Goan fried chicken is one of my favorite recipes as it delivers bold flavors of tanginess in every bite. The marinade made of tamarind brings out the flavor in chicken, and by the time it is fried in hot oil, the kitchen starts to fill with a wonderful aroma.
Quick Facts
- I find this Goan fried chicken to be so very addictive.
- The use of tamarind to give it a tangy taste is quite unique and appeals to me.
- I usually have it with sliced onions and a wedge of lemon.
- It takes about 1 hour, start to finish, for me to make this dish (including the 30-minute tamarind soak).
- If you enjoy the tangy-spicy kick, try Chicken 65 or Chicken vindaloo. I have made both and they offer different tang but the same bold spice.
The Ingredients:
- 500 grams chicken (boneless, cut into medium pieces)
- Tamarind (marble size, shredded)
- 3 tbsp water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp chicken masala powder
- 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
- ½ tbsp lemon juice (or vinegar)
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
- 1 tbsp corn flour (or rice flour)
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- ¼ tsp red food color (optional)
- 1 piece egg
- Cooking oil (adequate amount for deep frying)
How to Make Goan Fried Chicken? (Step by Step Guide with Photos)
Step 1: Soak tamarind (marble size, shredded) in 3 tbsp of water for half an hour.
Step 2: Marinate 500 grams of boneless chicken (cut into medium pieces) with salt to taste, 1 tsp of chicken masala powder, 1 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste, ½ tbsp of lemon juice, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder, ½ tbsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of cumin powder, 2 tbsp of gram flour (besan), 1 tbsp of corn flour, ½ tsp of garam masala powder, ¼ tsp of red food color (optional), and 1 piece of egg. Also add the soaked tamarind water.
Step 3: Fry the marinated pieces in adequate cooking oil over a medium flame for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove when done nice and crisp.
(Pro tip: I fry on medium flame only because high heat browns the crust before the chicken cooks through.)
Step 4: Your tasty and crispy homemade Goan fried chicken is ready. Garnish with a few finely chopped coriander leaves, sprinkle a bit of chicken masala powder and serve hot.
Add Your Own Touch
- I have tried this dish with bone-in chicken pieces before and found it to be juicier.
- I have also tried with curd, as I sometimes run out of egg, and that turned out to be pretty good too.
- In case you want it to be spicier, add half a teaspoon of red chili powder to the marinade.
Goan Fried Chicken Recipe Problem Solvers
Q: My chicken turned out too soft and not crispy. What went wrong?
A: This usually happens when the flame is too low. Try increasing to medium and frying a test piece first to check the timing before doing the full batch in step 3.
Q: Can a runny marinade be salvaged somehow before frying?
A: Yes, I have had this happen to me before. Simply mix in an extra tsp of gram flour from step 2 before it reaches the frying pan.
Q: My chicken pieces kept sticking to each other while frying. Any ideas?
A: I had this happen to me once by overcrowding the pan. Now at step 3, I simply fry them in batches to avoid this.
Q: Can I use something else for color other than the food color?
A: Yes, in that case you can use a tablespoon of Kashmiri red chili powder.
Recipe Card
Goan Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 500 grams chicken boneless, cut into medium pieces
- Tamarind marble size, shredded
- 3 tbsp water
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp chicken masala powder
- 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
- ½ tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- ½ tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tbsp gram flour besan
- 1 tbsp corn flour or rice flour
- ½ tsp garam masala powder
- ¼ tsp red food color optional
- 1 piece egg
- Cooking oil adequate amount for deep frying
Instructions
- Soak tamarind (marble size, shredded) in 3 tbsp of water for half an hour.
- Marinate 500 grams of boneless chicken (cut into medium pieces) with salt to taste, 1 tsp of chicken masala powder, 1 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste, ½ tbsp of lemon juice, ¼ tsp of turmeric powder, ½ tsp of red chili powder, ½ tbsp of coriander powder, 1 tsp of cumin powder, 2 tbsp of gram flour (besan), 1 tbsp of corn flour, ½ tsp of garam masala powder, ¼ tsp of red food color (optional), and 1 piece of egg. Also add the soaked tamarind water.
- Fry the marinated pieces in adequate cooking oil over a medium flame for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove when done nice and crisp. (Pro tip: I fry on medium flame only because high heat browns the crust before the chicken cooks through.)
- Your tasty and crispy homemade Goan fried chicken is ready. Garnish with a few finely chopped coriander leaves, sprinkle a bit of chicken masala powder and serve hot.
