Chicken masala fry recipe with step-by-step photos and a video recipe. Chicken masala fry is a dry chicken dish made with chicken, onion, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes. This chicken dish is spiced with freshly ground chicken masala powder made with basic Indian spices. A quick and easy chicken recipe that can be made within 30 minutes.
This is a simple chicken fry recipe spiced up with homemade chicken masala. 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 dry chicken recipes that you may like are our Hyderabadi Chicken Masala and Andhra Chicken Fry.
About this recipe
In this recipe post, I am sharing how to make spicy chicken masala fry with homemade chicken masala powder.
It is made with chicken, freshly ground spices, onions, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes. You can serve it with Roti or Rice and Dal as a side dish.
Preparing chicken masala powder at home is a little bit time-consuming task. But the aroma and flavor of freshly ground spices takes the dish to next level.
Believe me, the time spent making this masala powder at home is all worth it.
You may also like these other popular chicken recipes from this website:
Why You Need This Recipe
- Easy step-by-step instructions with a recipe video.
- Make ahead recipe - You can cook it in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stays good for 2 days.
- Homemade chicken masala powder - This is the best chicken masala recipe. You can customize the recipe as per your spice preference. You can use this masala powder even while you make chicken or mutton curry.
- Easy to customize - Check out the ingredient list below for alternative ingredients. You can add or skip the ingredients as per your taste.
- Balanced flavor - This recipe is not too spicy. You can adjust the spices as per your taste by increasing or decreasing the chicken masala powder. This is the dish that your whole family can enjoy including the kids.
- Gluten-free
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.
For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
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.
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.
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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.
Hrithik
That looks delicious.....I'll definitely try!
Preeti
Thanks