Kerala Style Chicken Fry (Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu)

Kerala Style Chicken Fry, also called Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu, is a deep-fried favorite from Kerala’s street food scene. A staple in thattukadas (roadside eateries).

it’s traditionally served with dosa, parotta, and a spicy salna. The term "kozhi" means chicken, while "varuthathu" stands for fried.

Check out the ingredients, cooking instructions, ideal side pairings, and storage tips to recreate this authentic dish in your kitchen.

What is Kerala Style Chicken Fry?

​​Kerala Style Chicken Fry is a dry, crispy chicken dish known for its simplicity and bold taste. Unlike roasted chicken, cooked slowly with spices, it’s deep-fried or shallow-fried for a crunchy outside and juicy inside. Coconut oil, curry leaves, and chilies give it a unique Kerala flavor.

You can use bone-in or boneless chicken. Cooking options include deep frying, shallow frying, air frying, or baking. Deep frying yields the crispiest texture, though all methods work. The choice depends on preference and equipment.

Despite being dry, it pairs well with chapati or dosa—no gravy needed. The coconut oil and spices create a rich taste. It’s distinct yet simple, balancing crunch with succulence.

Keralites love it as a travel dish. It’s mess-free and easy to eat on the go. Plus, its longer shelf life beats gravy-based dishes. Our Easy Kerala Style Shrimp Fry offers a similar dry, travel-friendly option.

Why You'll Love This Recipe?

• Easy to Make – This recipe has simple steps and requires less preparation time.
• Minimal Ingredients – Uses pantry staples commonly found in every kitchen, with no need for chopping vegetables.
• Authentic Kerala Taste – Despite its simplicity, it delivers an authentic Kerala flavor.

If you love the fried magic of Kerala, get the recipe for our Kerala-style fish fry, a seafood delight!

Recipe Ingredients

1. Chicken: Bone-in or boneless, both are flavorful. Bone-in chicken gives the best flavor, but I’ve used boneless here for my kids.
2. Dried Red Chilies: Add an extra kick of spice to the curry, elevating the overall heat.
3. Curry Leaves: A key ingredient in Kerala cuisine, curry leaves contribute a unique aroma and flavor essential for authentic Kerala dishes.

Check out the Recipe Card below for the complete ingredient list along with their nutritional details.

Variations to Try

Kerala-style fried protein dishes are not limited to Chicken. Similar preparations exist across various categories:

• Red Meat Variants – Beef, pork, and mutton can be prepared similarly. Red meat can be pressure-cooked first to ensure tenderness before frying.
• Seafood Variants – Almost every fish can be prepared this way, including shrimp, anchovies, mussels, and more. The key is adjusting the cooking time—smaller fish cook faster, while larger ones take longer. Try our Kerala Anchovy Fry for an authentic small fish preparation.
• Vegetarian Alternatives – The same recipe works well with potatoes, soy chunks, or paneer, making it a great vegetarian option.

How To Make Kerala-Style Chicken Fry?  (Step-by-Step Guide)

1. Clean and dice the chicken into small 1-inch bite-size pieces.
2. Grind dried red chilli, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, vinegar, and salt in a mixer.
3. Slice shallot, or add it to the mixer at the end and just pulse it. I don't prefer to grind shallot completely.
4. Marinate the chicken with the above-ground chilli mix and shallots
5. Keep it aside for 2 - 4 hrs in the refrigerator

6. Heat 1-2 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add marinated chicken and curry leaves. Cook it on low-medium flame for 10 - 15 minutes. Stir it in between. Chicken gets cooked by this time.
7. Adjust salt if needed. Add extra vinegar if you want to make it sourer. Add 3-4 tablespoons oil and shallow fry/ roast chicken on medium flame until it gets a brownish texture. It might take around 15 - 20 minutes. Shallots, garlic, and ginger get roasted well, along with the chicken.
8. Serve it with some freshly sliced onions. Enjoy 

If you’re a Kerala cuisine lover and a fan of beef, don’t miss out on trying our Kerala Mutton Fry Recipe!

