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Chicken tabaka
Tsitsila tabaka: Tbilisi spring chicken pressed flat and fried under a weight
Tsitsila tabaka is named after the tapa, a heavy cast-iron pan with a screw-down lid that Tbilisi cooks use to press a split spring chicken flat as it fries, so every bit of skin touches the hot metal and turns golden and crackling. In old Tbilisi restaurants it comes with a little jug of garlic water (niortskali) and satsebeli tomato sauce. A common mistake is using a big chicken, which takes so long that the skin burns before the inside cooks; a small poussin is right. Chef's tip: a heavy saucepan filled with water works as the weight at home. Chicken is done when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74 °C.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 poussin or small chickenabout 700 g
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ⅜ oz ghee or butter
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut along both sides of 1 poussin or small chicken's backbone with scissors and remove it. Open the bird out, skin-side up, and press hard on the breastbone to flatten it. Cover with cling film and bash the thick parts gently with a rolling pin.
Step 2: Season all over with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and leave for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 3: Heat 1 ⅜ oz ghee or butter in a heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Lay the chicken skin-side down, cover with baking paper and press with a heavy pan or a pot of water.
Step 4: Fry for 15–18 minutes, until the skin is deep golden and crisp. Common mistake: a high heat; the skin burns before the meat cooks.
18 minStep 5: Turn, weight it again and cook for 12–15 minutes more, until the juices run clear and the thigh reads 165°F.
15 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 620 kcal
- Protein
- 52 g
- Carbs
- 3 g
- Fat
- 44 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chicken tabaka take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ghee or butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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