The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›The Masala Indian Kitchen and Bar›Chicken Explosion 65 Recipe

Chicken Explosion 65 Recipe

Name: The Masala Indian Kitchen and Bars Chicken Explosion 65 Recipe
Cook time: 8 h 30 min
Total time: 8 h 30 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1 tbs fresh ginger (peeled and finely grated); 1 tsp garlic (minced); 1.5 tbs Kashmiri red chilli powder; 0.5 tsp hot red chilli powder (optional, for heat); 1 tsp ground coriander; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.25 tsp turmeric; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 0.5 cup plain yogurt (thick, whole-milk preferred); 2 tbs cornstarch; 1 unit egg; 1 tbs lemon juice; 1.25 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper (freshly ground); 2 cup neutral oil for deep frying (vegetable, peanut, or canola); 1 tbs unsalted butter; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 15 unit curry leaves (fresh if possible); 2 unit green chilies (slit lengthwise); 0.5 unit onion (small, thinly sliced); 1 tsp garlic (thinly sliced); 1 tsp ginger (julienned); 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli flakes or powder (for tossing); 1 tsp soy sauce; 1 tsp rice vinegar; 1 tsp honey; 2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped); 4 unit lemon wedges (to serve)

Inspired by The Masala Indian Kitchen and Bar

Time8h 30m

Serves3

Chicken surrendered overnight to ginger, Kashmiri chilli, and curry leaf, then fried with abandon the explosion is the joy of that very first bite.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Marinade

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 tbs fresh ginger (peeled and finely grated)

1 tsp Garlic (minced)

1 1/2 tbs Kashmiri red chilli powder

1/2 tsp hot red chilli powder (optional, for heat)

1 tsp Ground coriander

1/2 tsp Ground cumin

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp Garam masala

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

2 tbs Cornstarch

1 unit Egg

1 tbs ReaLemon lemon juice

1 1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)

Fry & Finish

2 cup neutral oil for deep frying (vegetable, peanut, or canola)

1 tbs Unsalted butter

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

15 unit curry leaves (fresh if possible)

2 unit green chilies (slit lengthwise)

1/2 unit onion (small, thinly sliced)

1 tsp garlic (thinly sliced)

1 tsp ginger (julienned)

1 tsp Kashmiri chilli flakes or powder (for tossing)

1 tsp Aged soy sauce

1 tsp Rice vinegar

1 tsp Honey

2 tbs fresh cilantro (chopped)

4 unit lemon wedges (to serve)

Method

Marinade

Trim chicken thighs of excess fat and cut into 1 to 1¼-inch bite-sized pieces. Pat dry with paper towels.

In a large bowl combine grated ginger, minced garlic, Kashmiri chilli powder, optional hot chilli powder (if using), ground coriander, ground cumin, turmeric, garam masala, yogurt, cornstarch, egg, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and uniform.

Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and toss thoroughly so each piece is evenly coated. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight (minimum 8 hours) — this allows the ginger, spices, and yogurt to tenderize and infuse the chicken.

Fry & Finish

Heat oil and prepare

Pour oil into a deep heavy-bottomed pan or wok to a depth of about 2 inches (roughly 1.5–2 cups depending on your pan). Heat over medium-high until a thermometer reads 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter: it should sizzle and rise to the surface immediately.

While oil heats, remove marinated chicken from refrigerator and let stand 15 minutes at room temperature. Stir to redistribute any settled marinade.

Fry the chicken in batches so pieces are not crowded. Use a slotted spoon to gently lower pieces into hot oil and fry until golden brown and cooked through, about 4–6 minutes per batch depending on piece size. Turn as needed for even browning. Internal temperature should register 165°F (74°C).

Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain. Keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if you're doing multiple batches.

Aromatic tempering

Discard all but about 1 tablespoon of the frying oil from the pan, or use a separate large skillet. Add 1 tablespoon unsalted butter to the reserved oil and melt over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop (10–20 seconds). Add the curry leaves and slit green chilies and fry briefly until the leaves are crisp and aromatic (about 30 seconds to 1 minute).

Add the thinly sliced onion to the pan and sauté until translucent and just starting to brown at the edges, about 2–3 minutes. Add the thinly sliced garlic and julienned ginger and cook another 30–45 seconds until fragrant—do not burn.

Lower the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle in the Kashmiri chilli flakes or powder and stir for 10 seconds to bloom the color and flavor. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and honey; stir to combine into a glossy toss sauce. Taste and adjust: add a pinch of salt if needed or a little more honey if you prefer sweeter balance.

Raise heat to medium-high. Add the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and toss continuously for 1–2 minutes so each piece is evenly coated and picks up the toasted aromatics and sauce. The goal is to keep the chicken crisp while coating it — do not over-stir to avoid sogginess.

Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the chicken, give a final quick toss, then remove from heat. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with extra curry leaves and lemon wedges.

Serve immediately so the first bite retains the crisp exterior and explosion of ginger, Kashmiri chilli, and curry leaf flavor.