Chicken Fry Biryani (Kodi Vepudu Biryani)

Chicken Fry Biryani also known as Kodi Vepudu Biryani is a unique and delicious rice dish from Andhra restaurants. Hot and spicy, sauteed tender chicken is layered over a uniquely flavored biryani rice. The masala coated over the chicken is to die for! It is made with a special spice blend that is sautéed and deep roasted in a pan along with the chicken. Chicken Fry Biryani is usually served with a biryani Shorba, Salan and Onion raita.

Restaurants serving Biryani are always in a race to capture the market. We get to see so many fusion and innovative types of biryani especially in Andhra restaurants. A lot of them are not made in the dum style but they actually taste so good with plenty of flavor. But some are way too spicy, greasy and really hot.

This Kodi Vepudu Biryani is one such dish from a popular Andhra restaurant in Singapore. This was their best biryani in the past for about a decade but later everything changed due to change of hands/chefs. After eating there for many years, I was able to replicate their biryani and this version is less hot and less greasy. But equally delicious!

Chicken Fry Biryani recipe has 2 components. The first one is to make the Chicken Fry also known as chicken vepudu and the second one is to make the biryani rice. You will finish it by simply assembling the chicken fry with the biryani rice. Here are the 2 key steps for the best chicken fry biryani. Cook the chicken one day ahead and rest it in the refrigerator, make the vepudu the day you are ready to serve. Or alternately, marinate the chicken for a few hours to overnight, cook and saute – all on the same day. This helps the chicken soak up the flavors .

The second step is to saute the chicken really well until the masala is deep roasted. On various occasions I have found their rice to be different, sometimes served with real dum cooked biryani (no meat) and sometimes with biryani rice, what I am showing here. Either ways, it tastes nearly the same because deep roasting the chicken dominates everything else.

Photo Guide

Step by step Photo Instructions

Make the spice blend

1. Firstly, powder 2 tbsp coriander seeds, half tsp cumin seeds, 4 green cardamoms, 2 one inch cinnamon pieces, 4 to 6 cloves and ¼ tsp saunf to a fine powder. Set this aside. You can also use a good ready made masala powder.

2. To the same jar, add 12 to 15 cashews and make a fine powder. Set this aside as well separately. There is no substitute to this.

3. Pulse 1 heaped cup cubed onions in a blender to a coarse texture. (not a smooth paste). Set this aside.

Cook chicken & make vepudu

4. Add chicken to a pot along with ¼ tsp salt, red chili powder, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1½ tsp ginger garlic & garam masala (from step 1),

5. Add 1 tbsp ghee, onion paste from step 2 and 1½ tbsp lemon juice.

6. Mix everything well. If you want you may rest in the marinade overnight. Begin to cook on a low to medium heat until soft and tender.

7. Once completely cooked switch off the stove. Chicken should be very tender and break up easily. You can store this in the refrigerator and make the vepudu the next day.

8. Heat a pan with oil and add cinnamon, clove and cardamom.

9. Add the cooked chicken and then the cashew powder from step 2.

10. Mix well and fry until the moisture evaporates completely and turns darker. The masala clings on to the chicken and you should get a nice aroma. We are done with the chicken fry. Keep this aside.

Make the rice

Wash and soak rice for about 30 mins. Drain to a colander.

11. Add onions, ginger, garlic, ½ cup pudina (mint), ½ cup coriander leaves and green chili to a blender jar. Pudina and coriander leaves to be measured loosely, do not alter the quantity as it may alter the color & flavor.

12. Make a fine paste. Set aside.

13. Heat oil in a pot with 2.5 tbsp. oil. Add bay leaf, star anise, 1 strand mace, 1 small cinnamon stick, 3 green cardamoms, 4 cloves and ¾ tsp shahi jeera. Do not reduce the amount of oil.

14. When shahi jeera begins to crackle, add the green paste. Fry this well until the raw smell is gone. This takes about 3 to 4 mins, by then the oil begins to separate.

15. Add curd, biryani masala, coriander powder (optional), red chili powder, turmeric and salt.

16. Stir everything well and cook until the oil separates.

17. Pour water, mix well and taste test to adjust salt. Bring to a rolling boil.

18. When the water comes to a rapid boil, Add drained rice.

19. Mix and cook on a medium heat until the water is almost absorbed, but thick gravy like moisture is still over the rice. There should be still moisture in the pot.

20. At this stage lower the flame completely and seal it with a foil or a moist thick kitchen cloth. Place a tight lid. Move this over to a hot tawa and reduce the flame to low. Dum cook for 12 to 13 mins. Once you switch off the stove, leave it undisturbed for about 10 to 15 mins.

21. Dum cooked fragrant plain biryani is ready.

Layering chicken fry biryani

22. In a large bowl, layer half of the rice.

23. Next layer the chicken fry.

Repeat layering the biryani rice. Then another layer of chicken. Top up with little more rice. There is no garnishing done for this chicken fry biryani. If you want add some mint and coriander leaves. This is served with onion raita and a special salan. This simple shorba / sherva too goes well.

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