Chicken 65 recipe today I am sharing with a new dinner recipe that is the best of chicken recipes. This recipe is a universal favourite of the South Indian and it is what we all have been eating in the restaurants for years. It is a popular chicken dish of India. My mom and I make this recipe for our family and this chicken recipe at home is very easy.
I share in this recipe some tips and tricks for crispy chicken 65 without coating separation when frying this chicken. It is coated in spicy sauce and is our family favourite. This is a bold, fiery and super spicy chicken recipe. This recipe served as an appetizer/side or main dish. It includes air frying instructions if you want to skip the deep frying.
So you will try this recipe and this was much better than any restaurant I ate at. I was worried that I had left the pieces of chicken a bit thick but they were so juicy and full of flavour. I served it with your gorgeous recipe with fried rice or pulao and it was a huge hit. So stay on this recipe and still the end and read the post with complete details.
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time | Serving |
| 20 minutes | 20-25 minutes | 40-45 minutes | 4 |
What is it called chicken 65?
At first it is a restaurant style recipe that will remind you of your favourite andhra mess and it is cubes of crispy fried chicken packed with robust South Indian flavours. I think that is logical. Apparently this dish was first made in a Chennai based restaurant called Hotel Buhari in 1965. It quickly gained popularity as a quick snack or munchies and has become a party favourite all over the country.
Or the dish emerged as a simple meal for Indian soldiers in 1965. Another account claims that it is a dish containing 65 chili peppers devised by an enterprising hotelier. It is also claimed to relate to a requirement for the meat to be from 65 day old chickens. Several other dishes like chicken 78, chicken 82 etc were also invented in the same place where each dish was named after the year. Among all these chicken 65 has been a classic hit for the amazing flavours and the texture of fried chicken and you will be surprised to find that chicken 65 tastes so different in every restaurant.
About of this recipe
This dish is quite simple and straightforward and we marinate the chicken and then deep fry similar top chicken pakora. The dish is ready to serve and non extra tempering or tadka is made. I have shared the chicken recipe along with a few variations which we personally love at home. In restaurants. Chicken is deep fried but you can always bake or air fry it for a healthier option.
I have shared one of the variations here is to make a tempering with curry leaves, garlic, green chilis and red chili powder. This recipe has another layer of flavours when you add garlic. You can skip it but this helps to adjust the seasonings in case your chicken is not spiced well.
This recipe for little yogurt is added to the tempering. This imparts a slight tang to the dish and it has to be served immediately as the chicken begins to lose its crispness as it sits. So, you will also find versions made with soya sauce etc and I am yet to experiment with this more chicken recipe – chicken pakora, chicken tikka, Hot garlic chicken, Tandoori chicken.
Recipe Ingredients
For Marinate and prepare
- 500g chicken or 1 kg (2 lbs) bone in chicken.
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 sprigs curry leaves( finely chopped)
- 4 tablespoon curd
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For Coat
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- 4 tablespoon corn starch(white corn flour)
- 1 egg white
For chicken sauce make
- 1 ½ cup oil
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 4 to 6 green chilies (slit, seeded & pat dry)
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (2 large cloves)
- ½ to 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar (avoid sour curd)
- 2 tablespoon water (leave out if using yogurt to temper)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
How to make this recipe?
This chicken recipe how to make then you read this articles step by step follow the instruction –
Marinate prepare
First you cut the cube chicken to approximately ¾ inch pieces. If you use bone in chicken you may keep them bigger. Make sure the pieces are almost of the same size as this helps them to try or cook evenly. So this recipe needs 500 g boneless chicken or 1 kg (2.2 lbs) bone-in-chicken.
Now the chicken adds 1/3 teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, 2 sprigs of finely chopped curry leaves, 4 tablespoon curd and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.
Then you marinate the chicken, cover and marinate for at least 1 hour to a maximum of 36 hours in the refrigerator. Then rinse 2 sprigs of curry leaves and 4 to 6 green chili. Now you pat them dry with a kitchen tissue. Slit the green chilies and deseed them. Any moisture on the curry leaves and green chilis seeds will burst.
Prepare Tempering Ingredients
Now you Before frying the chicken, prepare the tempering ingredients if you intend to make my spicy tempering. If you want to simply make the chennai style chicken 65 but this spicy tempering adds a punch to the dish. Then you set a side 1 tablespoon garlic chopped and to a small bowl and add 2 teaspoon red chili powder, ½ to 1 tablespoon garlic paste, ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar and 2 tablespoon water, now you mix all of the ingredients and keep the bowl aside.
Now coat the chicken
When you are frying the chicken then before frying add 4 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoon rice flour and mix together to coat the chicken well with the flour, it will be dry. Then pour 1 egg white or 2 ½ tablespoon curd and mix well. Then you must have a fairly moist coated chicken, not runny coating or too dry. If it is too dry, sprinkle some water. So be cautious here.
Frying the chicken
Now you test if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small portion of the batter to the hot oil. It should come up to the surface without turning brown. If the batter sinks and remains there it means the oil is not hot yet. Then gently drop the chicken pieces one by one into the oil. Do not touch them for at least 2 minutes and this helps the coating to remain on the chicken without coming off.
Later stir them and continue to fry on medium heat until crisp and golden took about 4-5 minutes. This is just to let you know an approximate time but it may vary depending on the intensity of heat, source of heat and the kind of pan used. Then the last 1 minute I prefer to fry mine on a low heat and this helps to crisp up a little more. Now then remove them to a steel colander. This way continue to fry all of the chicken.
