- Dipesh Shinde, head chef at Kanyakumari in NYC, shared his tips for making Indian fried chicken.
- He said selecting the right cut of chicken and marinating the meat twice is vital.
- In this recipe, traditional white flour is replaced by crunchy and coarse rice flour.
Raised in the embrace of the Arabian Sea in Mandad, a tiny coastal village about three hours from Mumbai, chef Dipesh Shinde's love for seafood was practically woven into his childhood.
"Every Sunday, my friends and I would go fishing together, then come back and cook what we caught," said Shinde, now the head chef at two popular Indian restaurants in New York City: Kebab aur Sharab and, more recently, Kanyakumari.
Shinde crafted a menu inspired by his travels along India's vast western coastline to share his passion for the country's coastal cuisine, a style still waiting for recognition on the global stage.
"On my journey, I made several stops in cities along the coast, eating at hyperlocal, beloved joints," Shinde told Business Insider.
"Those experiences, from tiny pockets of India, are what I hope[d] to bring back to New York's vibrant dining scene," he added.
One such item on Kanyakumari's menu is Hira Anna's fried chicken.
In the US, fried chicken often falls into a handful of recognizable categories: Southern-style, where buttermilk-marinated pieces are dipped in seasoned flour and fried; Korean-style, known for its thin, ultra-crisp coating and a signature sticky glaze; and Japanese karaage.
But in India, there are further, diverse approaches to fried chicken.
There's the halal fried chicken that's sometimes cooked whole and found at tiny street-side stalls in Delhi. In Mumbai and Kolkata, cubes of chicken are dipped in chickpea-flour batter and fried into irregular, crispy chunks to make pakoras, while chicken 65, chili chicken, and chicken lollipops remain beloved staples of Indian-Chinese cuisine.
Ultimately, Indian-style fried chicken focuses on spices and textures that set Hira Anna's fried chicken apart from other offerings in New York City.
Visually it's different, too: Instead of large pieces, this fried chicken is served as thin, rusty golden, two-bite-sized strips strewn with bits of fried garlic, slices of beet, and crispy curry leaves.
Business Insider spoke to Shinde to ask for advice on recreating his fried chicken at home. The interview was conducted, via video call, in Hindi and has been translated.
Here are his top 10 tips for making the perfect Indian fried chicken.
Opt for boneless chicken thighs for maximum flavor.
Chef Shinde uses fresh — not frozen — thigh pieces because they retain moisture better and then cuts them into thin strips.
"This ensures the marinade seeps into the chicken, and when people eat it, they can taste the flavor in every bite," said Shinde.
Shinde was first introduced to this recipe while traveling around Kanyakumari, the southernmost tip of India.
"A close friend's father ran a popular street-side stall, which he invited me to try," he said.
At the time, his friend's dad had marinated country chicken — a locally raised chicken breed in rural India — with distinct and much softer cooked meat. When he tasted it, he immediately knew it would be a hit in New York, given its crispy texture and succulent meat.
He ultimately named his dish Hira Anna's Fried Chicken after his friend's father.
Cut the chicken into thin, medium-sized strips.
Evenly cutting the meat ensures that it marinates and cooks uniformly.
For the pieces to adequately soak up the marinade and fry easily, Shinde recommends cutting strips that are not too thick. This technique resembles how chicken is prepared for dishes like Andhra-style Kodi Vepudu, where 1-inch pieces absorb spices better and cook evenly.
Coat the chicken in the first marinade and refrigerate it overnight.
From tandoori chicken to Chettinad pepper fry, marination is the heart of Indian cooking.
"In a large bowl, mix crushed ginger-garlic, green chilies, and salt, then let the chicken soak overnight," said Shinde
This slow process infuses rich flavors into the meat.
The next morning, prepare the second marinade using dry-roasted spices crushed together with a mortar and pestle.
At your nearest Indian grocery store, pick up fresh curry leaves, a few pieces of ginger, dry coconut shavings, and fiery Guntur chilies. These ingredients, commonly used in South Indian spice blends, create a deeply aromatic base.
Using a mortar and pestle, crush everything together into a coarse paste.
"The mortar and pestle ensure the paste isn't too runny and has some coarseness to it," said Shinde, adding that "you'll eventually be able to taste that texture as you bite into the chicken."
Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder, black pepper, garam masala, and a squeeze of lemon juice to this mix. Then, coat the chicken generously.
For extra crunch, add some rice flour to the marinade and coat the chicken well.
Rice flour, made from finely ground rice, is a secret weapon in Indian kitchens. It's used for creating light, crispy textures in fried dishes and is a key ingredient in pakoras (batter-fried fritters) and Koliwada-style fried fish (fish fritters.)
Add 1 ½ tablespoons of rice flour per pound of chicken to the marinade. This not only thickens the mix, making it stick to the chicken better, but also keeps the chicken crispy for a long time once it's fried.
Shinde said he adds a little bit of rice flour whenever he makes a fried dish at home.
Let the chicken rest for at least an hour before frying it.
"Resting the marinated chicken is important as it allows the flavors to deepen," Shinde told BI.
This step also helps the coating stick better, preventing it from breaking apart during frying.
Use coconut oil to fry the chicken.
Coconut oil is a key ingredient in South India, especially in Kerala-style fried dishes like Meen Varuthathu (fried fish).
It adds a subtle sweetness that balances out the heat and overall, pairs well with Indian fried chicken.
"Heat coconut oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat" before adding the chicken, said Shinde.
Fry for 10 to 15 minutes until the chicken is golden brown and cooked.
Frying the chicken on medium heat for the right time — 10 to 15 minutes — ensures a crispy crust and juicy inside.
"Fry in batches to prevent overcrowding and ensure even cooking," said Shinde.
At the end, add a few curry leaves to the hot oil for a burst of aroma.
Tossing fresh curry leaves into hot oil instantly elevates any dish, much like in Tadka (tempering) for Indian dals (lentils).
Shinde said, "Before taking out the chicken, throw in a handful of curry leaves for a fragrant finishing touch."
Don't forget to garnish your dish with a slice of beetroot and some fried garlic.
Finally, once you remove the chicken from the fryer, place it on a paper towel to soak up excess oil and then begin plating it.
Garnishes like Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) on butter chicken or chopped coriander enhance flavor and aesthetics.
For an authentic restaurant-style experience at home, coat a few slivers of garlic in the same marinade as the chicken, then fry them for a minute or less. Add these with fresh, thinly sliced beetroot atop your dish.
