Andhra chicken fry is a tasty and authentic South Indian dish from Andhra cuisine. It is also called Kodi Vepudu in that region. This chicken fry is traditionally prepared with a vepudu masala which makes the dish spicy, rich, and delicious. With few tweaks, this can be made both in gravy or dry form. This chicken fry is a tasty and finger-licking dish that tastes great with biryani, ghee rice, white rice, roti, and similar dishes for lunch and dinner.
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About Andhra Chicken Fry
Andhra chicken fry is a popular south Indian dish authentic to Telugu-speaking states of Andhra and Telangana. It is also called Kodi Vepudu. The word Kodi means Chicken in English. And the word Vepudu Stands for fry. The term Kodi vepudu is common in the Telugu language while it is also referred to as chicken Vepudu in the restaurants of the states and across the world.
Andhra-style Chicken fry is usually prepared with a special Vepudu masala powder which makes this recipe unique and delicious. Not to mention, the onion paste and cashew powder that is used in the recipe delivers an exotic rich flavor and taste to this dish. You can also prepare this dish with Mutton that taste equally delicious and it is similar to the Mutton Chukka that we already have in our blog.
This Andhra chicken fry is one of the common non-veg dishes of the Andhra cuisine restaurants and in the households of the state. And they serve it with simple white rice which tastes absolutely delicious and will leave any non-veg lovers licking their fingers.
Ingredients
The ingredients required for this Andhra chicken fry are simple and should be easily available in Indian grocery stores. The ingredients required for making the spice powder are cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom, cloves, javitri, fennel, coriander, and cumin seeds, and dry red chilies. On other hand, we all also need onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, lemon juice, and salt, for marinating the chicken pieces. And oil, curry leaves, and cashew nut powder for roasting the chicken.
How to make Andhra Chicken Fry?
The recipe I have shared here is a spicy, tasty, and authentic Andhra Style Chicken fry or kodi Vepudu. This chicken fry recipe is famous for its authenticity and simplicity. and it serves up to 3 people. So without further delay, let us see how to prepare/make this delicious chicken fry at home.
To given an overall idea, the following are the steps involved in making this dish.
- Preparing the chicken masala powder
- Marinating the chicken
- Cooking the marinated chicken
- Roasting the Chicken
1. Step to prepare chicken masala
One of the main steps to achieve a spicy and appetizing Kodi vepudu dish is to prepare the masala powder. To make that powder, I have added all the spices into a pan that are mentioned in the recipe card below and roasted until it turns aromatic. Make sure to saute it in low medium heat to avoid burning the spices. This helps in achieving a tasty and aromatic chicken vepudu.
Once it turned aromatic, I transferred it to a blender and ground it into a fine powder. That's it! we have our fresh Kodi Vepudu masala for making the chicken fry.
2. Steps to marinate the chicken
To marinate, I have taken medium size bone-in chicken and added onion paste, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, lemon juice, salt, and vepudu masala powder that I prepared in the above step. After that, I have mixed everything nicely in such a way that it coats on all the pieces of the chicken. You could also use boneless chicken that also works perfectly well for this recipe.
3. Steps to cook the chicken
To cook the chicken, first I have added the marinated chicken to a pan and closed it with the lid and I allowed the chicken to cook for 10 minutes. Note that I have not added water to cook the chicken here.
Once the time passed, I have opened the pan and gave a nice stir. At this stage, the chicken had left all its water. Then I closed the pan again and cooked it for 15 more minutes. During that time, the chicken is expected to be cooked well and should be ready for the dry roast. But if you still see the chicken with water, it is perfectly fine and can be managed while roasting the chicken.
4. Roasting the Chicken
To roast the chicken, I poured the oil and added the cooked chicken from the previous step. Then I roasted the chicken in high heat for about 2 to 3 minutes or until the chicken turns to reddish-brown in color. Then I have added curry leaves and gave a good mix. Finally, I have sprinkled the cashew nut powder and gave a nice mix. Now the chicken/kozhi Vepudu is ready for you to taste and enjoy.
This Andhra-style Chicken fry is the ultimate feast when you are craving spicy non-veg foods. And I hope you will try and enjoy this at home with your family and loved ones.
Variations
Andhra-style chicken fry is one of the lip-smacking dishes that have a lot of variations. There is no one certain way to make this Kodi vepudu and it varies according to the region, family, and individual's taste preferences.
Even though the traditional recipe requires roasting and grinding the masala, it can also be made without those processes. Yes, you could just add the store brought garam masala while marinating the chicken. But if you want to enjoy the authentic fresh aroma and flavor of the dish, then I suggest sticking to the traditional recipe.
There is also a variation where people add dry coconuts while making the masala, so feel free to add if you really want a touch of coconut flavor in your chicken/Kodi vepudu recipe. Of course, it has a unique taste and flavor too.
While Chicken/Kozhi vepudu is most common for its dry version, you can also make it in gravy form. And that particular dish is commonly known as Kodi Kura/Koora in Telugu. Overall, this Andhra-style Chicken dish is delicious in every form whether it is gravy or dry. In fact, all of the variations have their own unique taste and it is definitely worth trying at home. And if you are a lover of spicy foods like me, then definitely check out Andhra Green Chili Chicken, Andhra Fish Curry, and Gutti Vankaya Koora/Kura from the same cuisine that I believe you will enjoy it.
