Guntur chicken recipe – Dry Guntur chicken(Andhra restaurant style) with step by step detailed pictures. Guntur chicken is a very hot & spicy andhra style chicken curry made with guntur special red chilli flavoured with ghee, freshly ground garam masala powder, grated coconut (or coconut milk) & curry leaves. One of the most popular and authentic food in Andhrapradesh & Hyderabad. Simply serve this dish with salad, roti, chapati, paratha or dosa, naan, plain rice or Hyderabadi chicken biryani.
What is Guntur chicken? Guntur chicken is a signature dish of Andhra cuisine, a sort of very spicy chicken dish with quite dry gravy. Prepared with chicken, guntur chilli, onion-ginger-garlic paste, grated coconut, curry leaves and ground garam masala commonly used in Andhra cuisine.

Due to the use of spicy guntur chilli this chicken curry is named guntur chicken. Guntur is a district of Andhrapradesh, well known for its spicy chilli, which is used in this recipe. In Andhrapradesh, this dish is popular with one more name, chicken vepudu/kodi vepudu due to prepare by frying in spicy masala. Kodi/koli means chicken meat in telugu language, on the other hand, vepudu denotes a recipe makes ready by frying in masala.
Except in Andhra Pradesh, guntur chilli is commonly available everywhere in South Indian states especially Karnataka & Tamilnadu. As such in Bangalore, guntur chilli is commonly available in local grocery stores. However, sitting outside South India, you can either order this chilli, online or use the spiciest chilli from the nearby shops or you can make this chicken curry by blending with regular red chilli powder & Kashmiri chilli(for colour).
Guntur chilli is mainly used for spiciness & colour, but except guntur chilli, a special garam masala is made for preparing this chicken curry to bring that exact Andhra restaurant-style taste & flavour.
My family & I, for the first time, tasted guntur chicken from Nagarjuna(a Popular Andhra restaurant in Bangalore) and this dish leave a mark on us. So whenever we go out for having an Andhra meal, we must order it. Even often order it online from various Andhra restaurants. However, the restaurant one is delicious but too spicy and seems not good for the health if eaten often. So decided to make it at home to keep the spice level down by using a few chillies(as per my requirement). Even you may cut down the spice level by removing the guntur chilli seeds.
Try this recipe at home and write down your valuable feedback in the comment section below.
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Recipe card of Guntur Chicken recipe
Guntur chicken recipe – Dry Guntur chicken(Andhra restaurant style)
Course: chicken recipes, RecipesCuisine: Andhra pradesh/IndianDifficulty: Easy5
servings10
minutes30
minutes300
kcal40
minutesGuntur chicken is a signature dish of Andhra cuisine, sort of very spicy chicken curry with quite dry gravy. Prepared with chicken(kodi/koli meat), guntur chilli, onion-ginger-garlic paste, grated coconut, curry leaves and ground garam masala commonly used in Andhra cuisine. Simply serve this dish with roti, chapati, paratha or dosa, plain rice or Hyderabadi chicken biryani.
Ingredients of guntur chicken
- For Dry roasted guntur garam masala
○ 8-10 Guntur chillies/Any spicy chilli
○ 2-inch Cinnamon stick
○ 3-4 Cloves
○ 1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
○ 2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
○ 8-10 Black Peppercorn
○ 3/4 tsp Cumin seeds
- For Guntur Chicken gravy
○ 500 g Chicken/Kodi/koli(bone-in/boneless curry cut pieces)
○ 1 lemon juice
○ 2 Onion(Finely chopped)
○ 3/4 tsp Ginger paste
○ 2 tsp Garlic paste
○ 2 sprigs of curry leaves
○ 2-3 tbsp Grated Coconut
○ 1 tsp Red chilli powder
○ 3/4 tsp Turmeric powder
○ 2-3 Green chillies
○ 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
○ 1+1/2 tbsp Ghee
○ Salt (as required)
Method
- Making Dry roasted Guntur chicken masala
- Before starting cooking, Make guntur chicken masala by dry roasting cinnamon, cloves, green cardamom, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorn and guntur chillies until release aroma.
- Completely cool it down. Then ground the spices into a fine powder. Keep it aside and let’s prepare the chicken.
- Making Guntur Chicken gravy
- Marinate the chicken/kodi/koli(bone in/boneless curry cut pieces) with lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, a sprig of curry leaves and salt. Mix it well. Leave it for 30 mins.
- Heat a pan with vegetable oil and ghee. Fry the onion along with green chillies(slit it) and a sprig of curry leaves, and fry it until the onion gets soft & golden.
- Add the marinated chicken to the pan, and mix it well. Let the chicken roast in oil, then add grated coconut, mix it together and roast it well too.
- Then add the guntur chicken masala, and mix well roast for a few mins.
- Afterwards, add Kashmiri chilli powder for colour, and mix well. Roast the chicken until released oil from the sides.
- Add 1/4 cup of water(mixed with the leftover masala in the bowl used for marination). Mix it well.
- Once the gravy starts boiling, cover the pan, slow down the heat to medium and cook the chicken until soft & tender. Occasionally stir the gravy.
- When the gravy is reduced and oil floats over the gravy, remove the cover and roast the chicken until the gravy completely dries off.
- Then again add 1/2 cup of water(including 1/4 cup of leftover masala mixed water). Let the gravy boil, and add a little salt to taste(if required).
- Once the gravy is almost dry or reaches in desired consistency, then turn off the heat. Guntur chicken aka koli/kodi vepudu is ready. Simply serve it with roti, chapati, paratha or dosa, plain rice or biryani.
Notes
- Except for guntur chillies, you can use any spiciest chilli from your nearby shops.
- Even for making this chicken curry, you can replace guntur chilli with the regular red chilli powder you have in your kitchen by adding Kashmiri chilli with it.
- Don’t skip making that guntur chicken masala, the most important ingredient of this recipe.
How to make Guntur Chicken recipe step by step with detailed pictures
Making dry roasted guntur garam masala
- Before starting cooking, make guntur chicken masala by dry roasting cumin seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon, cloves, green cardamom, and 8-10 guntur chillies in a pan until release aroma.
- Completely cool it down. Then ground the spices into a fine powder. Keep it aside and let’s prepare the chicken.

