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.
Jump to:
- What is Kerala Style Chicken Fry?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe?
- Recipe Ingredients
- Variations to Try
- How To Make Kerala-Style Chicken Fry? (Step-by-Step Guide)
- Tips And Tricks
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- More Kerala Style Fry Recipes To Try
- Kerala Style Chicken Fry (Nadan Kozhi Varuthathu)
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 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
- Chicken: Bone-in or boneless, both are flavorful. Bone-in chicken gives the best flavor, but I’ve used boneless here for my kids.
- Dried Red Chilies: Add an extra kick of spice to the curry, elevating the overall heat.
- 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)
- 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 the 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 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.
- 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
- Whether using bone-in or boneless chicken, score the meat so the masalas can penetrate and infuse the chicken with flavor.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan for even heat distribution and better cooking results.
- 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 Kerala Style Beef Fry , another travel-friendly dish.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Likely you did not completely drain the water, the pan was overcrowded, or the oil wasn't hot enough before adding the chicken.
Cook on low flame or use a heavy-bottomed pan to ensure even cooking.
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)
Ingredients
- 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
- Whether using bone-in or boneless chicken, score the meat so the masalas can penetrate and infuse the chicken with flavor.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pan for even heat distribution and better cooking results.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan; cook in batches if needed to ensure the chicken cooks evenly and absorbs all the flavors.
All time favorite!
:)
yum
Thanks Suji :)
This recipe is so good.
Thanks Rajashree!
I tried this with curry cut chicken and it worked fabulously well… used coconut oil too. As a middle aged man who has taken up cooking on Sundays during the lockdown, I find your recipes very easy to follow not to mention the yummy outcomes - my teenage kids, my wife and my elderly parents simple loved it! Thank you!
Thanks for trying it out, Cyriac!! Can you post pictures next time?