I always associate Chicken 65 with Madurai although I have only been to Madurai once and I didn’t eat Chicken 65 during that trip. Weird, I know, but not too much because Chicken 65 is a very popular and spicy street food in Madurai. Anyway, I am sure none of you are new to this deliciously spicy fried chicken dish from South India that serves as an appetizer as well as it does a main dish. Now, the Chicken 65 in roadside stalls and restaurants may look a bit different but that’s because they add a large pinch of red food colour and I didn’t. But I can assure you that these bite-sized pieces of chicken are crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and adequately spiced up.
I once made Chicken 65 with Aachi Chicken 65 masala and it turned out really good. I wanted to make it from scratch so once that 50 gram packet ran out, I didn’t buy it any more in case it tempts me to stick to store-bought masala packets forever! I am a bit neurotic like that I guess, and while I have no issues buying masala powders at the store (I have never made garam masala at home, not yet anyway), there’s some special joy in making your own food, from scratch.
This Chicken 65 recipe will serve as a great starter for a South Indian meal for your guests but I do love a good dry chilli chicken or chicken majestic too. Check out all Chicken Recipes on Edible here for more Indian chicken recipes.
You may also like this easy chicken fry recipe.
Chicken 65 Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 gm chicken breast cleaned and cut into small cubes (boneless)
- 1/4 cup thick plain yogurt or 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 tsp rice flour or corn flour corn starch
- A fistful of curry leaves
- 2-3 cups of oil for frying
- 1 tsp vinegar optional
Instructions
- Mix the yogurt with all the spices, corn flour, ginger-garlic paste, and some salt. Add the vinegar only if your yogurt is not sour.
- Add the chicken pieces to this and mix well.
- Refrigerate this mixture for about 2 hours to let the marinade work its magic on the chicken pieces. You can also leave it overnight in the refrigerator
- When you are ready to fry, heat the oil in a kadai or pan. The amount of oil should be enough to almost cover the pieces so the quantity required will depend on your pan.
- Gently add the marinated chicken pieces one by one without overlapping and fry on a medium-low flame until golden brown, turning every once in a while. The outside should turn a dark golden brown otherwise the meat won't be cooked through.
- The chicken pieces will shrink a bit on frying as the moisture leaves the meat. The sizzling of the oil will also die down almost completely.
- Do a quick taste test and remove from the oil. Drain on paper towels as you fry the next batch. Add the curry leaves when you are frying up the last batch and let it turn crisp.
- Drain and add curry leaves to the fried pieces of chicken. Give everything a quick stir and serve hot with lemon wedges and raw sliced onions
How to make Chicken 65 – Step by Step Pictures
1. Mix 1/4 cup yogurt with all 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/4 tsp pepper powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp corn flour or rice flour, 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste, and some salt. Add 1 tsp vinegar only if your yogurt is not sour. Add the chicken pieces to this and mix well.
Refrigerate this mixture for about 2 hours to let the marinade work its magic on the chicken pieces. You can even leave it overnight if you want to prep it ahead.
2. When you are ready to fry, heat the oil in a kadai or pan. The amount of oil should be enough to almost cover the pieces so the quantity required will depend on your pan.
Gently add the marinated chicken pieces one by one without overlapping and fry on a medium-low flame until golden brown, turning every once in a while. The outside should turn a dark golden brown otherwise the meat won’t be cooked through.
3. The chicken pieces will shrink a bit on frying as the moisture leaves the meat. The sizzling of the oil will also die down almost completely. Do a quick taste test and remove from the oil. Drain on paper towels as you fry the next batch. Add the curry leaves when you are frying up the last batch and let it turn crisp.
4. Drain and add to the fried pieces of chicken. Give everything a quick stir and serve hot.
Hot and spicy Chicken 65 recipe is ready! Serve with lemon wedges and sliced red onions.
Notes:
- It’s important to fry the chicken in low heat otherwise the outside will start to begin while the inside remains raw.
- If you want the colour you see in restaurants, you have to add red food colour
- If you don’t have cornflour, use rice flour to give the outside a bit of crispness
- My version was not very spicy so adjust the heat level to your preference. Using Kashmiri chilli powder will give your chicken a more brighter colour than regular chilli powder, without the use of food colours
- If the marinade is too thick, you can add some water
- If your yogurt is not sour and you don’t have vinegar or don’t want to use it, add a few drops of lemon juice to the marinade
For Chicken 65 recipe in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Marathi, Urdu, etc, please use the Google Translate button in the sidebar.
Rukkaiya kanchwala
I have added more if cornstarch due to which the taste is very subtle how do i correct it?
Pearl
Perfect recipe?
Pearl
I meant perfect recipe!! ????
Jorge Lopez
Try this next time. Marinate the chicken in yogurt, fish sauce, black pepper, kasuri methi etc. Avoid using spices at this stage as it will burn. Add cornstarch and fry. Fry a low temp like 280F for 8 minutes. If your chicken pieces are small that should be good enough. Remove and drain.
First stage should use only salt, yogurt and black pepper. Do not use any spices here. Marinate as long as you want. Preferably 4 hours or more.
Stage 2.
Add a bit of oil, splutter some mustard seeds, add curry leaves, then the chicken, sprinkle your choice of spices on top. I use kashmiri chili, black pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric etc. Mix and add a splash of vinegar and check. If happy serve. Perfecting the taste is up to you. This is the technique.
I went to college in Tamil Nadu. And this was the only food I still crave for. I have perfected the technique and the taste. Just wanted to share the technique.
Jimbo
I’ve made this recipe a few times and it’s excellent…by far my favorite chicken 65 recipe….although to be fair, it’s the only recipe ive tried so far. But it’s so delicious. I even bring some in for co-workers to share and they think im a genius. The only thing I do different is that I skewer my chicken pieces and grill them for that charred look. It is heaven on earth. Thank you nags, my chix65 guru. Namaste.
nags
i am so glad to hear you like my chicken 65 recipe. love the skewering idea, i may try that!
Ram
I am new shop open in Chickenstal but new taste for chill chicken style in your notes please send me
U. S. Hanagoji
what to add if while frying chicken 65 more oil is consumed? by which chicken gets more oil while servicing
nags
the temperature of frying is also important. keep it medium high to start with so the chicken doesn’t absorb too much oil
Arvind
Very nice , MAST!
Arshiya
Wow its nyc I ll try it!!
Nida
In the ingredients, half tsp of coriander is mentioned. But in the picture method it says half tsp cumin. Could you please clarify?
Thanks for the easy recipe without the egg and the deep batter frying 🙂
nags
you need both cumin and coriander. in the instructions i had missed out coriander, i have edited to add now. thanks for pointing out!
Luca Sidoli
I tried it last saturday for a dinner party with some friends and it was a success!
Everybody liked it and so did I.
Thank you for the recipe!
nags
thanks! glad you liked it
Gladys Low
Try this recipe