Dry Chicken Fry Recipe | Andhra Kodi Vepudu recipe

Dry Chicken Fry Recipe with step-by-step pics. Dry Chicken Fry is a spicy and flavorful chicken recipe prepared with basic spices that you should not miss to try. Best to serve as a starter or side dish with steamed rice and dal/rasam, roti, chapati, etc.

Chicken is a favorite meat at home and chicken fry is a regular dish. So, I keep trying different methods to prepare it. I’ve already shared a few different varieties of chicken recipes. All the recipes come with step-by-step pictures, so it’s easy for anyone to make.

I think chicken fry is one of the most-loved and well-known dishes. The diversity of Indian cuisine with distinct and unique cooking styles and different combinations of spices compels people to eat again and again.

I personally crave chicken fry since my childhood and still on my hot favorite list. My favorite thing about this dry chicken fry recipe is how the chicken falls off the bone and brimming with spice. Lunch or dinner does not get much more exciting than this flavorful and delicious chicken fry.

What is Dry Chicken Fry?

As the name says, this version is dry-cooked. That means the chicken is cooked until the excess water seeps out before lowering the heat and cooking until tender and spicy masala clings to the chicken.

Dry Chicken Fry is a beautifully spiced stir-fried chicken dish from the Andhra cuisine (South Indian state of India). The state is popular for its sizzling nonveg varieties that are full of flavors with a unique taste that comes from freshly ground local spices and seasonings.

In the Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the dish is also known as Kodi Vepudu where ‘kodi‘ means chicken and ‘vepudu’ means stir fry.

It is a common dish that is prepared in most Andhra homes and is also a popular menu in most of the restaurants of the states.

It is usually served dry rather than saucy and is characterized by the use of ground spices.

About Dry Chicken Fry Recipe

Dry Chicken Fry Recipe is very simple and pretty straightforward.

What’s special about this Chicken Fry? There is something unique about the cooking style and method that makes it different from any other chicken fry recipe. The chicken is slow cooked so that the water from it oozes out and it cooks within, and the last step of dry roasting by turning the flame to low and sauteeing in between scraping up the juices at the bottom.

To make the best South Indian-style chicken fry, we will make a freshly ground masala also called Vepudu masala. It gives a distinct flavor to this dry chicken dish. The ingredients that go into making masala are quite common and are very easily available in every Indian kitchen.

Making the masala might seem like an extra step but no store-bought masala can bring the authentic fresh aroma and unique flavor compared to freshly ground masala.

In this recipe, the blend of pan-fried chicken chunks with freshly ground spices makes it super scrumptious, aromatic, and adds a fantastic depth of flavor.

The order in which the ingredients are added makes a big difference in taste and aroma. Though the dish is full of yummy spices, the spice level is not unbearable. However, most of the ingredients can be substituted to suit your pantry and your palette.

This recipe does not need water to cook the meat. It cooks on low heat with moisture from the chicken itself.

Try this recipe and surprise your family members or guests with this spicy and indulgent delight.

Reasons to make

One pan or one pot chicken recipe.

A delicious treat for all chicken lovers.

A cozy dish for winter.

Full of fantastic flavors in each bite.

Starter/appetizer to serve with the main course. 

Amazing side dish served with alcohol and makes the drink taste better.

This a great recipe to try out at a party or get-together.

Pro Tips

I strongly recommend Skinless chicken with bones for this dish. Try to use medium-sized pieces of chicken.

Dry roast the spices on low heat.

Do not skip the onions and finely chop them. The sauteed onions along with spices will further disintegrate and turn into a delicious spice mixture coating the chicken pieces.

Utensil and temperature play an important role in this recipe to create a unique flavor. Avoid using a non-stick pan. Instead, I would recommend a deep pan with a heavy bottom or an iron pan/kadhai with a tight-fitting lid. It helps to fry chicken well and brings the best taste.

Initially keep the temperature on high to medium to sear the chicken pieces and then turn the heat to low so it can cook from inside.

It is a dry chicken dish, do not add any water while cooking. The chicken will release water and cook in its own juices and steam.

Do not skip on fresh and tender curry leaves for authentic South Indian flavor.

Adjust the quantity of spices as per your taste.

Ingredients

Chicken: I have used curry cut bone-in chicken for this recipe as they stay moist and tender when you stir fry them. However, you can replace it with boneless chicken breast or thighs if you prefer.

Oil: I have used vegetable oil. You can use any neutral flavor oil to make this dish.

Vepudu Masala/Chicken Masala Powder: coriander seeds, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, green cardamoms, and fennel seeds.

You can substitute this homemade masala powder with a store-bought chicken masala powder.

Base: onions, ginger, and garlic.

Spice powders: turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala.

Herbs & seasoning: curry leaves, coriander leaves, and salt.

Green chilies.

How to make Dry Chicken Fry

Preparation for homemade Vepudu Masala

Heat a pan on low flame. Add the mentioned spices and dry roast until aromatic. Cool it completely and grind it to a fine powder without adding water in a blender/mixer.

Steps for Chicken Fry

1. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a heavy bottom pan over medium flame. Add 3-4 medium-sized onions finely chopped.

2. Saute the onions until it softens and does not turn brown.

The onion will be further sauteed along with the chicken.

3. Add the chicken to the pan. Turn the heat to high and saute until the color of the chicken changes from pink to white.

By searing the raw chicken on high flame, all pores of the chicken will be closed so the chicken juices will be intact.

4. Add 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, and salt to taste.

5. Continue to saute until the raw aroma of ginger garlic paste goes away.

6. Turn the flame to low, cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Open the lid and you will see water released during the simmering process. Cover and continue to simmer on low flame for 10 minutes.

If the water is not released, add 1/4 th cup of hot water and mix well.

8. Add the homemade masala, 1-2 tbsp red chili powder, and 1 tsp garam masala.

9. Saute the chicken pieces well with the masalas for 2 mins. Cover and cook until the meat is completely cooked.

The chicken will absorb the spices that make the chicken bites so tasty and scrumptious.

10. Once the chicken is almost cooked, saute without covering the pan till the chicken is dry.

Check the taste and add any spices or salt if needed.

11. Add curry leaves and green chilies. Continue to saute and scrape up the juices at the bottom.

12. When the extra moisture is evaporated and chicken pieces are coated with a thick spice mixture, add coriander leaves. Mix well.

Turn off the flame. Dry Chicken Fry is ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

In general, South Indians love to pair chicken fry with rice. Enjoy this finger-licking chicken fry as a side dish for steamed rice and sambar, tomato rasam, pepper rasam, tomato pappu, palakura pappu.

This dry curry goes down well with bagara rice, jeera rice, and basmati rice too.

Though it’s a dry dish, this is one combination I would have chapati with happily.

Storage Suggestions

This Dry Chicken Fry can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Let it cool completely and store it in an air-tight container.

Before serving reheat in a pan on the stovetop or in a microwave. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water while reheating, it provides enough steam to heat the meat thoroughly.

More Related Recipes

Chicken Fry masala

Andhra Chicken curry

Andhra Chicken roast

Easy Chicken curry

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