What is Chicken 65?
There are many funny and bizarre theories revolving around the how the dish came to be called as Chicken ’65’. Does it require 65 ingredients/spices to prepare this dish? Does it take 65 days for the marinade to be prepared? Do you make this dish with a 65-day old chicken?!? No!!!!
It is a common belief that the dish was first created in the year 1965 and it was also the 65th item in menu! Chicken 65 is a very popular appetizer/snack which was originally created by a famous restaurant chain called Buhari in Madras (now Chennai), India.
Chicken-65 is basically a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish. This dish became so famous that you will find it in almost every restaurant across the country. There are multiple also variations of the recipe in each state of the country. There are even vegetarian versions of this recipe, which are prepared using cauliflower or paneer (cottage cheese). I am going to be sharing with you my simple version of home-made chicken 65. It is very quick and easy to make.
How to make Chicken-65?
Since this is deep fried, appetizer the chicken pieces have to be small and bite-sized. To make the marinade, take a bowl and add the following ingredients to it: yoghurt, turmeric powder, chili powder, pepper-cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, corn flour, ginger-garlic paste, salt, orange food color (optional) and lime juice. Mix everything thoroughly and give it a taste. Add more spice powders if you can like to have spicy food.
Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and let it sit for at least half an hour. Now heat oil in a wok/kadai and begin frying the chicken pieces. Fry some fresh curry leaves as the last step and garnish the chicken-65 before serving.
Serving suggestions
Chicken-65 is an appetizer but it can also be has as a side dish for any chicken curry with steamed white rice. For chicken curry recipe, click here.
Try it at home, share it with your friends, and let me know how it turned out!
Happy cooking!
Chicken 65
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb boneless chicken
- 1 tbsp yoghurt/curd
- 1 tsp Chili powder or as required
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp Garam masala
- 1/4 tsp Pepper-Cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste please refer recipe notes to learn how to make ginger-garlic paste at home
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tsp corn flour
- Oil for deep fryimg
- salt as required
- Lime wedges
- a pinch of orange food coloring Optional
- 1 sprig curry leaves Optional
Instructions
- Clean the chicken and cut it into small bite-sized pieces
- In bowl, add 1tbsp yoghurt, 1tsp chili powder, 1/4tsp turmeric powder, 1/4tsp garam masala powder, 1/4tsp pepper-cumin powder, 1/4tsp coriander powder, 2tsp lime juice, orange-red food coloring, and 1 tsp corn flour. Mix everything thoroughly
- Give it a taste. Add more spices or salt if required now
- Now add the chicken pieces to the yoghurt mixture and make sure all the chicken pieces are coated with evenly yoghurt mixture
- Let it marinate for at least half an hour
- Heat the oil and fry the chicken pieces until done
- Serve immediately with lime wedges
Notes
Directions with pictures
1.Clean the chicken and cut it into small bite-sized pieces
2. In a bowl, add 1tbsp yoghurt, 1tsp chili powder, 1/4tsp turmeric powder, 1/4tsp garam masala powder, 1/4tsp pepper-cumin powder, 1/4tsp coriander powder, 2tsp lime juice, orange-red food coloring, and 1 tsp corn flour. Mix everything thoroughly
3. Give it a taste. Add more spices or salt if required now
4. Now add the chicken pieces to the yoghurt mixture and make sure all the chicken pieces are coated with evenly yoghurt mixture
5. Let it marinate for at least half an hour
6. Heat the oil and fry the chicken pieces until done
7. Serve immediately with lime wedges
This looks delicious! I have never heard of chicken 65 but I am definitely pinning it to add to my meal plan!!