Then you reduce the flame to low and place the curry leaves on the strainer ladle and gently lower it to the oil. Let them fry until crisp and remove to the fried chicken but you do not forget to pat dry your curry leaves before frying to avoid oil splatters. Place the slit and deseeded green chilies in the strainer and lower to the hot oil and fry until they blister lightly. You do not forget to send them first.
Now transfer them to the fried chicken and serve immediately. This Chennai restaurant style version is not tempered and is served this way but it is mostly made with bone in chicken.
Now make the spicy tempering chicken
Then you take a wok, pour 2 tablespoon oil, fresh or fried chicken oil and when it turns hot then add garlic, 2 slit green chilies and 5-6 curry leaves. Fry until the leaves turn crisp. Now slide the curry leaves, garlic and chilies to a side in the wok, lower the heat completely then pour the chili garlic paste, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon water and make sure the heat is low else your yogurt can split.
Adjust salt and chili powder accordingly and taste test the fried chicken and the sauce in the pan then stir and let cook until thick and the water has almost evaporated. You should be left with a thick paste in the wok and it is very important else you will be left with soft chicken. Then turn off and add chicken and toss well to coat the spices. I forgot to sprinkle black pepper but this is the right stage to add in.
Now transfer to a serving plate and garnish with curry leaves and green chilies. At last you serve chicken 65 with lemon and fresh cut onions. This recipe serves as an appetizer or as a side in a South Indian meal but it also goes well with Chinese fried rice, South Indian style Ghee rice, South Indian coconut rice.
Best Tips
To make it kids friendly simply skip the tempering for the kids portion. You can also reduce the red chili powder from the marinade.
If you are using yogurt to temper, begin to cook at a low heat after adding the chili garlic paste. We do not want the yogurt to split. Avoid using sour yogurt.
You may use bone in chicken or boneless chicken thighs or breasts. If using bone in chicken or breasts it is essential to rest the marinated chicken for a minimum of 4-6 hours else they will dry out and turn chewy.
Egg white can be replaced with curd. The proportion of yogurt, egg and flour is very important. If you alter this the coating from the chicken may fall off.
If you use a strong garam masal;a then the coating may taste bitter if you add a lot of garam masala or red chili powder.
Sugar in the tempering cuts down the pungent flavour from garlic and it also helps to keep the chicken crisp after tempering. Vinegar or lemon juice also cuts down the pungent flavour from garlic.
Chili garlic paste my family loves this with 1 tablespoon of garlic paste in the chili garlic paste, you may cut down if you do not prefer a pungent taste or flavour.
If you want the color you see in restaurants you have to add red food color.
It is important to fry the chicken in low heat otherwise the outside will start to begin while the inside remains raw.
If the marinade is too thick you can add some water.
Nutrition Information
- Calories: 531 kcal
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 16g
- Cholesterol: 112 mg
- Sodium: 646 mg
- Potassium: 372 mg
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Protein: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 3g
- Vitamin A: 811 IU
- Vitamin C: 50 mg
- Calcium: 53 mg
- Iron: 2 mg
Recipe Health Benefits
This is a misunderstanding that Chicken 65 is a non healthy dish because it is deep fried. Though it is a deep-fried recipe, you can make it as an alternate healthier version by adding less fresh oil for frying. Also it has many traditional spices, aiding digestion and reducing inflammation.
While it is not unhealthy to eat chicken every day, there are definitely some factors to consider. Which type of chicken and how it is prepared can make a huge difference in how healthy that chicken is for you. It is also smart to remember the importance of a varied diet.
How to serve chicken 65?
Chicken 65 is hard to categorize but versatile in serving. It is not exactly a street food or chai snack but could be served in that way. Restaurant menus are usually under appetizers or chicken main dishes.
Traditional Hyderabadi versions are paired with roti or Khatti Dal and plain rice.
This version is good all by itself with a squeeze of lemon to cut the heat and sliced red onions for texture. For a more substantial meal, I love having it with basmati rice to give it a plain backdrop against the bold flavours.
As a part of a spread I have served it with Chicken Biryani, Aloo Gosht and Mint Raita.
How to store and reheat
I am usually not super excited about leftovers, but chicken 65 is an exception. I can not get enough –
You can refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Microwave until heated through. Sometimes the moisture will pool up at the bottom. To fix that, throw it in on a hot saucepan and let the sauce homogenize. To keep the chicken crispy try reheating in the air-fryer with aluminium foil underneath.
FAQ
Can we shallow fry the chicken?
Chicken cooks much more evenly when deep fried, what I suggest is to use very little oil and a small pan for frying chicken. Using a small kadai is ideal.
How long does chicken 65 recipe take to cook?
Boneless chicken breast- 3 to 4 minutes, boneless chicken thigh- 5 to 6 minutes and chicken with bones- 8 to 10 minutes.
How to avoid chicken smell?
Addition of lemon juice, yogurt in chicken removes the chicken smell.
How long can I marinate chicken?
Chicken 65 can be marinated from 1 hour up to 2 days.
Can we fry in an air fryer?
Yes, you can make chicken 65 in the air fryer once the chicken is marinated. Place chicken in an air fryer basket and spray with little oil. Cook on 180 degree c for 15 minutes.
Shahi Egg Curry Recipe
Conclusion
The recipe is my version of chicken 65, prepared so the chicken is fried yet moist and stained a pleasant shade of red without food coloring. The chicken goes through a two step marinating process once before cooking and once after. This builds in the deep layers of flavor without drying out the chicken.
So you will try this recipe and I am sure you will do this recipe because it is very easy to make this recipe. Now you try chicken recipes and this recipe is the best cooking tips here my articles so, today you will try this recipe and enjoy eating with your kids and family or friends.
