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Chicken 65
சிக்கன் 65: Chennai's fiery fried chicken in a chilli, ginger-garlic and curry leaf marinade, tossed in a yogurt-chilli seasoning
Chicken 65 was born in Chennai's military hotels in the 1960s and is now on every Tamil bar-snack, biryani-shop and wedding-starter menu, eaten hot with onion rings and lemon. Boneless chicken is marinated in red chilli, ginger-garlic and lemon, fried crisp, then tossed in a tangy seasoning of yogurt, green chilli and curry leaves. The mistake is crowding the pan, which drops the oil temperature so the chicken steams and the coating turns soggy; fry in small batches. For a vegetarian gobi 65, use 500 g cauliflower florets blanched for 2 minutes and dried, in the same marinade. Chef's tip: let the marinated chicken rest at least 30 minutes, and add the flour only just before frying so the coat stays light.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 ⅛ lb boneless chicken thighscut in 3 cm pieces
- 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- ½ tsp hot red chilli powder
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 eggbeaten
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp rice flour
For frying
- 3 ¼ cups groundnut or sunflower oil
For the seasoning
- 1 tbsp oil
- 4 cloves garlicchopped
- 4 green chilliesslit
- 20 curry leaves
- 3 tbsp thick yogurtwhisked
To serve
- 1 onion (optional)sliced in rings
- 4 lemon wedges (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb boneless chicken thighs with 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, ½ tsp hot red chilli powder, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp salt. Cover and chill for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
32 minStep 2: Just before frying, mix in 1 egg, then 3 tbsp cornflour and 2 tbsp rice flour so each piece has a thin, sticky coat.
2 minStep 3: Pour 3 ¼ cups groundnut or sunflower oil into a heavy kadai or deep pan, no more than a third of its depth, and heat over medium-high to 175–350°F. No thermometer? Drop in a small cube of bread: it should sizzle at once and turn golden in about 40 seconds. Keep a lid and a dry tray nearby and never leave the hot oil unattended.
8 minStep 4: Fry 8–10 pieces at a time, turning, until deep red-brown and crisp and the sizzling has quietened, 5–6 minutes. A thick piece cut open should be white right through with clear juices (167°F inside).
15 minStep 5: Drain on kitchen paper and keep frying in batches, letting the oil come back to temperature in between.
2 minStep 6: In a wide pan heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Add 4 cloves garlic, 4 green chillies and 20 curry leaves and fry until the leaves crackle.
1 minStep 7: Lower the heat, add 3 tbsp thick yogurt and ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder and stir until it thickens and clings, about 1 minute.
1 minStep 8: Toss in the fried chicken over high heat for a minute until coated and dry. Serve at once with 1 onion and 4 lemon wedges.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 29 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicken 65 take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of kashmiri red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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Perfect for:Party & potluckGame day