Andhra chicken fry recipe with step-by-step photos and a video recipe. Chicken fry or Kodi Vepudu is a dry chicken recipe made with chicken roasted in freshly ground spices. This is a spicy chicken fry recipe from Andhra cuisine. This cuisine is from Andhra Pradesh (South Indian State of India).
Andhra cuisine is popular for its spicy dishes. The specialty of Andhra cuisine is the use of freshly ground spices, dried red chilies, and curry leaves in their foods. If you love Andhra-style food you might also like Hyderabadi Chicken Masala and Hariyali Chicken.
This chicken dish tastes equally delicious and similar to what we get in the Andhra restaurants. You can serve this Andhra-style chicken fry as a side dish with steamed rice and dal. Or serve it with roti or Neer dosa.
About this recipe
In this recipe post, I am sharing how to make the Andhra chicken fry recipe at home. It is also known as Kodi Vepudu in Andhra. “Kodi” means Chicken and “Vepudu” means Fry. This chicken fry recipe has all the flavors of Andhra cuisine.
In this recipe, we will make freshly ground masala that gives a unique flavor to this dry chicken dish. No store-bought masala powder can bring this unique flavor to the chicken fry.
Making homemade chicken masala might seem to be a time-consuming task. However, the aroma and flavor of this chicken fry masala, make it worth the time spent. Do give this recipe a try friends, you will not get disappointed.
You may also like these other popular chicken recipes from this website:
- Andhra Chili Chicken
- Maharashtrian Chicken Sukka
- Chicken Ghee Roast
- Pepper Chicken
- Chicken 65
- Chili Chicken
- Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani
Why You Need This Recipe
- Easy step-by-step instructions with a recipe video.
- Make-ahead recipe - You can cook it in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days.
- Meal prep friendly - You can make the masala powder in advance and store it in an airtight container in the freezer. Stays good for 2-3 months.
- Homemade chicken masala powder - Every family has their own secret recipes to make chicken masala. This Andhra chicken fry masala is so aromatic and flavorful that you will love it. I have shared the recipe in the post. This chicken masala powder recipe is surely a keeper. You can add it to any other non-vegetarian recipes like mutton fry or mutton sukka.
- Balanced flavor - This recipe is not too spicy. You can adjust the spices level as per your taste by increasing or decreasing the chicken masala powder. This is the dish that the whole family can enjoy including your kids.
- Gluten-free
Ingredients to make Andhra Chicken Fry
Ingredients Notes
- Chicken - You can use either boneless chicken or chicken with bones. Chicken with bones is more flavorful.
- Lemon juice - You can substitute it with vinegar.
- Byadagi red chilies - These chilies give bright red color to the dish and are mildly spicy. You can substitute it with Kashmiri red chilies. Or substitute it with any dry red chili. But then adjust the quantity as per the spice level of the chilies you are using.
- For Homemade Chicken Masala Powder - Coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin, black peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamoms. Do not skip any ingredient as it can alter the flavor and taste.
- Ginger, garlic, and onions - Basics of Indian cuisine. I have used red onions for this recipe.
- Herbs - I have used curry leaves and coriander leaves. Curry leaves give this Kodi Vepudu, the authentic aroma, and flavor. Do not skip it. You can skip the addition of coriander leaves.
For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
Step by step instructions with photos
Preparations
- Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, and lemon juice. Set it aside for 30 minutes.
For making chicken fry masala
- Heat a heavy bottom pan on low heat. Dry roast all the ingredients except red chilies until aromatic. Keep it aside on a plate.
- In the same pan dry roast the red chilies until they are crisp. Keep it aside on the same plate.
- Let all the roasted ingredients cool down completely. Grind them to a fine powder without adding water. Homemade chicken masala is ready.
For making chicken fry
- Heat 4 teaspoon of oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat.
- Add onions and sauté until they are golden.
- Next, add curry leaves and fry them for a minute.
- Add marinated chicken, combine and cook until the color of the chicken turns from pink to white.
- Add the prepared garam masala.
- Stir to coat the chicken well with the masala.
- Now cover and cook it for 5 minutes. Stir it in between to avoid burning masala.
- The chicken will release water during the process. If you feel it is dry then add ½ cup of water.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
- Now taste and add salt, if required.
- Finally, add green chilies, coriander leaves, and curry leaves.
- Combine and cook on high heat until the chicken is dry and the moisture evaporates.
- Andhra chicken fry is ready to serve.
Tips to Make the Best Chicken Fry
- Dry roast all the ingredients on low heat. Make sure to stir them often so that they get roasted evenly.
- Deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
- Marinating the chicken makes them juicy and tender. Also, enhances the flavor, marinate the chicken at least for an hour.
- Do not cut down the number of onions in the recipe. The sweetness from caramelized onions balances the spiciness of Andhra chicken fry masala.
- Be careful while adding water to the recipe. It is a dry chicken dish and you have to use less water during all the stages of cooking.
- Curry leaves give the authentic South Indian flavor. Do not skip it.
- Homemade chicken masala powder is going to spice up this dish. Add as per your taste. If you like spicy, add more. Similarly, if you prefer less spicy, add less masala powder.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) You can serve it as a side dish with steamed rice and dal (my favorite) or any curry.
2) It also pairs up beautifully with rice flour flatbread or Neer dosa.
3) Or serve it with roti/chapati.
Chicken masala powder can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer. It stays good for 2 months.
Yes, it is spicy. However, you can always adjust the level of spiciness by reducing the quantity of chicken masala powder in the recipe. Also, deseed the dried red chilies and skip the addition of green chilies, if you prefer less spicy.
The spiciness is actually balanced by the sweetness of caramelized onions.
Storage Suggestions
- Leftover chicken fry can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days. To reheat, sprinkle some water on it and heat it until piping hot.
- You can store the leftover Andhra Chicken Fry in the freezer. Stays good for 2 weeks.
- Store the leftovers within 2 hours of cooking the dish.
Variations that you can try
- You can make Andhra mutton fry recipe with the same process. The cooking time for mutton will be more. Once the mutton is cooked, add the spice powders and follow the same process.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below.
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Andhra Chicken Fry Recipe (Kodi Vepudu)
Equipment
- Heavy bottom pan
Ingredients
To marinate the chicken
- 1 kg chicken (chicken with bones)
- 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Whole spices to make garam masala for chicken fry
- 2 green cardamoms
- 4 cloves
- 1- inch cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon fennel
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 6 dried byadagi red chilies or Kashmiri red chilies
To make Andhra style chicken fry
- 4 teaspoon oil
- 4 onions, chopped
- 2 green chilies not spicy (Add as per taste)
- coriander leaves
- curry leaves
Instructions
Preparations
- Marinate the chicken with ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder and lemon juice. Set it aside for 30 minutes.
For making chicken masala
- Heat a heavy bottom pan on low heat. Dry roast all the ingredients except red chilies until aromatic. Keep it aside on a plate.
- In the same pan dry roast the red chilies until they are crisp. Keep it aside on same plate.
- Let all the roasted ingredients cool down completely. Grind them to a fine powder without adding water. Homemade chicken masala is ready.
For making chicken fry
- Heat 4 teaspoon of oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat.
- Add onions and sauté until they are golden.
- Next, add curry leaves and fry it for a minute.
- Add marinated chicken, combine and cook until the color of chicken turns from pink to white.
- Add the prepared garam masala, stir to coat the chicken well with the masala.
- Now cover and cook it for 5 minutes. Stir it in between to avoid burning of masala.
- The chicken will release water during the process. If you feel it is dry then add ½ cup water.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
- Now taste and add salt, if required.
- Finally, add green chilies, coriander leaves and curry leaves.
- Combine and cook on high heat until the chicken is dry and the moisture evaporates.
- Andhra chicken fry is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Dry roast all the ingredients on low heat. Make sure to stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and to avoid the spices from burning.
- Deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
- Marinating the chicken makes them juicy and tender. Marinate the chicken at least for an hour for the best flavors.
- Do not cut down the number of onions in the recipe. The sweetness from caramelized onions balances the spiciness of masala.
- Be careful while adding water to the recipe. It is a dry chicken dish and you have to use less water during all the stages of cooking.
- Curry leaves give the authentic South Indian flavor. Do not skip it.
- Homemade chicken masala powder is going to spice up this dish. Add as per your taste. If you like spicy, add more. Similarly, if you prefer less spicy, add less masala powder.
Shreya
Made it yesterday! Tastes awesome. Will make it again.
Preeti
Glad you liked it.
Sadhna
Wow it tastes superb. Made it. Enjoyed the leftovers.
Preeti
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback.
HR
Excellent and detailed recipe. Easy to make and very tasty. The masala powder is superb.
Preeti
Thanks a lot. Glad you like it.
phil
enjoyed this dish at mama biryani in reading so decided to try and replicate it at home. didn't follow the recipe exactly but it's delicious anyway. thank you!
Deepa GV
Deepa GV