Andhra Chicken Curry (Kodi Kura) is a spicy and flavorful chicken curry from the South Indian state of Andra Pradesh in India. This curry gets its unique flavor from the freshly roasted spice mix. Here is how to make it in the traditional style.
Here are some more South Indian chicken curry recipes that you might like – Chicken Salna, Chicken Chettinad, Chicken Vindaloo, Coconut Curry Chicken, Malabar Chicken Curry, and Chettinad Pepper Chicken.
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About This Recipe
Andhra Chicken Curry is called Kodi Kura in the local language. It is a hot and spicy curry that is super easy to make using minimal ingredients and is loaded with flavors.
Every household in Andhra has its own way of making it.
Some people make it with tomatoes and some, especially in coastal Andhra adds coconut milk to it. There is a version that uses yogurt in place of tomatoes.
The Andhra style chicken curry recipe that I am sharing today is a simple one that I learned from a friend. It has a base of onions and tomatoes and a freshly roasted spice mix is added to it which gives it a very unique taste.
There is no need to marinate the chicken to make this curry and you can easily scale the recipe if you are making it for a crowd.
Ingredients
For The Spice Mix
To make the freshly roasted spice mix, you will need whole coriander seeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and whole black peppercorns.
If poppy seeds are not available, replace them with cashew nuts.
For The Curry
Chicken – Use skinless bone-in chicken cut into 1 and ½ inch chunks. Bones give a lot of flavor to the curry and hence are highly recommended.
Having said that, if you are not a bone-in chicken person, you can use boneless chicken pieces too.
Oil – Use any cooking oil that you prefer.
Red Chili Powder – Traditionally, Guntur chili powder is used to make this curry. It is a very hot and fiery chili that makes this curry super hot.
You can however use Kashmiri red chili powder for a milder curry.
Others – You will also need green chilies, onions, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, and cilantro (coriander).
This Andhra style chicken curry is supposed to be very hot, but you can adjust the chili as per your taste.
How To Make Andhra Chicken Curry
Make The Masala Powder
Add 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (or 8-10 cashew nuts), 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick, 2-3 cloves, and 3-4 whole black peppercorns to a small skillet and dry roast on medium flame until they are slightly browned and fragrant (2-3 minutes). Keep stirring continuously while roasting.
Remove the skillet from heat and let the spices cool down.
Transfer them to a grinder and grind to make a smooth powder. Set it aside.
Make The Curry
Heat 4 tablespoon vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot, add 2 teaspoon chopped green chillies, 1 cup chopped onions, 15-20 curry leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt and fry until the onions are translucent (5-6 minutes).
Add 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste and fry until onion turns slightly browned (5-6 minutes). Keep stirring frequently.
Add 1 pound (500 g) bone-in chicken pieces and cook on high heat for 5 minutes.
Now add ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring frequently.
Add the ground spice mix that we made earlier, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, and 1 teaspoon salt to the pan, and mix well.
Stir in ½ cup of water and cover the pan with a lid.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the chicken is tender (20-25 minutes). Stir a few times while cooking.
Garnish with 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (coriander) and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Follow the steps until adding water to a pressure cooker. Close the lid and cook on high flame for 2 whistles. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and serve the curry.
To make it in an instant pot, press SAUTE and follow the steps until adding water. Secure the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position. Press PRESSURE COOK and set the timer to 6 minutes at high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Then release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid of the pot. Serve!
Serving Suggestions
Serve Andhra Style Chicken Curry with Steamed Rice or Ghee Rice. It also tastes great with Phulka, Tawa Paratha, or Laccha Paratha.
Storage Suggestions
This curry can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Add some water while reheating.
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Recipe Card
Traditional Andhra Chicken Curry Recipe (Kodi Kura)
Ingredients
For The Masala Powder
- 1 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (or 8-10 cashew nuts)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
- 2-3 cloves
- 3-4 whole black peppercorns
For The Curry
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2-3 teaspoons chopped green chilies (or to taste)
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 15-20 curry leaves
- 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste, divided)
- 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
- 1 pound bone-in chicken (500 g, cut into 1 and ½ inch chunks, rinsed, and drained well)
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (coriander)
Instructions
Make The Spice Mix
- Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, poppy seeds, cinnamon stick, and black peppercorns to a small skillet and roast on medium heat until they are slightly browned and fragrant (2-3 minutes). Keep stirring continuously while roasting.
- Remove the skillet from heat and let the spices cool down. Transfer them to a grinder and grinder to make a smooth powder. Set it aside.
Make The Curry
- Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- When the oil is hot, add green chillies, onions, curry leaves and 1 teaspoon salt and fry until onions are translucent (5-6 minutes).
- Add ginger-garlic paste and fry until onion turns slightly browned (5-6 minutes). Keep stirring frequently.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook on high heat for 5 minutes.
- Now add the tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes. Keep stirring frequently.
- Add the ground spice mix, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, and salt to the pan and mix well.
- Stir in ½ cup of water and cover the pan with a lid.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the chicken is tender (20-25 minutes). Stir a few times while cooking.
- Garnish with cilantro (coriander) and serve hot.
Sara Syal
Hi! Which garam masala you used? Homemade or store bought?
Neha Mathur
I use homemade garam masala but you can use a good quality store bought one too.