➤ Introduction for Chicken 65 Recipe

Chicken 65 is a delectable, spicy fried chicken dish that originated inChennai, India.

This quintessential South Indian appétit, features tender bits of chicken marinated in a flavor-packed mixture of spices, yogurt and aromatics and then deep fried until crispy and coated with tempering ingredients.

There are many theories of how Chicken 65 got its name – some say it was Number 65 on a hotel menu, some say it was created in 1965, and others believe it had 65 sorts of chili peppers in it.

Regardless of how Chicken 65 started, it is acknowledged as Chicken with a bright red color, crispy, juicy, and full of layered complex flavors.

➤ Why I Love This Chicken 65 Recipe

•The flavor blast: Wow! This has the ideal assortment of spicy, tangy and ar
omatic flavors that mesh together so nicely.
•The crunch factor: You have this great crispy outer shell and juicy tender chicken inside.
•It works for everything!: It’s great as an appetizer, something to snack on, or if you’re havi
ng company.
•A cool story to tell: It’s one of those dishes that has an interesting story behind it that is somewhat attractive and gets people chatting.
•Restaurant quality in your own home: You can replicate the popular restaurant version, right in your own kitchen.
•Total crowd-pleaser: if you love spicy foods or just want something with big flavor.

➤ Chicken 65 Recipe Ingredients

•A bunch of boneless chicken thighs, cut into nugget sized pieces.
•About ¾ cup plain yogurt. Good yogurt, not vanilla etc.
•Two heaping spoonfuls of ginger-garlic paste. (Heaping! Don’t be cheap.)
•A couple tablespoons of Kashmiri red chili powder. More! Go for it. Or not, that’s okay.
•A ½ teaspoon of turmeric—because yellow food seems a little happier than other colors.
•One teaspoon of garam masala. This is the point at which the kitchen smells like you might.

•know what you are doing. At least your taste buds will enjoy a little “aha” moment too!
•A splash of lemon like a tablespoon or so—don’t overthink it.
•One egg, that’s it. Egg glue, only tastier.
•Three tablespoons of corn starch or rice flour. Either works, that’s the crunch part, don’t skip it.
•And salt. Not just a pinch of salt, but enough so that the flavors are singing and your taste buds are having a little happy party in your mouth. Taste and adjust, you won’t hurt any feelings.

•A whole bunch of oil—since we’re deep frying, don’t hold back
•About 10-12 curry leaves (more if you really want)
•A handful of dried red chilies, maybe 4 or 5
•6-8 pieces of garlic, diced up whatever size you want (or minced)
•A heaped spoon of ginger that’s cut into matchsticks
•2 green chilies, just split them lengthwise.
•1 onion, sliced thinly—not paper thin, but don’t cry about it
•A good splash of soy sauce (about a tablespoon)
•a teaspoon vineger, nothing special
•some fresh cilantro on top when you’re done—just tear it into pieces when you put it on, it will be less work and look fancy succeed as possible within the context.

➤ How to Make Chicken 65 Recipe

1 • So here’s what to do; treat it like you’re hanging with a friend:

•First get a large bowl. Add the yogurt, all of the ginger-garlic paste (use a nice amount), Kashmiri red chili powder (for added color & spice), turmeric, garam masala, lemon juice, 1 egg, cornstarch, and obviously salt. Whisk everything together until smooth.

•Now add the chicken pieces to the bowl and get in there with your hands and make sure every bit of chicken is coated in that spicy yogurt mixture. You can’t just pour it on and hope for the best.

•Cover and put it in the fridge. If you are in a hurry, let it marinate for a minimum of 2 hours. However, if you can, 4-6 hours is even better (each hour you wait, the flavor will be better, so trust me, just wait!). It will be worth it every time.

2 • First fry:

•Turn up the heat and get your oil nice and hot—350°F hot (that’s about 175°C for the Europeans out there)..
•Place your marinated chicken into the hot oil but do not overcrowd the pan.

3 • So this is your cue to start the tempering:

•You can use your largest wok, or whatever heavy skillet you have in the cupboard. Put in a couple tablespoons of oil, and get it to medium heat. It doesn’t have to be anything gourmet here.
•Once the oil is hot, you are going to add the curry leaves, dried red chilies, and a nice handful of fresh chopped garlic.
•Don’t stand there and stare at it, but step back and let it sizzle for, hmm, about half a minute and take in that heavenly aroma, until your whole kitchen has that delightful smell wafting through it.

•Then, when you’re ready, add the ginger strips, green chilies and sliced onions and give it a quick little stir. You just want to knock off the rawness of the onions, about 2 minutes, nothing crazy. Don’t think too hard. If your eyes are watering, then you are in good shape.

4 • Final toss:

•The nice, crispy chicken goes right in to the wok with all the spicy sizzling stuff.
•Add a decent splash of soy sauce, don’t hold back. Add the vinegar! Increase the heat, as hot as possible, and go nuts tossing and stirring for 1-2 minutes
•Everything will become glossy and steamy. Turn off the heat, add fresh cilantro on top, and you’re done!

➤ Chicken 65 Recipe Tips & Variations

• Double Frying Trick: Do you want it extra crispy? Fry it at 325°F once, let it sit for 5 minutes, and fry it again at 375°F – it really makes a difference.
• Get that restaurant red color: If you want it to have that restaurant appearance as opposed to home made, add a few drops of red food coloring to your marinade.
• Bone in versus boneless: Traditional recipes call for bone in pieces because they have better flavor, but don’t be surprised if they take longer to cook.
• Crispier coating: If you want extra crispy coating use rice flour instead of cornstarch – rice flour makes it crispier.

➤ Serving Suggestions for Chicken 65 Recipe

• Serve it with some cool raita (that yogurt dip) to lessen the heat.
• Goes great with Indian fried rice (or “pulao”) on the side.
• Wrap it up in some naan or roti if you want it to feel a little more like a meal.
• Put out sliced onions, lemon wedges, and green chutney – everybody loves to add their own.
• Stuff it into wraps or sandwiches for something different!
• Add it to an Indian snack platter with samosas and pakoras – great variety.

If you’re loving this spicy, crispy Chicken 65, you’ve got to try our Chipotle Chicken Recipe – it’s got these amazing smoky flavors and you can serve it so many different ways. Just another way to take regular chicken and turn it into something with those bold international flavors!

➤ Storage and Leftovers

• In the fridge: Keep your cooled Chicken 65 in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
•Freezing: I wouldn’t recommend it – it really messes with that crispy texture you worked so hard for.
•Heating it back up: Your best bet is to stick it in a 350°F oven for 7-10 minutes to get some of that crispiness back.
•Skip the microwave: It’ll just make everything soggy, which is the last thing you want with this dish.

➤ Chicken 65 Recipe FAQs

Q: Why is it called Chicken 65?

⤷ A: Nobody’s quite sure! Some people say it was number 65 on some hotel menu, others say it was invented in 1965, there are even people who insist the original recipe had 65 chili peppers! Kind of a food mystery, right?

Q: Can I make this without deep frying?

⤷ A: Of course! You can air fry it at 400F for about 12-15 minutes (flipping halfway), or bake it at 425F for about 20 minutes. It won’t be quite as crispy, but it will still be decent.

Q: Is Chicken 65 always hot?

⤷ A: The traditional version certainly has some spice, but you can definitely tame it. Just use less chili powder and fewer green chilies – do whatever works for you!