Diego Costa was unfortunate to slip when charging towards the target before Willian, supplied by Hazard, shot too close to the keeper.
Eriksen was the next white shirt shown a yellow card, having illegally hampered Hazard’s run.
He was followed soon after into the book by Ivanovic for taking down the same Spurs man.
Quick penalty area passing by Fabregas and Hazard almost paid off but Diego Costa sliding in at the far post could not make contact.
There was quarter-of-an-hour left to find an equaliser.
Begovic saved smartly from substitute Ryan Mason and there cannot have been anyone inside Stamford Bridge who was not on the edge of their seat.
Chelsea tested Tottenham resolve to the full and broke it through the brilliance of Hazard.
He somehow kept his feet to burst away from his markers near halfway and then threaded the ball onto Diego Costa.
The return pass came rapidly and somehow Hazard both coaxed and powered the ball beyond Lloris and into the net to set the Bridge ablaze with celebration.
A series of brutal challenges suggested it was all too much for the north Londoners.
Hazard twice and Willian once were taken down but happily not injured significantly.
Lamela appeared to tread on Fabregas as well.
Tempers on both sides boiled over after the whistle too in the mouth of the tunnel but for Chelsea fans there were only smiles.
This game had served up a treat of a drama for those watching worldwide.
