Chicken is marinated in dry roasted spices & cooked on low heat till the pieces are flavorful, juicy & slightly crispy outside. Simple. Spicy. Succulent.
If you love chicken and would love to tray an Indian version, try this one from the Kerala cuisine, simple enough to be ready in 40 minutes tops.
If you like chicken try this creamy chicken curry or spicy oats crusted chicken thighs.
Edited on 08/16/2021 for improved information and readability.
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
COOKING TIME: 40 MINUTES
Ingredient Details & Steps
INGREDIENTS
- chicken Breasts/ Thighs
- coconut Oil - use coconut oil for an authentic taste.
- chunky coconut pieces
- Juice of lemon
- ginger
- garlic cloves
- black pepper powder
- onion medium
- salt
- curry Leaves
- cayenne Pepper; optional
- Kashmiri red chili powderPaprika powder
- coriander powder/Ground Coriander
- turmeric Powder/Ground Turmeric
INSTRUCTIONS
DRY ROAST THE SPICES
Heat a saute pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Lower the heat and dry roast all the spices listed under "Spices for dry roasting and marination" - Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Coriander Powder, and Turmeric powder, for about 3 to 5 minutes until it turns brown and aromatic.
MARINATE THE CHICKEN
In a large bowl, marinate the chicken pieces (for about 10-15 minutes) with the dry roasted spice powder mix, lemon juice, pepper powder, and salt.
COOKING
Heat coconut oil in the same pan you used to dry roast the spices. When the oil is hot, add the crushed ginger & garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add about 2 tablespoon coconut pieces and fry till they turn slightly brown. Add the finely chopped onion and saute till they turn translucent.
Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well. Reduce the heat to a low medium and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook the chicken for about 15-20 minutes (or till it is well cooked).
Open the lid and cook till all the water evaporates and add the curry leaves and fry for another 5 minutes or so. (You can add a little more coconut oil if required)
Transfer to a serving bowl.
In a small pan, heat a teaspoon of coconut oil. Add the rest of the coconut pieces and fry till golden brown.
Pour this onto the chicken fry and garnish with onion rings. Serve hot.
Time Saving Tips
- start with dry roasting the spices and marinate the chicken.
- Chop onion and prepare ginger-garlic while the chicken is marinating.
- while the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice/nan/roti to serve along with chicken fry.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with rice and moru curry. You can include a kale thoran, apple pickle, and pappadoms too.
This can be served as an appetizer as well to serve with your favorite alcoholic drink.
Yet another way to eat this would be to wrap it in lettuce leaves. Yum!
Chicken Fry
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Breasts See Recipe Notes
- 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil plus more if needed
- 3 tablespoon chunky coconut pieces ; divided
- Juice of ½ lemon optional
- 1 inch piece ginger
- 2-3 Garlic cloves big
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper powder or to taste
- 1 Onion medium, finely chopped
- Salt to taste
- 10-12 Curry Leaves
Spices for dry roasting and marination
- 2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper adjust to taste; see recipe Notes
- 2 heaped teaspoon Paprika powder
- 3 heaped teaspoon Coriander powder/Ground Coriander
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder/Ground Turmeric
Garnish
- Onion Rings
Required Equipment
- Large Saute Pan with lid
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Spatula
- Chopping boards and knives
- Measuring spoons.
- Small Pan
- Mortar and Pestle
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Heat a saute pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Lower the heat and dry roast all the spices listed under "Spices for dry roasting and marination" - Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Coriander Powder, and Turmeric powder, for about 3 to 5 minutes until it turns brown and aromatic.
- In a large bowl, marinate the chicken pieces (for about 10-15 minutes) with the dry roasted spice powder mix, lemon juice, pepper powder, and salt.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and wash and pat dry the curry leaves. Peel ginger and garlic and crush them using mortar and pestle.
- Once the chicken pieces are marinated, heat coconut oil in the same pan you used to dry roast the spices. When the oil is hot, add the crushed ginger & garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add about 2 tablespoon coconut pieces and fry till they turn slightly brown. Add the finely chopped onion and saute till they turn translucent.
- Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well. Reduce the heat to a low medium and cover the skillet with a lid. Cook the chicken for about 15-20 minutes (or till it is well cooked).
- Open the lid and cook till all the water evaporates and add the curry leaves and fry for another 5 minutes or so. (You can add a little more coconut oil if required)
- Transfer to a serving bowl.
- In a small pan, heat a teaspoon of coconut oil. Add the rest of the coconut pieces and fry till golden brown.
- Pour this onto the chicken fry and garnish with onion rings. Serve hot.
Notes
- start with dry roasting the spices and marinate the chicken.
- Chop onion and prepare ginger-garlic while the chicken is marinating.
- while the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice/nan/roti to serve along with chicken fry.
Inspiration for the Recipe
I had asked my friend Asha (an excellent cook herself), to share some of her recipes with me. She sent me this recipe for Chicken Fry which she learned from her mom. Though she had sent this recipe a few months back, I got to making it only recently. But from the day I tried it, this has featured on my weekly menu! Yes folks, every week. Chicken Fry - simple, yet exquisitely tasty.
The only change I made in Asha's recipe was the garnish I used. I used a few coconut pieces roasted in coconut oil for the garnish and drizzled it over the chicken fry. I love the roasted coconut pieces and the aroma of the coconut oil in this dish.
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Ranjani Raj says
wow.. what a click i have no words.. this is the first time stopping here.. i just wondered on your clicks.. am sure it will attract many.. keep going.. Happy blogging..
Framed Recipes says
Thanks for stopping by Ranjani.
Ritu ahuja says
Wow..it looks awesome. This chicken fry will be a hit at my place. Awesome presentation and lovely clicks 🙂
Framed Recipes says
Thanks Ritu.
manju says
Adipoli sreelatha. Kudos to anu for the pictures. Now it's making me hungry and I am in a meeting 🙁
You are inspiring me to cook once again.
Framed Recipes says
Thanks Manju.
Deepti says
Definitely going to try this dish...looks so yummy!!
Framed Recipes says
Thanks Deepti. Don't forget to let me know how it turned out.
Piyali Muthha says
I am surely going to make this dish. The labour of slow cooking involves a lot of patience but the final result is there above to see and I am sure the taste would have blown everyone off. A lot of pepper has been added which will spike up the dish and indeed it is not for the faint hearted. But what is life without these spice hikes. And placing a piece of chicken on the iceberg lettuce petals ( I guess) made a very beautiful visual impact.
Framed Recipes says
Thanks Piyali for stopping by. It is indeed a spicy dish, but you can always control the spice to your taste.. :). I served this as an appetizer on lettuce leaves (cut using a cookie cutter) and it was a big hit at a party recently. 🙂