Marinating chicken
- Marinate the chicken with lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, a sprig of curry leaves and salt. Mix it well. Leave it for 30 mins.

Cooking Guntur Chicken
Frying onion in ghee with curry leaves and green chilli
Heat a pan with vegetable oil and ghee. Fry the onion along with green chillies(slits) and a sprig of curry leaves, and fry it until the onion gets soft & golden.

Roasting chicken in oil with grated coconut
- Add the marinated chicken to the pan, and mix it well. Let the chicken roast in oil, then add grated coconut, mix it together and roast it well.

Adding dry roasted guntur masala and kashmiri chilli
- Add the guntur masala(prepared earlier), and mix well roast for a few more mins.
- Then add Kashmiri chilli powder for colour, and mix well. Roast the chicken until released oil from the sides.

Adding leftover masala water and cooking chicken in it
- Add 1/4 cup of water(mixed with the leftover masala in the bowl used for marination). Mix it well.
- Once the gravy starts boiling, cover the pan, slow down the heat to medium and cook the chicken until soft. Occasionally stir the gravy.

Dry off the chicken gravy
- When the gravy is reduced and oil floats over the gravy, remove the cover and roast the chicken until the gravy completely dries off.

Again add water & salt
Then again add 1/2 cup of water(including 1/4 cup of leftover masala mixed water). Let the gravy boil, and add a little salt to taste(if required).

Make Dry chicken gravy
- Once the gravy is almost dry off or reach in desired consistency, then turn off the heat.

- Guntur chicken aka kodi vepudu is ready, simply serve it with roti, chapati, paratha or dosa or plain rice or with biryani.