This Chicken Masala Fry is so flavorful and easy to make at home. This spicy chicken fry is made with everyday ingredients like chicken, onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and a special blend of freshly ground Indian spices, this spicy chicken fry is ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for a busy weeknight meal. Here's a step-by-step photos and a video guide to make it. You can serve it up with your favorite Naan, Roti, or Rice. Don't miss out on this quick and delicious chicken recipe!
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This pan fried chicken masala recipe is spiced up with homemade chicken masala (spice blend). You can serve it with Roti or Rice and Dal as a side dish. You can adjust the spiciness as per taste. I have shared how to do it in recipe tips.
The specialty of this dry chicken recipe is its freshly ground spices. It gives an amazing aroma and flavor to the dish. More spicy chicken masala fry recipes that you may like are our Hyderabadi Chicken Masala and Andhra Chicken Fry.
Spicy Masala Chicken Fry
Preparing chicken masala powder at home takes a bit more effort. But the payoff is huge – fresher, more flavorful spices that take your dish to the next level.
Following this easy recipe, you can create a delicious homemade chicken masala powder that's perfect for customizing curries or enjoying a flavorful chicken dish.
Store the powder in an airtight container for up to 2 days. When ready to cook, use the powder in your favorite chicken or mutton curry recipe, adjusting the amount for your desired spice level.
You may also like these other popular chicken recipes from this website:
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Scroll down the recipe card for step by step instructions with photos.
Recipe Card
Chicken Masala Fry
Equipment
- Heavy/deep bottom pan
Ingredients
To marinate the chicken
- 500 grams chicken
- 3 tablespoon yogurt
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
To make chicken masala
- 1.5 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon fennel
- 1 teaspoon black pepper corns
- 4 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 2 green cardamoms
- 1- inch cinnamon
- 4-5 dried byadagi red chilies
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
To make chicken masala fry
- 2 onions chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon garlic finely chopped
- 1 spring curry leaves
- 1 to mato chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Coriander leaves.
Instructions
Preparations
- In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, yogurt, salt and ginger-garlic paste. Marinate for 30 minutes. Keep it aside.
- Heat a deep bottom pan over medium heat. Dry roast the chicken masala ingredients (except turmeric powder) over medium low heat until aromatic. Remove from heat.
- Let the roasted ingredients cool down completely. Transfer it to a mixer/grinder jar. Add turmeric powder to it. Grind to a fine power. Homemade Chicken masala powder is ready. Set it aside.
Making chicken masala fry
- Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a thick bottom pan over medium heat.
- Add onions and sauté until onions are golden.
- Add ginger, garlic and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.
- Add the marinated chicken. Stir and cook until the color of chicken turns from pink to white.
- Add tomato. Combine and cook until tomatoes are soft.
- Cover with the lid and cook until the chicken is completely cooked.
- Add chicken masala powder and combine. If needed add a little water. The chicken masala powder spice up the dish. Add as per taste (for details refer notes).
- Stir and cook until the masala starts to leave oil from the sides and it looks dry. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and coriander leaves and combine.
- Serve with Roti or rice & dal.
Video
Notes
- Marinating the chicken - It helps the chicken to be tender and juicy. Also, prevents the chicken from drying out. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
- Dry roast all the ingredients on low to medium heat. Stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and avoid the burning of spice.
- You can deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
- You can skip making chicken masala powder and substitute it with store-bought garam masala powder. Add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 2 teaspoon coriander powder, and ½ teaspoon cumin powder.
- 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.
- The chicken masala powder is going to spice up this dish. Add as per your taste. If you prefer spicy, add all the prepared masala. Similarly, if you prefer less spicy, add only half of it. Taste it and add more if needed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Step-by-step instructions with photos
Preparations
- In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, yogurt, salt, and ginger-garlic paste. Marinate for 30 minutes. Keep it aside.
- Heat a deep bottom pan over medium heat. Dry roast the chicken masala ingredients (except turmeric powder) over medium-low heat until aromatic. Remove from heat.
- Let the roasted ingredients cool down completely. Transfer it to a mixer/grinder jar. Add turmeric powder to it. Grind to a fine powder. Homemade Chicken masala powder is ready. Set it aside.
Making chicken masala fry
- Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a thick bottom pan over medium heat.
- Add onions and sauté until the onions are golden.
- Add ginger, garlic, and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute.
- Add the marinated chicken. Stir and cook until the color of the chicken turns from pink to white.
- Add tomato. Combine and cook until tomatoes are soft.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low heat until the chicken is cooked.
- Add chicken masala powder and combine. If needed add a little water. The chicken masala powder spices up the dish. Add as per taste (for details refer to notes).
- Stir and cook until the masala starts to leave oil from the sides and it looks dry.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and coriander leaves and combine.
- Serve with Roti or rice & dal.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken - You can use either boneless chicken or chicken with bones.
- Yogurt - Fresh yogurt or homemade curd is best to make this recipe. It helps to tenderize the chicken. Do not skip adding it.
- Flavoring - Salt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder
- Whole spices - Coriander seeds, cumin, fennel, black peppercorns, cloves, star anise, green cardamom, and cinnamon.
- Dried red chilies - I have used byadgi 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 chilies. But then adjust the quantity as per the spice level of the chilies you are using.
- Onion, ginger, and garlic - Basics of Indian cuisine. I have used red onions. You can substitute it with yellow onions. I have used fresh ginger and garlic. You can substitute it with store-bought or homemade ginger and garlic paste.
- Tomatoes - I have used fresh tomatoes. You can substitute it with canned tomatoes.
- Lemon juice - You can substitute it with vinegar.
- Herbs - Coriander leaves and curry leaves.
Tips to make the Best Chicken Masala
- Marinating the chicken - It makes the chicken tender and juicy. Also, prevents the chicken from drying out. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
- Dry roast all the ingredients on low to medium heat. Stir them often so that they get roasted evenly and avoid the burning of spice.
- You can deseed the dried red chilies to reduce the spiciness.
- You can skip making chicken masala powder and substitute it with store-bought garam masala powder. Add ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, 2 teaspoon coriander powder, and ½ teaspoon cumin powder.
- 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.
- The chicken masala powder is going to spice up this dish. Add as per your taste. If you prefer spicy, add all the prepared masala. Similarly, if you prefer less spicy, add only half of it. Taste it and add more if needed.
Hrithik
That looks delicious.....I'll definitely try!
Preeti
Thanks