Tips
The key to achieving the fresh taste, flavor, and aroma of this chicken vepudu is to dry roast the spices in a low medium heat without burning them. So make sure to roast in the suggested heat setting until it turns aromatic. The onion paste used here gives a unique flavor and taste to this chicken fry, so I suggest you follow the same. Finally sprinkling the cashew powder gives a rich flavor and taste to the chicken. But you could also skip it and replace it with coconut if cashews are not on your preferred ingredient list.
I have used canola oil for making this Kodi Vepudu, but you could also use sesame oil for a more rustic flavor. Even though the dry red chili used here gives a good amount of heat to the chicken, other Indian spices used here also delivers some heat. Hence adjust the red chili count that best suits your family's needs.
Storage Suggestion
This Andhra-style chicken fry tastes great when served immediately. Even though I prefer consuming fresh, the leftovers can be stored in a refrigerator for a day. This chicken fry does not freeze in the freezer well since it is a dry dish. Usually, gravy-based dishes are freezer-friendly compared to dry ones.
Serving Suggestion
This chicken fry can be a perfect side dish for white rice, chapati, or roti. And it tastes absolutely delicious with biryani, rice dishes, and similar others.
Related Recipes
You could also find similar recipes below and more at Chicken Recipes.
Looking for different biryani, and chicken recipes to cook for your next meal or a party? Then you could also check this collection of Best Biryani Recipes and Indian Chicken Dry and Semi Gravy Recipes to enjoy with your family and loved ones.
Andhra Chicken Fry recipe video
I have also shared a detailed video of this Chicken fry recipe that I believe it will help to prepare this dish easily at home. For a quick reference, you could also find this recipe in story format.
Chicken Fry
Ingredients
- 2.23 lb Chicken, bone-in pieces
- 1 Cinnamon Stick, big
- 1 Star Anise
- 4 Cardamom
- 3 Cloves
- 2 Javitri
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 9 Dry Red Chili
- ¼ cup Coriander Seeds
- ¼ cup Onion , paste or puree
- 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 2 tsp Lemon Juice
- ¼ cup Oil
- 1 sprig Curry Leaves
- ¼ cup Cashew Nut Powder
Instructions
To Prepare Chicken Vepudu Masala
- In a pan with medium heat, add cinnamon stick, star anise, javitri, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chili, and coriander seeds. Roast everything until it turns aromatic
- Transfer the roasted spices to the blender and grind them into a fine powder. Now the Kodi Vepudu masala is ready to marinate the chicken
To Marinate the Chicken
- In a bowl take medium size bone-in chicken pieces and add onion paste, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, salt, and Kodi vepudu masala
- Mix well until all the masala coats evenly on the chicken pieces and it is ready for us to cook(you can also rest it for about 15 minutes)
To Cook the Chicken
- In a pan with medium heat, add the marinated chicken and spread them evenly
- Close the pan with the lid and cook for about 10 minutes
- Now open the lid, and give a quick mix(the chicken would have left some water at this stage)
- Again close the pan with the lid and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes
- Open the lid and the chicken should have cooked nicely(if not feel free to cook them for few more minutes). And it is ready to roast in an oil
To Prepare the Kodi Vepudu Fry
- In a pan with medium heat, pour oil and add the cooked chicken with masala gravy. Roast it nicely until all the water evaporates from the chicken gravy
- Now add curry leaves and give a quick mix
- Finally, add the Cashew nut powder and give a good mix. And the spicy Chicken Vepudu is ready for you to taste and enjoy
To Serve
- Serve this delicious Andhra Style Chicken Vepudu fry with white rice, Biryani, Chapathi, or parotta
Recipe Video
Chef's Notes and Tips
- Preparation of Chicken Vepudu masala is one of the main steps that deliver a rich and spicy taste to this dish. So make sure to roast the spices in medium heat to achieve the best results
- Adding onion paste instead of onion slices gives a unique taste and flavor to this chicken fry. So I recommend using the same
- Tossing the Andhra chicken fry with cashew nut powder in the end gives a rich aroma and taste to this chicken vepudu but it can also be replaced with coconut for a nut-free dish
- This Chicken vepudu recipe tastes great with biryani, white rice, chapati, or roti
Nutrition Info
Disclaimer: We’re not nutrition experts. Nutritional info is estimated and should be used as a guide. For precise details, consult a professional.
FAQ
Andhra Chicken fry is a tasty and spicy South Indian dish that is authentic to the states of Telangana and Andhra. It is also called Kodi vepudu. And the fry is typically prepared with a special Indian masala and other basic ingredients. This Spicy chicken fry is one of the common chicken side dishes in most restaurants and households of the states. And it is usually served with white rice, biryani, chapati, or roti.
Yes, even though this chicken fry is traditionally a dry dish, you could also make it in gravy form. To make it as gravy, add a cup of water to the chicken after adding the curry leaves as mentioned in the recipe card above and switch off the heat once it starts to thicken.
This chicken fry is traditionally a hot and spicy dish, but you could always feel free to reduce the red chili count according to your spice level.
Yes, you can make this chicken fry aka Kodi Vepudu without cashew powder or replace it with shredded coconut for a different flavor and taste.
I really hope you enjoyed the recipe that I have shared here and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.
If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
Happy Cooking!
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