Vizhinjam Chicken Fry Recipe
Vizhinjam Chicken Fry is a flavorful South Indian dish featuring bone-in chicken marinated in aromatic spices and deep-fried to a crispy golden perfection. Enhanced with a freshly ground masala of pepper, fennel, cumin, and a blend of herbs like curry leaves and pandan leaves, this dish brings a spicy, fragrant, and rich taste that is perfect as an appetizer or a main course.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: South Indian
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 500 grams Bone-in Chicken
- 1 tsp Salt (for marinade)
- ½ Lemon (juiced)
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala powder
Fresh Masala Coating
- 1 tsp Whole Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Fennel Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 8 Shallots (peeled and left whole)
- ¼ cup Coriander leaves (chopped roughly)
- ¼ cup Mint Leaves (chopped roughly)
- ¼ cup Curry leaves
- 2 Pandan Leaves (cut into small pieces)
- 1 Green Chilli (chopped roughly)
- 12 cloves Garlic (left whole with peel on)
- 2 inch Ginger (sliced)
- 1 tbsp Red Chilli Flakes
- Salt to taste
Other
- Coconut Oil (for deep frying)
Instructions
- First Marination: Take the bone-in chicken in a large bowl. Add salt, lemon juice, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder. Mix everything thoroughly to coat the chicken evenly. Set the chicken aside and let it marinate for 1 hour, allowing the flavors to penetrate deeply.
- Make Fresh Masala: While the chicken is marinating, prepare the vizhinjam masala. In a blender, add whole black pepper, fennel seeds, and cumin seeds. Grind them coarsely to retain texture. Then add shallots, coriander leaves, mint leaves, curry leaves, pandan leaves, green chili, garlic, ginger, red chili flakes, and salt. Grind all together coarsely without adding any water to preserve the aromatic intensity.
- Coating Masala: After the chicken has marinated for an hour, add the freshly ground coarse masala over the marinated chicken. Mix well to ensure that every piece is evenly coated with the flavorful masala mixture.
- Frying Chicken: Heat coconut oil in a deep frying pan or kadai on medium-high heat until sufficiently hot. Carefully add the chicken pieces along with the masala into the hot oil. Fry the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and both the chicken and masala coating turn crispy and golden brown.
- Serving: Use a fine slotted spoon to remove the fried chicken from the oil, allowing excess oil to drain. Make sure to strain out and discard any remaining fried masala bits from the oil. Serve the Vizhinjam Chicken Fry hot as a delicious appetizer or side dish.
Notes
- Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying to avoid soggy chicken.
- Adjust chili levels according to your preferred spice tolerance.
- Using bone-in chicken adds more flavor and juiciness compared to boneless.
- The fresh masala can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Serve with lemon wedges or a side of fresh salad for a balanced meal.
Keywords: Vizhinjam Chicken Fry, South Indian Chicken Recipe, Spicy Chicken Fry, Coconut Oil Chicken Fry, Kerala Chicken Fry
Find it online: https://thehungrymason.com/vizhinjam-chicken-fry-recipe/
