Special Chicken "65" Recipe

Prepare chicken

Trim excess fat and cut chicken thighs into 2–3 cm bite-sized pieces. Pat dry with paper towels.

Mix marinade

In a large bowl combine yogurt, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, coriander powder, freshly ground black pepper, salt and lime juice. Whisk until smooth. Add the beaten egg and mix to incorporate; the mixture should coat the chicken evenly.

Marinate

Add chicken pieces to the marinade and toss thoroughly so each piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours (minimum 30 minutes for flavor; up to 2 hours for best tenderness).

Heat oil

Pour oil into a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet or a deep pan to a depth of 2–3 cm (or use a deep fryer). Heat over medium-high until oil reaches about 175°C (350°F). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter: it should sizzle and rise steadily.

Fry chicken

Working in batches to avoid crowding, carefully lower marinated chicken pieces into the hot oil. Fry for 4–6 minutes per batch until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature 74°C / 165°F). Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried pieces to a wire rack or paper towels to drain. Keep warm in a low oven (100–120°C) if needed.

Temper aromatics

Discard all but about 1–2 tablespoons of oil from the pan, leaving enough fat to sauté. Heat the reserved oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds; let them sizzle for 10–15 seconds until aromatic. Add sliced garlic and green chilies and sauté 30–45 seconds until garlic is golden. Add fresh curry leaves and fry briefly (15–20 seconds) until crisp and fragrant. Be careful—curry leaves can spatter.

Combine chicken and aromatics

Return the fried chicken pieces to the pan with the tempered aromatics. Toss quickly over medium heat for 1–2 minutes so the chicken is coated and picks up the flavors. Adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon if needed. Remove from heat.

Beat eggs

In a bowl whisk the 3 eggs with milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt until frothy. This incorporates air and helps create a light scrambled texture.

Cook eggs

Heat a nonstick skillet over low-medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. When butter melts and foams, pour in the beaten eggs. Let them sit undisturbed for 8–10 seconds, then gently stir with a silicone spatula, folding eggs from the edges toward the center. Cook slowly in short intervals, removing from heat briefly if they are cooking too fast, until soft curds form and eggs are still slightly glossy — about 2–3 minutes total. Do not overcook; you want fluffy, moist scrambled eggs.

Finish eggs

Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste and gently fold once more. Remove from heat.

Transfer the hot spiced chicken 65 to a serving platter. Spoon the fluffy scrambled eggs over or alongside the chicken so each bite can combine the textures. Scatter the crisp fried curry leaves and any remaining green chilies on top. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and optional chopped fresh green chilies for extra heat. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.