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Chicken 65 Recipe

Name: PANEER Indian grills Chicken 65 Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces); 0.5 cups plain yogurt (thick, whole-milk preferred); 1 tbs ginger garlic paste; 1.5 tsp red chili powder (adjust for heat); 0.5 tsp kashmiri red chili powder (for color, optional); 0.25 tsp turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 2 tbs cornstarch; 2 tbs all-purpose flour (or chickpea/gram flour for variation); 1 unit egg (large, lightly beaten); 1 tsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper (freshly ground); 3 cups neutral oil for deep frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut); 12 unit curry leaves (fresh if possible); 2 unit green chilies (slit lengthwise); 3 unit garlic cloves (thinly sliced); 0.5 tbs ginger (julienned, optional); 4 unit lemon wedges (for serving); 2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped, optional garnish); 0.5 tsp chaat masala (for sprinkling, optional)

Inspired by PANEER Indian grill

Time1h 15m

Serves4

Spicy, crispy, fried chicken marinated in flavorful Indian spices.

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Ingredients

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Chicken Marinade

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1-1.5 inch pieces)

1/2 cups plain yogurt (thick, whole-milk preferred)

1 tbs ginger garlic paste

1 1/2 tsp red chili powder (adjust for heat)

1/2 tsp kashmiri red chili powder (for color, optional)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1/2 tsp Ground cumin

2 tbs Cornstarch

2 tbs all-purpose flour (or chickpea/gram flour for variation)

1 unit egg (large, lightly beaten)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)

Frying & Tempering

3 cups neutral oil for deep frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut)

12 unit curry leaves (fresh if possible)

2 unit green chilies (slit lengthwise)

3 unit garlic cloves (thinly sliced)

1/2 tbs ginger (julienned, optional)

4 unit lemon wedges (for serving)

2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped, optional garnish)

1/2 tsp chaat masala (for sprinkling, optional)

Method

Chicken Marinade

Prepare chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and cut into 1–1.5 inch bite-sized pieces. Pat dry with paper towels so marinade adheres well.

Mix marinade

In a large bowl combine yogurt, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, kashmiri chili powder (if using), turmeric, garam masala, ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth.

Binders and egg

Add cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and beaten egg to the spiced yogurt mixture. Mix thoroughly until a thick, slightly sticky batter coats the back of a spoon. Add lemon juice and mix.

Marinate chicken

Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, tossing to coat every piece. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 3–4 hours. For best texture, you can marinate up to overnight but up to 6–8 hours is recommended (longer will tenderize but might break down coating).

Frying & Tempering

Heat oil

Pour oil into a heavy saucepan or deep skillet to a depth of about 2–2.5 inches (enough to shallow-deep fry). Heat over medium-high until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of batter sizzles and rises steadily.

First fry (par-fry)

Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, carefully lower marinated chicken pieces into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Fry for 2–3 minutes until they start to set and move freely but are not fully browned. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray to drain. This step cooks the interior and sets coating.

Second fry (crisp)

Bring the oil back to 350–375°F (175–190°C). Fry the par-fried chicken in batches again for 1.5–3 minutes until crisp and deep golden brown. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven (170°F / 75°C) if needed while you finish remaining batches.

Temper aromatics

Discard any excess oil in a separate small pan leaving about 1 tablespoon. Heat that 1 tablespoon over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and cook until just golden (15–30 seconds), then add slit green chilies and curry leaves. Fry for another 20–30 seconds until fragrant and curry leaves crisp up. If you prefer more ginger aroma, add the julienned ginger now and sauté briefly.

Toss and finish

Immediately transfer the hot fried chicken pieces into the aromatics pan and toss quickly so the garlic, chilies, and curry leaves coat the chicken and impart flavor without making it soggy. Sprinkle chaat masala if using and chopped cilantro. Adjust salt or lemon to taste by adding a squeeze of lemon juice and tossing again.

Serve

Arrange Chicken 65 on a serving platter with lemon wedges on the side. Serve hot as an appetizer or as part of a meal with rice or naan.