Tips And Tricks

1. Whether using bone-in or boneless chicken, score the meat so the masalas can penetrate and infuse the chicken with flavor.
2. Use a heavy-bottomed pan for even heat distribution and better cooking results.
3. Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook in batches if needed to ensure the chicken cooks evenly and absorbs all the flavors.

Serving Suggestions

Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu is best served immediately after frying for a crispy exterior and a tender inside. You can serve it as a snack with a lemon wedge, raw onions, and dips like ketchup or chutneys.

For lunch, pair it with boiled matta rice or ghee rice, accompanied by any Kerala curry. And for dinner, enjoy it with chapati, porotta, naan, dosa, pathiri , puttu, or idiyappam, either alone or with a simple salna.

This dish is part of our wider Kerala Non-Veg Recipe Collection, where you’ll find more rich and flavorful favourites from the region.

Storage Instructions

Kerala Style Chicken Fry is best eaten fresh, as it loses its crispness when stored. However, if needed:

• Refrigeration: Store in a clean, airtight container for up to 2-3 days. To reheat, shallow fry, air-fry, or bake. Avoid microwaving as it makes the chicken soggy.
• Freezing: You can marinate the chicken and freeze it for up to a month. When needed, thaw and fry it directly without waiting for it to defrost completely.
• Travel-Friendly: This is a popular travel dish among Keralites since its dry nature gives it a longer shelf life. It is often packed for long train journeys, just like Authentic Kerala Style Beef Fry, another travel-friendly dish.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

More Kerala Style Fry Recipes To Try

I’d love to hear your thoughts if you have tried this! Please leave a ⭐️ rating and a comment below. Don’t forget to share your photos on Instagram and tag @a_little_bit_of_spice

Kerala Style Chicken Fry (Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu)

Jane Jojo

A quite simple chicken shallow fry with dried red chilli, ginger-garlic and vinegar. Inspired from Ammu's Chicken fry. Thanks Ammu for introducing it to us 🙂

4 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine south indian

Servings 3 serving

Calories 186 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ kg chicken Boneless
• ▢ 14 numbers red chilli Dried
• ▢ 7 numbers garlic clove
• ▢ 1 number ginger (1" piece)
• ▢ ½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ 3 tablespoons vinegar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 10 numbers shallot
• ▢ 4 sprigs curry leaves
• ▢ coconut oil / vegetable oil /

Instructions

 

• Clean and dice the chicken into small 1 inch bite-size pieces.
• Grind dried red chilli, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, vinegar and salt in a mixer.
• Slice shallot or add it to the mixer at the end and just pulse it. I don't prefer to grind shallot completely.
• Marinate chicken with the above ground chilli mix and shallots
• Keep it aside for 2 - 4 hrs in the refrigerator.
• Heat 1-2 tablespoon oil in a pan. Add marinated chicken and curry leaves. Cook it on low-medium flame for 10 - 15 minutes. Stir it in between. Chicken gets cooked by this time.
• Adjust salt if needed. Add extra vinegar if you want to make it sourer. Add 3-4 tablespoon oil and shallow fry/ roast chicken in medium flame until it gets the brownish texture. It might take around 15 - 20 minutes. Shallots, garlic and ginger, gets roasted well along with the chicken.
• Serve it with some freshly sliced onions. Enjoy 🙂

Notes

1. Whether using bone-in or boneless chicken, score the meat so the masalas can penetrate and infuse the chicken with flavor.
2. Use a heavy-bottomed pan for even heat distribution and better cooking results.
3. Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook in batches if needed to ensure the chicken cooks evenly and absorbs all the flavors.

Nutrition

Serving: 220gCalories: 186kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 15gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 445mgPotassium: 197mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 258IUVitamin C: 62mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!