The spices that the chicken is marinated in seep well into the meat, transporting you to heaven directly when you bite into the chunks.

Chicken 65 Origin

There are different theories as to why Chicken 65 got its name. While some believe that in the olden days, the chicken was marinated for 65 days to make the perfect dish, others think that this dish got its name because the meat was cut into 65 pieces when cooking.

However, the truth behind the name of this dish is that it was first prepared in the year 1965 at the restaurants of one of Chennai’s (India) iconic hotels, Buhari.

Chicken 65 Recipe

Ok, gather your ingredients; it’s time to make this delicious and spicy Chicken 65!

Ingredients

• Boneless chicken pieces – ¼ kg
• Yogurt – 1 ½ tablespoon
• Corn flour or rice flour – 2 tablespoons
• Egg – 1 (optional, in place of yogurt)
• Ginger and garlic paste – ½ tablespoon
• Red chili powder – ½ tablespoon
• Freshly ground pepper – ½ tablespoon
• Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
• Fresh curry leaves – one spring
•  Salt – to taste
• Oil – as needed for deep frying
• Cumin – ½ teaspoon
• Chopped garlic – ½ teaspoon
• Sliced green chilies – 2
• Sugar – 1//2 tablespoon
• Garlic paste of 2 cloves
• Curd for seasoning – 2 tablespoons

Instructions

Marination

1. Mixing Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine yogurt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, salt, pepper powder, and curry leaves. Adjust salt to taste.
2. Marinating Chicken: Add chicken cubes to the bowl, ensuring they’re well-coated with the spice mix. Marinate for 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator for extra tenderness (cover with plastic wrap if refrigerating).

Preparing for Frying

1. Adding Flour: If the mixture seems dry, add rice flour or cornflour. If yogurt wasn’t used, add a beaten egg instead. Add a little water (or egg) to blend well.
2. Frying Chicken: Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Once hot, fry the marinated chicken cubes until golden brown. Drain on tissue paper to remove excess oil.

Seasoning

1. Sauteing Spices: Heat a spoon of oil in a shallow pan. Add cumin, chopped garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves, frying until aromatic.
2. Adding Seasonings: Once garlic is slightly brown, add garlic paste, chili powder, salt, and sugar. Mix well. Optionally, add curd or vinegar.
3. Coating Chicken: As the mixture thickens, add the fried chicken. Toss to coat evenly. Cook until the chicken absorbs the seasoning moisture (about 2 minutes).

Serving

1. Garnishing and Serving: Transfer the chicken to a serving plate. Garnish with fresh curry leaves and ground pepper. Serve with onion slices, mint dip, or alone.

Making Gravy Chicken 65

1. Sauteing Onions: After the garlic turns slightly brown, add freshly chopped onions to the pan and fry well.
2. Adding Chili Sauce: Stir in about 3 tablespoons of red chili sauce, along with the Kashmiri chili powder for a rich red color.
3. Combining Ingredients: Proceed with adding garlic paste, chili powder, salt, and sugar as in the original recipe.
4. Adding Chicken: Once the sauce is well-cooked, add the fried chicken pieces. Toss the pan to ensure all pieces are evenly coated in the sauce.
5. Serving: Once the chicken is coated with the gravy and heated through, it’s ready to be served.

If you’re as excited about this Chicken 65 Recipe as I am, show your support by pinning the image below! Sharing this recipe can help others discover the joy of cooking this flavorful dish. Let’s bring this taste sensation into more kitchens together!

Tips

• Marination Time: Longer marination results in more tender chicken.
• Frying: Ensure the oil is hot enough before adding chicken to prevent sogginess.
• Seasoning: Adjust chili and salt to taste. The addition of curd or vinegar is optional but adds a tangy flavor.
• Serving Suggestion: This dish pairs well with onion slices or a mint dip, enhancing its flavors.

Some points to note while making Chicken 65

• The common marinating ingredient to use is yogurt. However, you can use eggs if you don’t want to use yogurt. Please note that using eggs can make the chicken turn soggy very soon. It also doesn’t give out a good smell.
• You can omit yogurt and egg when marinating. You can use only the spice powders and keep the chicken pieces in the refrigerator. When you remove the bowl from the fridge, add a little water to mix the contents well. The chicken pieces will still be tender and juicy, even if you don’t use yogurt or eggs.
• You can add 3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato ketchup to the chili sauce for a tangy flavor while preparing the gravy.
• Garnishing with spring onions will make the dish look and taste more authentic than you ever imagined.