Chicken 65 is a South Indian-style starter of spicy, crisp fried chicken tossed with curry leaves, green chilies and garlic. It is popular on restaurant menus and easy to make at home. This recipe serves 4 as a starter.
Prep: 15 minutes + 30 minutes marinating | Cook: 20 minutes | Serves: 4
Ingredients
Chicken
- 500 g (1 lb) boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 2 tbsp plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cornflour and 1 tbsp rice flour
- Oil for frying
Tempering
- 1 tbsp oil
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped, and 2 to 3 green chilies, slit
- 2 tbsp yogurt whisked with 1/2 tsp chili powder
- Squeeze of lemon
Method
- Mix the chicken with the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, spices, lemon and salt. Marinate for 30 minutes, then stir in the cornflour and rice flour.
- Heat oil to about 175 C (350 F). Fry the chicken in batches for 5 to 6 minutes until golden and cooked through (74 C / 165 F inside). Drain on paper.
- In a wide pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Fry the curry leaves, garlic and green chilies for 1 minute.
- Add the yogurt-chili mixture and cook for 30 seconds on low, then toss in the fried chicken.
- Finish with lemon juice and serve hot with sliced onion.
Tips
- Do not crowd the pan or the chicken will steam instead of crisp.
- Fry a second time for 1 minute for extra crunch.
- Air fry at 200 C (400 F) for 12 to 15 minutes for a lighter version.
Order it
Chicken 65 is on the Aldergrove Indian Bistro menu as a must-try starter. It is also great on catering menus alongside pakoras and tandoori platters. See our menu and catering pages.
FAQ
Why is it called Chicken 65? Several origin stories exist, and none is confirmed.
Is it very spicy? It is medium by default. Adjust the green chilies and chili powder.